Lancaster’s Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences is home to over 20 disciplines, with many ranked highly in major UK and world university league tables.
The quality of our research in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences has been independently assessed as world-leading and internationally excellent. It has also been confirmed that we are achieving real-world impact and positive change through our research.
Two disciplines in the Faculty achieved the highest possible score for impact in the most recent Research Excellence Framework results, which were published on 12 May 2022.
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is carried out approximately every seven years, and assesses the quality of research across UK universities and demonstrates its impact on a domestic and global stage.
At Lancaster, top academics use their research to inform their teaching, meaning that students benefit from studying with world leaders in their field and hearing first hand about their work.
The disciplines of Educational Research and Linguistics and English Language are both rated ‘outstanding’ for 100% of their research impact and therefore both are rated joint top in the UK for impact.
Linguistics is also rated ‘world-leading’ for 100% of its research environment and ranked 2nd in the UK for overall research quality.
2nd in the UK for research power, 8th for research environment, 88% of its research ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
2nd in the UK for research outputs, 6th for overall research quality, 9th for research power.
6th in the UK for research impact, 88% of its impact ‘outstanding’.
8th in the UK for research impact, 75% of its impact ‘outstanding’.
Almost half (46%) of published research ‘world leading’; nearly all of the remainder ‘internationally excellent’.
Two thirds of research impact ‘outstanding’, 12th in the UK for outstanding impact.
Contributed to several different submissions including Art and Design and English Language and Literature, highlighting the department’s strengths in interdisciplinary and collaborative research.
The global influence of the Faculty is confirmed by the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Ranked 2nd in the world, Linguistics at Lancaster is confirmed as a world leader in this field.
Ranked 39, English Language and Literature is also highly ranked on the world stage.
Several subjects are ranked in the world top 100:
Lancaster University is placed 10th out of 130 UK universities in the Complete University Guide 2027.
Many Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences disciplines are ranked among the best in the UK. The Complete University Guide recognises high levels of student satisfaction at Lancaster, alongside Lancaster's strength in preparing students for successful careers.
The Faculty provides a high level of support to help our students find rewarding careers after they graduate.
Rankings for graduate prospects include:
News Item - Complete University Guide 2027 ranks Lancaster in UK top 10
Find out more about Lancaster University’s strength in UK and world league tables.
Rankings and reputation
