SEED subjects shine in QS World University Rankings by Subject

25 Mar 2026

All four subjects taught in the School of Environment, Education and Development have increased or maintained their position in the latest World Rankings, with University of Manchester now in the top ten worldwide for three SEED subjects

The University of Manchester has strengthened its global academic reputation, showing improvements across multiple disciplines in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject. The annual QS World University Rankings by Subject evaluate universities across 55 individual subjects. The rankings measure the quality and reputation of research and include measures on academic and employer reputation, citations performance and international collaboration. 

All four of the listed subjects taught in SEED have either moved up or retained their existing position in the 2026 Rankings, with three of our subjects now in the top ten worldwide:

• Architecture & Built Environment: Manchester School of Architecture (MSA) is 5th in the world for the fourth year running - this also includes our PPEM department
• Development Studies: The University of Manchester is ranked 5th in the world, compared to 11th in 2025 
• Education and Training: The University of Manchester has climbed ten places from last year, now ranked 35th in the world, compared to 45th in 2025
• Geography: The University of Manchester is now 9th in the world, compared to 18th in 2025

Find out more on the QS World University Rankings website.