Best subjects to study at SA universities

University-of-Cape-Town

The latest QS World University Ranking has revealed the top fields of study at South Africa’s best universities.

The ranking covered six additional subjects in 2015 compared to 2014, totaling 36 subjects in arts and humanities; engineering and technology; life sciences and medicine; natural sciences; and social sciences.

South African universities stand out for expertise in development studies, QS said.

“South African institutions receive their highest rankings within the new subject of Development Studies, in which University of Cape Town is 7th worldwide, and University of The Witwatersrand ties for 15th,” the group said.

“In that subject, four additional South African institutions are also placed in the global top 100: Stellenbosch University, University of Johannesburg, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and University of Pretoria.”

University of Cape Town is also in the top 50 for Geography, tying for 39th, while ranking in the top 100 for six subjects in total.

Others in the top 100 are Stellenbosch University for Agriculture and Forestry, and University of The Witwatersrand in Geography.

“These rankings provide a unique opportunity for South African institutions to be recognized for their specialized prowess in certain disciplines, something not seen in overall institutional rankings.”

Overall, Cape Town was once again the leading South African university – ranked in 23 of the 36 subjects covered by QS.

Wits and the University of Pretoria were ranked in 11 of the subjects, while Stellenbosch was ranked in 10.

The tables below provide a breakdown of subjects in which South African universities ranked within the top 400. Top 100 subjects have been highlighted.

South African universities that were not ranked in the top 400 are not featured.

University of Cape Town

Subject Field QS Rank
Developmental Studies Social sciences 7
Geography Natural sciences 39
English Language & Literature Arts and humanities 51-100
Agriculture & Forestry Life sciences and medicine 51-100
Earth & Marine Sciences Natural sciences 51-100
Education Social sciences 51-100
Law Social sciences 51-100
Politics & International Studies Social sciences 51-100
Biological Sciences Life sciences and medicine 101-150
Medicine Life sciences and medicine 101-150
Environmental Sciences Natural sciences 101-150
Sociology Social sciences 101-150
Linguistics Arts and humanities 151-200
Philosophy Arts and humanities 151-200
Civil & Structural Engineering Engineering and technology 151-200
Pharmacy & and Pharmacology Life sciences and medicine 151-200
Psychology Life sciences and medicine 151-200
Modern Languages Arts and humanities 201-250
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering Engineering and technology 201-250
Physics & Astronomy Natural sciences 201-250
Mathematics Natural sciences 251-300
Computer Science Engineering and technology 301-400
Chemistry Natural sciences 301-400

University of the Witwatersrand

Subject Field QS Rank
Developmental Studies Social sciences 15
Geography Natural sciences 51-100
English Language & Literature Arts and humanities 101-150
Earth & Marine Sciences Natural sciences 101-150
Law Social sciences 101-150
Politics & International Studies Social sciences 101-150
Medicine Life sciences and medicine 151-200
Communication & Media Studies Social sciences 151-200
Education Social sciences 151-200
Physics & Astronomy Natural sciences 251-300
Biological Sciences Life sciences and medicine 301-400

University of Pretoria

Subject Field QS Rank
Developmental Studies Social sciences 51-100
Agriculture & Forestry Life sciences and medicine 101-150
Law Social sciences 101-150
English Language & Literature Arts and humanities 151-200
Philosophy Arts and humanities 151-200
Geography Natural sciences 151-200
Communication & Media Studies Social sciences 151-200
Education Social sciences 151-200
Environmental Studies Natural sciences 201-250
Biological Studies Life sciences and medicine 301-400
Medicine Life sciences and medicine 301-400

Stellenbosch University

Subject Field QS Rank
Developmental Studies Social sciences 46
Agriculture & Forestry Life sciences and medicine 51-100
English Language & Literature Arts and humanities 151-200
Geography Natural sciences 151-200
Law Social sciences 151-200
Biological Sciences Life sciences and medicine 251-300
Medicine Life sciences and medicine 251-300
Environmental Studies Natural sciences 251-300
Mathematics Natural sciences 301-400
Chemistry Natural sciences 301-400

University of KwaZulu Natal

Subject Field QS Rank
Developmental Studies Social sciences 51-100
Agriculture & Forestry Life sciences and medicine 151-200
Geography Natural sciences 151-200
Medicine Life sciences and medicine 251-300

Rhodes University

Subject Field QS Rank
English Language & Literature Arts and humanities 151-200
Communication & Media Studies Social sciences 151-200

University of Johannesburg

Subject Field QS Rank
Developmental Studies Social sciences 51-100

The QS subject rankings are based on a mix of survey responses and hard data, compiled and weighted to formulate a final score.

This includes academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper, the h-index (an index that measures both the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar) as well as insight from discipline-level experts and specialists.

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