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.