The best universities in the arts and humanities

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022 reveal the best universities and degree programs in 51 different majors across five broad subject areas. 11 of these majors fall within the arts and humanities field, ranging from architecture to theology. Here’s a look at the top-ranked universities for each of these 11 subjects, as well as the general arts and humanities subject rankings that evaluate faculty-level institutions.

What are the best arts and humanities universities?

Rank	University	Site
1	Oxford university	United kingdom
2	Cambridge University	United kingdom
3	Harvard university	United State
4	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	United State
5	Stanford University	United State
6	Yale University	United State
7	Columbia University	United State
8	New York University (NYU)	United State
= 9	University of Edinburgh	United kingdom
= 9	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	United State

Not surprisingly, the UK and US dominate the literature and humanities rankings with other English-speaking sites in the top 20. Oxford held the bragging rights over its arch-rival Cambridge at the top of the rankings, while the University of Edinburgh was the only other UK representative.

What are the best universities for archeology?

Rank	University	Site
1	Cambridge University	United kingdom
2	Oxford university	United kingdom
3	UCL	United kingdom
4	Harvard university	United State
5	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	United State
6	Stanford University	United State
7	Leiden University	Holland
8	Durham University	United kingdom
9	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	United State
10	Sapienza University of Rome	Italia

The Netherlands and Italy both get representation in the top 10 universities for archeology, but other than that, these are the other top 10 universities dominated by the UK and the US. 

What are the best universities in architecture and built environment?

Rank	University	Site
1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	United State
2	Delft University of Technology	Holland
3	UCL	United kingdom
4	ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology	Switzerland
5	Harvard university	United State
6	National University of Singapore (NUS)	Singapore
7	Manchester School of Architecture	United kingdom
8	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	United State
9	Tsinghua University	Mainland China
10	Politecnico di Milano	Italia

This year’s top 10 centers for architecture are very diverse, with seven different destinations to study across three continents. This geographical spread should mean that most students are able to find the best architecture program near them, which may even be at a specialist institution such as the Manchester School of Architecture.

What are the best universities for art and design?

Rank	University	Site
1	Royal College of Art	United kingdom
2	University of the Arts London	United kingdom
3	The new school	United State
4	Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)	United State
5	Politecnico di Milano	Italia
6	Aalto University	Finland
7	Pratt Institute	United State
8	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	United State
= 9	Eindhoven Academy of Design	Holland
= 9	School of the Art Institute of Chicago	United State

Art and Design is another subject classification that features prominently in specialist institutions, with the Royal College of Art topping the table for another year.

What are the best universities for classics and ancient history?

Rank	University	Site
1	Sapienza University of Rome	Italia
2	Oxford university	United kingdom
3	Cambridge University	United kingdom
4	Ludwig Maximilian-University of Munich	Germany
5	Heidelberg University	Germany
6	Scola Normal Superior	Italia
7	Sorbonne University	France
8	Harvard university	United State
9	Leiden University	Holland
10	University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne	France

Whether it’s ancient Roman buildings or the ruins of Pompeii, you don’t have to go far when in Italy to encounter remnants of the country’s rich history. Given this, the position of the Sapienza University of Rome at the top of the classification of Classics and Ancient History makes a lot of sense. Germany, France and the United Kingdom are also well represented in the top ten.

What are the best universities in the field of English language and literature?

Rank	University	Site
1	Oxford university	United kingdom
2	Cambridge University	United kingdom
3	Harvard university	United State
4	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	United State
5	Yale University	United State
6	Stanford University	United State
7	Princeton University	United State
8	University of Edinburgh	United kingdom
= 9	Columbia University	United State
= 9	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	United State

Oxford and Cambridge continue to lead in English language and literature, dodging the challenge from many of the top American universities to rank first and second, respectively. Furthermore, both Canada and Australia were represented in the top 20.

What are the best universities in history?

Rank	University	Site
1	Harvard university	United State
= 2	Cambridge University	United kingdom
= 2	Oxford university	United kingdom
4	Yale University	United State
= 5	Stanford University	United State
= 5	London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)	United kingdom
7	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	United State
8	Columbia University	United State
9	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	United State
10	Princeton University	United State

History is another subject dominated by UK and US universities, with Harvard University scoring ahead of both Oxford and Cambridge who took second place. American students or international students looking to study in the United States have plenty of top universities to choose from.

What are the best universities for linguistics?

Rank	University	Site
1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	United State
2	University of Massachusetts Amherst	United State
3	Cambridge University	United kingdom
4	Oxford university	United kingdom
5	University of Edinburgh	United kingdom
6	Harvard university	United State
7	Stanford University	United State
8	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	United State
9	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	United State
= 10	National University of Singapore (NUS)	Singapore
= 10	University of Hong Kong	Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Our top 10 Linguistics is actually in the top 11 with two Asian universities in tenth place. At the top of the rankings, it is clear that Massachusetts is the Linguistics Capital of the World as the two best Linguistics Universities alike are located there.

What are the best universities for modern languages?

Rank	University	Site
1	Oxford university	United kingdom
2	Cambridge University	United kingdom
3	Harvard university	United State
4	Stanford University	United State
5	University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	United State
6	Yale University	United State
7	University of Tokyo	Japan
8	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	United State
9	Princeton University	United State
10	University of Edinburgh	United kingdom

The University of Tokyo is the only educational institution in our top 10 languages ​​that is not located in the UK or the US. At the top of the ranking, Oxford University has managed to outpace its rival, Cambridge University.

What are the best universities for performing arts?

Rank	University	Site
1	Royal College of Music	United kingdom
2	University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna	Austria
3	Juilliard School	United State
4	National Conservatory of Music and Dance of Paris (CNSMDP)	France
5	The Royal Scottish Conservatory (formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama)	United kingdom
6	Guildhall School of Music and Drama	United kingdom
7	Royal Academy of Music	United kingdom
8	Norwegian Academy of Music	Norway
9	Curtis Institute of Music	United State
10	Hong Kong Academy of Dramatic Arts	Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

While many of the world’s most prestigious universities excel in a wide range of subjects, it is clear that the best universities to study performing arts are specialist institutions. All of this year’s top ten offer specialized teaching in the performing arts rather than cover a broader academic curriculum.

What are the best universities in philosophy?

Rank	University	Site
1	New York University (NYU)	United State
2	Rutgers University – New Brunswick	United State
3	Australian National University	Australia
4	London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)	United kingdom
5	University of Pittsburgh	United State
6	Oxford university	United kingdom
7	Cambridge University	United kingdom
8	Harvard university	United State
9	King’s College London	United kingdom
10	University of Toronto	Canada

The order of philosophy is dominated by English-speaking destinations of study – as are many subjects in the arts and humanities. The Australian National University in Canberra became the first university from Australia to be mentioned in the top 10 list. Source: https://www.topuniversities.com