100 Best universities for Sociology in England

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in England ranked based on their research performance in Sociology. A graph of 30.1M citations received by 1.13M academic papers made by 119 universities in England was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Oxford

For Sociology

#1 in the United Kingdom

#1 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University College London

For Sociology

#2 in the United Kingdom

#2 in Europe

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

3. University of Cambridge

For Sociology

#3 in the United Kingdom

#3 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

4. University of Manchester

For Sociology

#4 in the United Kingdom

#4 in Europe

Founded: 1824

5. King's College London

For Sociology

#6 in the United Kingdom

#6 in Europe

Founded: 1829

6. University of Bristol

For Sociology

#7 in the United Kingdom

#9 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

7. London School of Economics and Political Science

For Sociology

#8 in the United Kingdom

#10 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 9,218
Founded: 1895

8. University of Sheffield

For Sociology

#9 in the United Kingdom

#13 in Europe

Founded: 1905

9. Imperial College London

For Sociology

#10 in the United Kingdom

#16 in Europe

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

10. University of Birmingham

For Sociology

#11 in the United Kingdom

#17 in Europe

Founded: 1900

11. University of Nottingham

For Sociology

#13 in the United Kingdom

#19 in Europe

Founded: 1948

12. University of Leeds

For Sociology

#14 in the United Kingdom

#21 in Europe

Founded: 1904

13. University of Warwick

For Sociology

#15 in the United Kingdom

#22 in Europe

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

14. University of London

For Sociology

#16 in the United Kingdom

#24 in Europe

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

15. University of Southampton

For Sociology

#17 in the United Kingdom

#27 in Europe

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

16. University of Liverpool

For Sociology

#18 in the United Kingdom

#32 in Europe

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

17. University of Sussex

For Sociology

#19 in the United Kingdom

#33 in Europe

Enrollment: 17,319
Male:Female: 44:56
Founded: 1961

18. Newcastle University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Sociology

#20 in the United Kingdom

#34 in Europe

Founded: 1963

19. Lancaster University

For Sociology

#21 in the United Kingdom

#37 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

20. University of York

For Sociology

#22 in the United Kingdom

#38 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

21. University of Exeter

For Sociology

#24 in the United Kingdom

#41 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

22. University of Leicester

For Sociology

#25 in the United Kingdom

#42 in Europe

Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

23. Durham University

For Sociology

#26 in the United Kingdom

#43 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

24. University of East Anglia

For Sociology

#28 in the United Kingdom

#51 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

25. Queen Mary University of London

For Sociology

#29 in the United Kingdom

#52 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

26. Loughborough University

For Sociology

#30 in the United Kingdom

#57 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

27. University of the West of England

For Sociology

#31 in the United Kingdom

#62 in Europe

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

28. University of Surrey

For Sociology

#33 in the United Kingdom

#72 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

29. University of Essex

For Sociology

#34 in the United Kingdom

#73 in Europe

Founded: 1964

30. University of Reading

For Sociology

#35 in the United Kingdom

#74 in Europe

Founded: 1892

31. University of Kent

For Sociology

#37 in the United Kingdom

#79 in Europe

Founded: 1965

32. University of Bath

For Sociology

#38 in the United Kingdom

#84 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 18,857
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1966

33. Keele University

For Sociology

#43 in the United Kingdom

#103 in Europe

Founded: 1962

34. University of Hull

Kingston upon Hull

For Sociology

#45 in the United Kingdom

#109 in Europe

Founded: 1954

35. Birkbeck, University of London

For Sociology

#47 in the United Kingdom

#114 in Europe

Founded: 1823

36. Brunel University London

For Sociology

#48 in the United Kingdom

#115 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

37. Royal Holloway, University of London

For Sociology

#49 in the United Kingdom

#123 in Europe

Founded: 1849

38. Manchester Metropolitan University

For Sociology

#50 in the United Kingdom

#127 in Europe

Founded: 1992

39. Goldsmiths, University of London

For Sociology

#51 in the United Kingdom

#130 in Europe

Founded: 1904

40. City, University of London

For Sociology

#52 in the United Kingdom

#133 in Europe

Founded: 1966

41. University of Plymouth

For Sociology

#53 in the United Kingdom

#137 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

42. Northumbria University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Sociology

#54 in the United Kingdom

#149 in Europe

Founded: 1992

43. St George's, University of London

For Sociology

#55 in the United Kingdom

#158 in Europe

Founded: 1733

44. Oxford Brookes University

For Sociology

#56 in the United Kingdom

#159 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

45. Nottingham Trent University

For Sociology

#57 in the United Kingdom

#162 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

46. University of Portsmouth

For Sociology

#58 in the United Kingdom

#165 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

47. University of Salford

For Sociology

#60 in the United Kingdom

#167 in Europe

Founded: 1967

48. Liverpool John Moores University

For Sociology

#61 in the United Kingdom

#171 in Europe

Founded: 1992

49. Sheffield Hallam University

For Sociology

#62 in the United Kingdom

#179 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

50. University of Bradford

For Sociology

#63 in the United Kingdom

#187 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

51. De Montfort University

For Sociology

#64 in the United Kingdom

#198 in Europe

Founded: 1992

52. Leeds Beckett University

For Sociology

#65 in the United Kingdom

#209 in Europe

Founded: 1992

53. Aston University

For Sociology

#66 in the United Kingdom

#212 in Europe

Founded: 1895

54. University of Huddersfield

For Sociology

#67 in the United Kingdom

#216 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

55. Middlesex University

For Sociology

#68 in the United Kingdom

#217 in Europe

Founded: 1973

56. University of Hertfordshire

For Sociology

#69 in the United Kingdom

#218 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

57. Bournemouth University

For Sociology

#70 in the United Kingdom

#219 in Europe

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

58. University of Brighton

For Sociology

#71 in the United Kingdom

#229 in Europe

Founded: 1992

59. SOAS, University of London

For Sociology

#72 in the United Kingdom

#233 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Enrollment: 6,295
Founded: 1916

60. Coventry University

For Sociology

#73 in the United Kingdom

#234 in Europe

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

61. University of Central Lancashire

For Sociology

#74 in the United Kingdom

#235 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

62. University of Westminster

For Sociology

#75 in the United Kingdom

#238 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

63. University of East London

For Sociology

#77 in the United Kingdom

#252 in Europe

Founded: 1992

64. Cranfield University

For Sociology

#78 in the United Kingdom

#253 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 4,825
Founded: 1993

65. University of Wolverhampton

For Sociology

#79 in the United Kingdom

#254 in Europe

Founded: 1992

66. London Metropolitan University

For Sociology

#80 in the United Kingdom

#256 in Europe

Founded: 1848

67. London Business School

For Sociology

#81 in the United Kingdom

#259 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

68. University of Roehampton

For Sociology

#83 in the United Kingdom

#263 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

69. University of Greenwich

For Sociology

#84 in the United Kingdom

#270 in Europe

Founded: 1890

70. London South Bank University

For Sociology

#85 in the United Kingdom

#271 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

71. University of Lincoln

For Sociology

#87 in the United Kingdom

#295 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1992

72. Anglia Ruskin University

For Sociology

#88 in the United Kingdom

#299 in Europe

Founded: 1858

73. Teesside University

For Sociology

#89 in the United Kingdom

#309 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

74. Kingston University

Kingston upon Thames

For Sociology

#90 in the United Kingdom

#315 in Europe

Founded: 1992

75. Staffordshire University

For Sociology

#92 in the United Kingdom

#319 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

76. Canterbury Christ Church University

For Sociology

#94 in the United Kingdom

#327 in Europe

Founded: 2005

77. University of Bedfordshire

For Sociology

#95 in the United Kingdom

#338 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

78. University of Sunderland

For Sociology

#96 in the United Kingdom

#340 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

79. Edge Hill University

For Sociology

#98 in the United Kingdom

#375 in Europe

Founded: 2006

80. Birmingham City University

For Sociology

#99 in the United Kingdom

#383 in Europe

Founded: 1992

81. University of Northampton

For Sociology

#101 in the United Kingdom

#405 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

82. University of Derby

For Sociology

#102 in the United Kingdom

#408 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1992

83. Royal Veterinary College University of London

For Sociology

#103 in the United Kingdom

#424 in Europe

Founded: 1791

84. University of Chester

For Sociology

#104 in the United Kingdom

#430 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

85. University of Gloucestershire

For Sociology

#106 in the United Kingdom

#438 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 2001

86. University of Worcester

For Sociology

#107 in the United Kingdom

#441 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Enrollment: 10,798
Founded: 2005

87. University of West London

For Sociology

#108 in the United Kingdom

#462 in Europe

Founded: 1990

88. Liverpool Hope University

For Sociology

#109 in the United Kingdom

#468 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Founded: 2005

89. University of Winchester

For Sociology

#110 in the United Kingdom

#469 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

90. York St John University

For Sociology

#112 in the United Kingdom

#503 in Europe

Founded: 1841

91. Bath Spa University

For Sociology

#113 in the United Kingdom

#516 in Europe

Enrollment: 6,863
Founded: 1975

92. University of Bolton

For Sociology

#115 in the United Kingdom

#580 in Europe

Founded: 2004

93. University of the Arts London

For Sociology

#116 in the United Kingdom

#596 in Europe

Founded: 1986

94. Buckinghamshire New University

For Sociology

#118 in the United Kingdom

#627 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Founded: 2007

95. University of Cumbria

For Sociology

#119 in the United Kingdom

#628 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded: 2007

96. Royal College of Art

For Sociology

#120 in the United Kingdom

#629 in Europe

Founded: 1896

97. University of Buckingham

For Sociology

#121 in the United Kingdom

#644 in Europe

Founded: 1973

98. Royal Agricultural University

For Sociology

#122 in the United Kingdom

#689 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 1,100
Founded: 2013

99. University of Chichester

For Sociology

#123 in the United Kingdom

#714 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

100. School of Advanced Study, University of London

For Sociology

#125 in the United Kingdom

#734 in Europe

Founded: 1994

Closest to England states to learn Sociology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Wales	10	23
Scotland	18	5

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in England

Anthropology108

Broadcast Journalism70

Classics and Ancient History99

Communications and Public Relations106

Criminology and Criminal Justice90

Early Childhood Education74

Education Majors108

Forensic Science64

Gender Studies103

Human Rights Law77

Intellectual Property and Patent Law60

International Law70

International Relations and Diplomacy69

Journalism and Digital Media84

Law Enforcement84

Library and Information science103

Media Studies99

Military science78

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution82

Occupational Safety and Health62

Political Economy88

Political Science118

Public Policy / Administration92

Radio and Television broadcasting64

Special Education81

Sports / Exercise science67

Theology / Divinity / Religious studies108

Urban and Regional planning71