Best Universities for Sociology in Europe

Updated: July 18, 2023

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Sociology. A graph of 555M citations received by 24.7M academic papers made by 1,382 universities in Europe 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

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#1 in the United Kingdom

#5 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1096

2. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#2 in the United Kingdom

#11 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

3. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#3 in the United Kingdom

#18 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#4 in the United Kingdom

#33 in the World

Founded: 1824

5. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Sociology

#5 in the United Kingdom

#35 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

6. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#6 in the United Kingdom

#41 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1829

7. Karolinska Institute

Sweden | Stockholm

For Sociology

#1 in Sweden

#47 in the World

Enrollment: 8,070
Founded: 1861

8. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Sociology

#1 in the Netherlands

#55 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 31,123
Founded: 1632

9. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#7 in the United Kingdom

#56 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

10. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#8 in the United Kingdom

#57 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1905

11. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Sociology

#58 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

12. London School of Economics and Political Science

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#9 in the United Kingdom

#60 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Founded: 1895

13. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Sociology

#62 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

14. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#10 in the United Kingdom

#64 in the World

Founded: 1900

15. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#11 in the United Kingdom

#65 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

16. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#12 in the United Kingdom

#66 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

17. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Sociology

#13 in the United Kingdom

#68 in the World

Founded: 1451

18. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#14 in the United Kingdom

#69 in the World

Founded: 1904

19. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Sociology

#2 in the Netherlands

#74 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1636

20. Lund University

For Sociology

#2 in Sweden

#75 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

21. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#15 in the United Kingdom

#78 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

22. University of Oslo

For Sociology

#1 in Norway

#81 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

23. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#16 in the United Kingdom

#84 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

24. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Sociology

#3 in Sweden

#86 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 35,556
Founded: 1477

25. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Sociology

#87 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

26. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#17 in the United Kingdom

#89 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

27. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#18 in the United Kingdom

#94 in the World

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

28. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Sociology

#3 in the Netherlands

#96 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

29. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Sociology

#4 in Sweden

#97 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

30. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Sociology

#98 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,020
Founded: 1928

31. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#19 in the United Kingdom

#101 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Founded: 1963

32. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Sociology

#4 in the Netherlands

#103 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

33. Lancaster University

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#20 in the United Kingdom

#106 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Founded: 1964

34. Stockholm University

Sweden | Stockholm

For Sociology

#5 in Sweden

#111 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Enrollment: 37,484
Founded: 1878

35. Cardiff University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Sociology

#21 in the United Kingdom

#114 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1997

36. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#22 in the United Kingdom

#121 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

37. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#23 in the United Kingdom

#122 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

38. University of Exeter

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#24 in the United Kingdom

#124 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

39. University of Leicester

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#25 in the United Kingdom

#125 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

40. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Sociology

#1 in Switzerland

#126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

41. Leiden University

Netherlands | Leiden

For Sociology

#5 in the Netherlands

#130 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,713
Founded: 1575

42. Durham University

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#26 in the United Kingdom

#140 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

43. Maastricht University

Netherlands | Maastricht

For Sociology

#6 in the Netherlands

#155 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1976

44. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Sociology

#157 in the World

Enrollment: 41,669
Founded: 1817

45. Umea University

For Sociology

#6 in Sweden

#158 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 34,237
Founded: 1965

46. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Sociology

#7 in the Netherlands

#160 in the World

Founded: 1923

47. University of Aberdeen

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Sociology

#27 in the United Kingdom

#162 in the World

Founded: 1495

48. Free University Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Sociology

#8 in the Netherlands

#169 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1880

49. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#28 in the United Kingdom

#171 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1989

50. University of East Anglia

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#29 in the United Kingdom

#172 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

51. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Sociology

#1 in Spain

#174 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 64,236
Male:Female: 86:14

52. Loughborough University

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#30 in the United Kingdom

#178 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

53. University of Bergen

Norway | Bergen

For Sociology

#2 in Norway

#181 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1946

54. Sapienza University of Rome

For Sociology

#1 in Italy

#184 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

55. University of the West of England

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#31 in the United Kingdom

#186 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

56. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Sociology

#2 in Italy

#189 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
Founded: 1088

57. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Sociology

#190 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

58. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Sociology

#2 in Spain

#192 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 30,926

59. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Sociology

#3 in Italy

#193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 65,234
Founded: 1924

60. Wageningen University

Netherlands | Wageningen

For Sociology

#9 in the Netherlands

#195 in the World

Enrollment: 12,819
Founded: 1918

61. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Sociology

#201 in the World

Enrollment: 25,421
Founded: 1817

62. University of Bern

Switzerland | Bern

For Sociology

#2 in Switzerland

#205 in the World

Enrollment: 18,576

63. University of Padua

For Sociology

#4 in Italy

#208 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 62,876
Founded: 1222

64. Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Norway | Trondheim

For Sociology

#3 in Norway

#212 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 42,031
Founded: 1996

65. University of Surrey

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#32 in the United Kingdom

#217 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

66. University of Reading

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#33 in the United Kingdom

#218 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Founded: 1892

67. University of St Andrews

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Sociology

#34 in the United Kingdom

#222 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

68. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Sociology

#3 in Switzerland

#224 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 23,420

69. Queen's University Belfast

United Kingdom | Northern Ireland

For Sociology

#35 in the United Kingdom

#225 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

70. University of Essex

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#36 in the United Kingdom

#226 in the World

Founded: 1964

71. University of Kent

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#37 in the United Kingdom

#233 in the World

Founded: 1965

72. Tilburg University

Netherlands | Tilburg

For Sociology

#10 in the Netherlands

#240 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Enrollment: 17,378
Founded: 1927

73. University College Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Sociology

#241 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 33,321
Founded: 1854

74. University of Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Sociology

#4 in Switzerland

#244 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 16,919

75. University of Oulu

For Sociology

#245 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 2,900
Founded: 1958

76. University of Bath

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#38 in the United Kingdom

#247 in the World

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

77. Linkoping University

Sweden | Linkoping

For Sociology

#7 in Sweden

#251 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Enrollment: 22,441
Founded: 1975

78. University of Southern Denmark

Denmark | Odense

For Sociology

#252 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Founded: 1966

79. University of Wales

United Kingdom | Wales

For Sociology

#39 in the United Kingdom

#253 in the World

Founded: 1893

80. University of Stirling

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Sociology

#40 in the United Kingdom

#254 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1967

81. University of Turku

Finland | Turku

For Sociology

#256 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 20,800
Male:Female: 38:62
Founded: 1920

82. Complutense University of Madrid

For Sociology

#3 in Spain

#259 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 71,806
Founded: 1508

83. Aalborg University

Denmark | Aalborg

For Sociology

#260 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 20,353
Founded: 1974

84. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Sociology

#11 in the Netherlands

#262 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

85. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Sociology

#264 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 37,608
Founded: 1948

86. University of Geneva

Switzerland | Geneva

For Sociology

#5 in Switzerland

#265 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 17,744

87. University of Strathclyde

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Sociology

#41 in the United Kingdom

#268 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Founded: 1964

88. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Sociology

#6 in Switzerland

#271 in the World

Enrollment: 12,576

89. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Sociology

#272 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 50,918
Founded: 1472

90. Keele University

United Kingdom | England

For Sociology

#42 in the United Kingdom

#275 in the World

Founded: 1962

91. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Sociology

#276 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1592

92. University of Turin

Italy | Piedmont

For Sociology

#5 in Italy

#277 in the World

Founded: 1404

93. University of Twente

Netherlands | Enschede

For Sociology

#12 in the Netherlands

#283 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1961

94. University of Granada

Spain | Granada

For Sociology

#4 in Spain

#285 in the World

Founded: 1531

95. University of Dundee

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Sociology

#43 in the United Kingdom

#290 in the World

Founded: 1967

96. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Sociology

#291 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

97. University of Antwerp

Belgium | Antwerp

For Sociology

#293 in the World

Founded: 2003

98. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Sociology

#5 in Spain

#296 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390

99. Swansea University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Sociology

#44 in the United Kingdom

#297 in the World

Founded: 1920

100. Catholic University of Louvain

Belgium | Louvain-la-Neuve

For Sociology

#299 in the World

Enrollment: 35,000
Founded: 1425

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in Europe

Anthropology929

Archaeology1358

Broadcast Journalism326

Classics and Ancient History648

Communications and Public Relations813

Criminology and Criminal Justice357

Early Childhood Education315

Education Majors955

Forensic Science328

Gender Studies531

Human Rights Law363

Intellectual Property and Patent Law320

International Law369

International Relations and Diplomacy322

Journalism and Digital Media421

Law Enforcement334

Library and Information science652

Linguistics1320

Media Studies383

Military science304

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution377

Occupational Safety and Health303

Political Economy391

Political Science1423

Public Policy / Administration469

Radio and Television broadcasting328

Special Education368

Sports / Exercise science353

Theology / Divinity / Religious studies925

Urban and Regional planning528