100 Best universities for Sociology in the United Kingdom

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the United Kingdom ranked based on their research performance in Sociology. A graph of 50.6M citations received by 1.52M academic papers made by 150 universities in the United Kingdom 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

England | Oxford

For Sociology

#1 in Europe

#5 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University College London

England | London

For Sociology

#2 in Europe

#7 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

3. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Sociology

#3 in Europe

#14 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

4. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Sociology

#4 in Europe

#29 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

5. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Sociology

#5 in Europe

#33 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. King's College London

England | London

For Sociology

#6 in Europe

#38 in the World

Founded: 1829

7. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Sociology

#8 in Europe

#56 in the World

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

8. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Sociology

#9 in Europe

#57 in the World

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

9. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Sociology

#11 in Europe

#60 in the World

Founded: 1905

10. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Sociology

#12 in Europe

#61 in the World

Founded: 1900

11. University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#13 in Europe

#62 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

12. Imperial College London

England | London

For Sociology

#17 in Europe

#68 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

13. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Sociology

#18 in Europe

#70 in the World

Founded: 1451

14. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Sociology

#20 in Europe

#72 in the World

Founded: 1948

15. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Sociology

#22 in Europe

#76 in the World

Founded: 1904

16. University of York

England | York

For Sociology

#23 in Europe

#80 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

17. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Sociology

#24 in Europe

#83 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

18. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Sociology

#29 in Europe

#96 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

19. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Sociology

#33 in Europe

#106 in the World

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

20. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Sociology

#35 in Europe

#111 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

21. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Sociology

#37 in Europe

#117 in the World

Founded: 1997

22. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Sociology

#38 in Europe

#118 in the World

Founded: 1963

23. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Sociology

#39 in Europe

#119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

24. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Sociology

#40 in Europe

#130 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

25. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Sociology

#41 in Europe

#135 in the World

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

26. Durham University

England | Durham

For Sociology

#42 in Europe

#137 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

27. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Sociology

#50 in Europe

#169 in the World

Founded: 1495

28. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#53 in Europe

#177 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

29. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Sociology

#55 in Europe

#184 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

30. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Sociology

#58 in Europe

#191 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

31. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Sociology

#63 in Europe

#197 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

32. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Sociology

#69 in Europe

#219 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

33. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Sociology

#71 in Europe

#229 in the World

Founded: 1892

34. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Sociology

#74 in Europe

#233 in the World

Founded: 1964

35. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Sociology

#77 in Europe

#240 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

36. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Sociology

#79 in Europe

#244 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

37. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Sociology

#80 in Europe

#248 in the World

Founded: 1965

38. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Sociology

#91 in Europe

#277 in the World

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

39. University of Bath

England | Bath

For Sociology

#92 in Europe

#278 in the World

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

40. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Sociology

#95 in Europe

#282 in the World

Founded: 1968

41. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Sociology

#98 in Europe

#292 in the World

Founded: 1964

42. Keele University

England | Keele

For Sociology

#103 in Europe

#304 in the World

Founded: 1962

43. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#107 in Europe

#311 in the World

Founded: 1823

44. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Sociology

#110 in Europe

#321 in the World

Founded: 1893

45. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Sociology

#112 in Europe

#323 in the World

Founded: 1967

46. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Sociology

#113 in Europe

#325 in the World

Founded: 1920

47. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Sociology

#115 in Europe

#330 in the World

Founded: 1954

48. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Sociology

#118 in Europe

#337 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

49. City, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#123 in Europe

#348 in the World

Founded: 1966

50. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Sociology

#128 in Europe

#361 in the World

Founded: 1992

51. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Sociology

#130 in Europe

#367 in the World

Founded: 1849

52. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Sociology

#137 in Europe

#396 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

53. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#138 in Europe

#397 in the World

Founded: 1904

54. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Sociology

#149 in Europe

#418 in the World

Founded: 1992

55. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Sociology

#160 in Europe

#447 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

56. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Sociology

#164 in Europe

#454 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

57. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Sociology

#165 in Europe

#457 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

58. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Sociology

#173 in Europe

#474 in the World

Founded: 1967

59. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Sociology

#174 in Europe

#475 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

60. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#177 in Europe

#489 in the World

Founded: 1733

61. Bangor University

Wales | Bangor

For Sociology

#179 in Europe

#498 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

62. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Sociology

#182 in Europe

#505 in the World

Founded: 1992

63. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Sociology

#194 in Europe

#532 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

64. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Sociology

#208 in Europe

#566 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

65. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Sociology

#212 in Europe

#573 in the World

Founded: 1992

66. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Sociology

#213 in Europe

#574 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

67. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#214 in Europe

#578 in the World

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

68. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Sociology

#215 in Europe

#585 in the World

Founded: 1992

69. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Sociology

#216 in Europe

#586 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

70. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Sociology

#218 in Europe

#589 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

71. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Sociology

#219 in Europe

#590 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

72. University of Westminster

England | London

For Sociology

#225 in Europe

#603 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

73. Middlesex University

England | London

For Sociology

#232 in Europe

#624 in the World

Founded: 1973

74. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Sociology

#233 in Europe

#625 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

75. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Sociology

#234 in Europe

#626 in the World

Founded: 1895

76. University of East London

England | London

For Sociology

#242 in Europe

#640 in the World

Founded: 1992

77. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Sociology

#258 in Europe

#679 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

78. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Sociology

#262 in Europe

#689 in the World

Founded: 1992

79. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Sociology

#265 in Europe

#694 in the World

Founded: 1848

80. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Sociology

#268 in Europe

#703 in the World

Founded: 1872

81. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Sociology

#271 in Europe

#709 in the World

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

82. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Sociology

#273 in Europe

#715 in the World

Founded: 1890

83. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Sociology

#278 in Europe

#726 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

84. London Business School

England | London

For Sociology

#279 in Europe

#729 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

85. London South Bank University

England | London

For Sociology

#281 in Europe

#732 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

86. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Sociology

#288 in Europe

#767 in the World

Founded: 1966

87. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Sociology

#289 in Europe

#770 in the World

Founded: 1858

88. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Sociology

#299 in Europe

#803 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Enrollment: 19,710
Founded: 1992

89. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Sociology

#317 in Europe

#859 in the World

Founded: 1992

90. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Sociology

#318 in Europe

#862 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

91. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Sociology

#325 in Europe

#881 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

92. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Sociology

#327 in Europe

#890 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

93. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Sociology

#336 in Europe

#920 in the World

Founded: 1841

94. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Sociology

#339 in Europe

#925 in the World

Founded: 2005

95. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Sociology

#343 in Europe

#933 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

96. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Sociology

#351 in Europe

#982 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

97. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For Sociology

#355 in Europe

#989 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

98. Robert Gordon University

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Sociology

#380 in Europe

#1063 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

99. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Sociology

#381 in Europe

#1064 in the World

Founded: 2006

100. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Sociology

#386 in Europe

#1085 in the World

Founded: 1992

The best cities to study Sociology in the United Kingdom based on the number of universities and their ranks are Oxford, London, Cambridge, and Edinburgh.