100 Best universities for Sociology in the United Kingdom

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 36.2M citations received by 1.37M 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

#6 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

3. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Sociology

#3 in Europe

#13 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

4. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Sociology

#4 in Europe

#32 in the World

Founded: 1824

5. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Sociology

#5 in Europe

#33 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

6. King's College London

England | London

For Sociology

#6 in Europe

#36 in the World

Founded: 1829

7. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Sociology

#9 in Europe

#57 in the World

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

8. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Sociology

#10 in Europe

#58 in the World

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

9. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Sociology

#13 in Europe

#62 in the World

Founded: 1905

10. Imperial College London

England | London

For Sociology

#16 in Europe

#65 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

11. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Sociology

#17 in Europe

#68 in the World

Founded: 1900

12. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Sociology

#18 in Europe

#70 in the World

Founded: 1451

13. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Sociology

#19 in Europe

#71 in the World

Founded: 1948

14. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Sociology

#21 in Europe

#76 in the World

Founded: 1904

15. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Sociology

#22 in Europe

#81 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

16. University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#24 in Europe

#84 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

17. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Sociology

#27 in Europe

#92 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

18. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Sociology

#32 in Europe

#100 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

19. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Sociology

#33 in Europe

#104 in the World

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

20. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Sociology

#34 in Europe

#107 in the World

Founded: 1963

21. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Sociology

#37 in Europe

#120 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

22. University of York

England | York

For Sociology

#38 in Europe

#122 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

23. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Sociology

#39 in Europe

#123 in the World

Founded: 1997

24. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Sociology

#41 in Europe

#133 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

25. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Sociology

#42 in Europe

#135 in the World

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

26. Durham University

England | Durham

For Sociology

#43 in Europe

#146 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

27. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Sociology

#50 in Europe

#170 in the World

Founded: 1495

28. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Sociology

#51 in Europe

#175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

29. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#52 in Europe

#177 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

30. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Sociology

#57 in Europe

#192 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

31. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Sociology

#62 in Europe

#199 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

32. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Sociology

#70 in Europe

#226 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

33. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Sociology

#72 in Europe

#231 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

34. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Sociology

#73 in Europe

#232 in the World

Founded: 1964

35. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Sociology

#74 in Europe

#235 in the World

Founded: 1892

36. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Sociology

#75 in Europe

#236 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

37. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Sociology

#79 in Europe

#249 in the World

Founded: 1965

38. University of Bath

England | Bath

For Sociology

#84 in Europe

#264 in the World

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

39. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Sociology

#87 in Europe

#267 in the World

Founded: 1893

40. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Sociology

#91 in Europe

#274 in the World

Founded: 1968

41. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Sociology

#93 in Europe

#279 in the World

Founded: 1964

42. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Sociology

#95 in Europe

#284 in the World

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

43. Keele University

England | Keele

For Sociology

#103 in Europe

#306 in the World

Founded: 1962

44. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Sociology

#108 in Europe

#313 in the World

Founded: 1967

45. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Sociology

#109 in Europe

#315 in the World

Founded: 1954

46. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Sociology

#113 in Europe

#325 in the World

Founded: 1920

47. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#114 in Europe

#326 in the World

Founded: 1823

48. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Sociology

#115 in Europe

#332 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

49. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Sociology

#123 in Europe

#350 in the World

Founded: 1849

50. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Sociology

#127 in Europe

#362 in the World

Founded: 1992

51. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#130 in Europe

#372 in the World

Founded: 1904

52. City, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#133 in Europe

#377 in the World

Founded: 1966

53. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Sociology

#137 in Europe

#392 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

54. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Sociology

#149 in Europe

#416 in the World

Founded: 1992

55. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#158 in Europe

#439 in the World

Founded: 1733

56. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Sociology

#159 in Europe

#440 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

57. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Sociology

#162 in Europe

#449 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

58. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Sociology

#165 in Europe

#457 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

59. Bangor University

Wales | Bangor

For Sociology

#166 in Europe

#458 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

60. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Sociology

#167 in Europe

#462 in the World

Founded: 1967

61. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Sociology

#171 in Europe

#468 in the World

Founded: 1992

62. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Sociology

#179 in Europe

#491 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

63. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Sociology

#187 in Europe

#505 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

64. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Sociology

#198 in Europe

#533 in the World

Founded: 1992

65. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Sociology

#209 in Europe

#555 in the World

Founded: 1992

66. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Sociology

#212 in Europe

#566 in the World

Founded: 1895

67. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Sociology

#216 in Europe

#574 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

68. Middlesex University

England | London

For Sociology

#217 in Europe

#576 in the World

Founded: 1973

69. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Sociology

#218 in Europe

#578 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

70. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Sociology

#219 in Europe

#579 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

71. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Sociology

#229 in Europe

#598 in the World

Founded: 1992

72. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Sociology

#233 in Europe

#607 in the World

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

73. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Sociology

#234 in Europe

#617 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

74. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Sociology

#235 in Europe

#619 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

75. University of Westminster

England | London

For Sociology

#238 in Europe

#624 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

76. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Sociology

#245 in Europe

#637 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

77. University of East London

England | London

For Sociology

#252 in Europe

#654 in the World

Founded: 1992

78. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Sociology

#253 in Europe

#655 in the World

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

79. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Sociology

#254 in Europe

#656 in the World

Founded: 1992

80. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Sociology

#256 in Europe

#658 in the World

Founded: 1848

81. London Business School

England | London

For Sociology

#259 in Europe

#663 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

82. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Sociology

#262 in Europe

#666 in the World

Founded: 1872

83. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Sociology

#263 in Europe

#670 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

84. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Sociology

#270 in Europe

#693 in the World

Founded: 1890

85. London South Bank University

England | London

For Sociology

#271 in Europe

#704 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

86. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Sociology

#272 in Europe

#707 in the World

Founded: 1966

87. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Sociology

#295 in Europe

#788 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1992

88. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Sociology

#299 in Europe

#795 in the World

Founded: 1858

89. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Sociology

#309 in Europe

#822 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

90. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Sociology

#315 in Europe

#840 in the World

Founded: 1992

91. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Sociology

#316 in Europe

#846 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

92. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Sociology

#319 in Europe

#851 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

93. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Sociology

#324 in Europe

#864 in the World

Founded: 1841

94. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Sociology

#327 in Europe

#870 in the World

Founded: 2005

95. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Sociology

#338 in Europe

#906 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

96. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Sociology

#340 in Europe

#913 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

97. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For Sociology

#359 in Europe

#984 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

98. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Sociology

#375 in Europe

#1029 in the World

Founded: 2006

99. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Sociology

#383 in Europe

#1044 in the World

Founded: 1992

100. Robert Gordon University

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Sociology

#392 in Europe

#1069 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
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 Manchester.