Our reputation
23rd in the world for Geography, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
The School of Geography is globally renowned for the quality of its research, and the funding it attracts, meaning we’re able to invest in world-class facilities and academic staff who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research. Our academics are internationally renowned and working at the top of their fields – at the forefront of knowledge and thinking.
We have just over 1000 students from almost 50 countries studying with us.
The quality of our research, and the funding it attracts, means we’re able to invest in world-class facilities and academic staff who are actively engaged in cutting-edge research, which means you will be taught by internationally renowned, inspirational academics working at the top of their fields.
Academic excellence
- 23rd in the world for Geography, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
- Top 50 in the world for Geography, ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2024
- The University of Leeds is ranked 82nd in the world, QS World University Rankings 2025
- University of Leeds students are among the top 5 most targeted by top employers according to The Graduate Market 2024, High Fliers Research
- Top 100 in the world for Social Sciences, Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- We are a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities
- 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ quality, Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
Gender equality
We have been commended for our strong and continued commitment to gender equality in the form of a prestigious Athena SWAN Silver award.
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
Every six years, the UK’s four higher education funding bodies undertake an exercise to measure the quality of research undertaken by UK higher education institutions (HEIs), known as REF. The funding bodies use the outcomes to inform the allocation of their research funding to HEIs.
Unit of assessment: Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology
- 93% of research submitted was rated as either ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
- 90% of our Impact Case Studies were graded as 90% world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
- 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ quality