Our reputation
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.
Our achievements
- 16th in the world for Geography, ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2020
- 35th in the world for Geography, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020
- 14th in the UK for Geography and Environmental Sciences, Complete University Guide 2021
- 9th in the UK for Geology, Complete University Guide 2021
- 89% student satisfaction for human geography, 85% for physical sciences, and 83% for planning (urban, rural and regional), National Student Survey 2020
- 98% of our recent graduates are employed or in further study within six months of graduating, Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2016-17
University awards
- The University of Leeds is among the top 100 universities, QS World University Rankings 2021
- We achieved a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework the highest award possible
- The University of Leeds was named University of the Year in 2017 by The Times and The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014
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). The funding bodies use the outcomes to inform the allocation of their research funding to HEIs. The Research Excellence Framework was the framework used in 2014.
Unit of assessment: Geography, Environmental Studies and Archaeology
- 3.07 overall research quality profile
- 5th in the UK for research power
- 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ quality
- Over 70% of our research has either ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ impact
- Over 75% of our research is ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
- Over 70% of our research outputs are ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’