1. Faculty of Environment
  2. School of Earth and Environment
  3. Research degrees
  4. Our reputation

Our reputation

Top 20 in the world for Earth and Marine Science, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019 

The School of Earth and Environment has expertise in areas ranging from geology and geophysics, environmental science, meteorology and climate science, to environmental social science together under one roof.

Our achievements

  • 89% overall student satisfaction for the School of Earth and Environment in the latest National Student Survey (NSS) 2019. (94% for earth sciences, 86% for physical geographical sciences and 86% for human geography)
  • 95% of our recent graduates are employed or in further study within six months of graduating, Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey 2016-17

Atmospheric Science

Earth Sciences

Environmental Sciences

Geology

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014

The School of Earth and Environment has an excellent reputation for world-class research and innovative teaching. The latest Research Excellence Framework (2014) ranks us 1st in the UK for the quantity of world leading research.

Unit of assessment: Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences

  • 3.26 overall quality profile
  • 2nd in the UK for research power
  • 100% of our research environment is conducive to producing research of ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ quality
  • Over 95% of our research has either ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ impact
  • 90% of our research is ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’
  • Over 85% of our research outputs are ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’

The overall research quality profile is based upon assessment of quality in three sub-profiles:

  1. Outputs (65% of overall quality profile): published research outputs are assessed in terms of their ‘originality, significance and rigour’.
  2. Impact (20%): the benefits of research beyond academia are assessed in terms of their ‘reach’ and ‘significance’.
  3. Environment (15%): the environment within which research is conducted is assessed in terms of its ‘vitality and sustainability’.

The REF was conducted jointly by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland (DEL).

To see the REF2014 results from the across the University of Leeds: http://ref2014.leeds.ac.uk

University awards