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07 March 2019

King's English leaps ten places in global rankings.

QS World University Rankings (2019) places the King’s College London English Department 15th in the world and 5th in the UK.

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QS World University Rankings – one of the most widely-accessed university 'league tables' in the world and a system which particularly emphasises an institution’s international reputation – has placed the King’s College London English Department 15th in the world and 5th in the UK in its 2019 rankings. This represents a jump of ten places from 2018’s ranking of 25th.

Having been well-established in the global top 30 for the previous three years, King’s English’s rise to 15th in the world and the UK 'Top Five' is testament to the extraordinary range of outstanding work within the Department.

 

King’s College London English Department QS global ranking (year-on-year)

  • 2019: 15th

  • 2018: 25th

  • 2017: 25rd

  • 2016: 30th

 

While the Oxbridge hegemony at the very top of the global English Language & Literature rankings (#1 and #2 for the past four years running) looks unlikely to change, King’s College London is now competing with the University of Edinburgh and UCL to be ‘the best of the rest’ in the UK.

Janet Floyd, Professor of American Literature & Culture and Head of the English Department at King’s, was “delighted, but not surprised” by the news: “Over the last five years the English Department has become a powerhouse of research, reaching across literatures in English and collaborating with universities and arts organisations locally, nationally and worldwide,” she said. “King’s English is an exciting place to be for academics, students and all our partners.”

Overall, the Faculty of Arts & Humanities consolidated its position as one of the leading faculties of its kind worldwide, being placed 6th in the UK, 8th in Europe and 26th in the world.

Professor Marion Thain, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Humanities noted that “it is very pleasing to see so many of our fantastic departments excelling in these international rankings.”

“As a faculty, we pride ourselves on our international reputation and the global impact of our research, and we will be working hard in the coming months and years to improve our standing still further,” she said.

Other A&H success stories include Philosophy, rising six places to 10th in the world, and History, rising two places to 18th.

Over the last five years the English Department has become a powerhouse of research, reaching across literatures in English and collaborating with universities and arts organisations locally, nationally and worldwide. King’s English is an exciting place to be for academics, students and all our partners.

Professor Janet Floyd, Head of the English Department