The best subjects to study at SA’s top universities

28 February 2019

The latest edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject has been released, featuring seven South African universities with courses that are among the top 500 in the world.

The QS rankings identifies which subjects universities are particularly strong in relation to international competitors.

For South Africa, Arts & Humanities is the broad subject area with the greatest university representation (6 total universities).

At the specific subject level, Agriculture & Forestry (6), Chemistry (6), Medicine (5), Engineering – Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing (5), Biological Sciences (5), Economics & Econometrics (5), and Physics & Astronomy (5) are the disciplines for which the most universities in South Africa are recognised.

South Africa’s performance

South Africa ranks 2nd in Middle East & Africa and 40th in the world in terms of the total number of universities included in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019.

Of the academic disciplines from universities in South Africa that are in both the 2019 and 2018 rankings, 21% improved their positions in the rankings, 24% decreased, and 54% stayed the same.

Universities in South Africa appear in 39 of the 48 specific subject areas covered in the 2019 ranking (81%).

University of Cape Town, University of The Witwatersrand, and Stellenbosch University are the universities that appear most frequently in the subject lists.

Three universities in South Africa earned the distinction of being ranked in the top 50 for three distinct subjects:

  • The University of Cape Town ranks 9th in the world for Development Studies, with Wits ranking 18th
  • Wits ranked 13th overall for Mineral and Mining Engineering, and
  • The University of Pretoria ranked 43rd in the world for its Veterinary Sciences programme.

These are the best subjects at South Africa’s universities. Subjects within the top 100 have been highlighted.

University of Cape Town

Subject Global ranking
Development Studies 9
Sport-related Studies 51-100
Geography 51-100
Anatomy and Physiology 51-100
Archaeology 51-100
Architecture 51-100
Social Policy and Administration 51-100
Anthropology 51-100
Education and Training 51-100
English Language and Literature 101-150
Agriculture and Forestry 101-150
Law and Legal Studies 101-150
Medicine 101-150
Politics 101-150
Communications and Media Studies 101-150
History 101-150
Environmental Studies 101-150
Linguistics 101-150
Pharmacy and Pharmacology 101-150
Sociology 151-200
Earth and Marine Science 151-200
Biological Science 151-200
Engineering – Civil and Structural 151-200
Art and Design 151-200
Psychology 151-200
Statistics 151-200
Accounting and Finance 201-250
Business and Management Studies 201-250
Physics and Astronomy 201-250
Engineering – Chemical 201-250
Engineering – Mechanical 201-250
Economics and Econometrics 201-250
Modern Languages 201-250
Engineering – Electrical and Electronic 251-300
Computer Science and Information Systems 301-350
Chemistry 351-400

University of the Witwatersrand

Subject Global ranking
Engineering – Mineral and Mining 13
Development Studies 18
Archaeology 51-100
Anthropology 51-100
Earth and Marine Science 101-150
Geography 151-200
English Language and Literature 151-200
Architecture 151-200
Medicine 151-200
Politics 151-200
Linguistics 151-200
Education and Training 201-250
Sociology 201-250
Law and Legal Studies 251-300
Pharmacy and Pharmacology 251-300
Engineering – Chemical 251-300
Agriculture and Forestry 251-300
Biological Sciences 351-400
Physics and Astronomy 401-450
Business and Management Studies 401-450
Chemistry 451-500

Stellenbosch University

Subject Global ranking
Development Studies 51-100
Theology and Religious Studies 51-100
Agriculture and Forestry 51-100
Geography 151-200
Linguistics 151-200
Politics and International Studies 151-200
Law and Legal Studies 201-250
Education and Training 201-250
Environmental Studies 201-250
English Language and Literature 251-300
Engineering – Chemical 251-300
Biological Sciences 251-300
Engineering – Mechanical 251-300
Pharmacy and Pharmacology 251-300
Modern Languages 251-300
Business and Management Studies 301-350
Economics and Econometrics 351-400
Chemistry 401-450
Physics and Astronomy 451-500
Computer Science and Information Systems 451-500

University of Pretoria

Subject Global ranking
Veterinary Science 43
Theology and Religious Studies 51-100
Agriculture and Forestry 101-150
Archaeology 151-200
Architecture 151-200
Education and Training 201-250
Sociology 201-250
Law and Legal Studies 251-300
Engineering – Chemical 251-300
Engineering – Mechanical 251-300
Engineering – Electrical and Electronic 301-350
Economics and Econometrics 301-350
Medicine 301-350
Biological Sciences 301-350
Computer Science and Information Systems 500-550
Chemistry 500-550

University of KwaZulu Natal

Subject Global ranking
Development Studies 51-100
Theology and Religious Studies 51-100
Agriculture and Forestry 251-300
Education and Training 251-300
Chemistry 351-400
Medicine 351-400
Physics and Astronomy 401-450
Biological Sciences 451-500

University of Johannesburg

Subject Global ranking
Engineering – Mechanical 351-400
Physics and Astronomy 451-500
Economics and Econometrics 451-500
Business and Management Studies 451-500
Chemistry 501-550

University of the Free State

Subject Global ranking
Agriculture and Forestry 251-300

Read: Big changes coming to South African university applications

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The best subjects to study at SA’s top universities