Top Universities for Psychology in 2016

This fascinating and fast-evolving field of enquiry is a hugely popular field of study and research worldwide. The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016 features a ranking of the world’s 200 top universities for psychology, based on a methodology which draws on employer and academic reputation, and data on research citations.

For a general overview of the top psychology schools in each world region, plus the overall top 10, see below. Or, to search and compare using the interactive ranking table, click here.

Top universities for psychology in the US and Canada 

The US claims a mammoth share of the top universities for psychology, including seven in the top 10 alone. Outside of the top 10 there are another 55 US universities featured, including 32 in the world’s top 100. All ranking within the top 20 are New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago.

Meanwhile neighboring Canada has a total of 15 top psychology schools featured, including nine within the world’s top 100. In the world’s top 50 are the University of Toronto, the University of British Colombia, McGill University and Western University.

Top universities for psychology in Europe

After the US, the UK claims the next highest number of top universities for psychology at 29, and occupies three of the top 10 positions. As well as those listed in the table above, also in the top 50 are King’s College London, the University of Edinburgh, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the University of Manchester and Cardiff University.

Meanwhile Germany is home to 14 of the world’s top psychology schools, with three ranked among the global top 100: Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

Following on is the Netherlands, with nine schools featured in the psychology ranking, all among the top 100. As well as the University of Amsterdam in the top 10, other Dutch universities in the top 50 include Vrije Universiteit  Amsterdam and Erasmus University Rotterdam. 

Six more top psychology schools are claimed by Spain and five by Belgium, while Switzerland, Sweden and Italy each have four. Among these countries, universities ranked within the top 100 for psychology include Belgium’s University of Ghent and KU Leuven (both ranked in the top 50), Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and Switzerland’s University of Geneva and University of Zurich.

Beyond Sweden, the other Nordic countries offer an additional five entrants in the ranking, with two each for Denmark and Norway, and one in Finland. The highest ranked university of these is Denmark’s Aarhus University (51-100).

Lastly in Europe, France and Ireland each have one entry in the psychology ranking, with the Irish Trinity College Dublin placing 101-150.

Top universities for psychology in Asia

Asia is home to 13 of the world’s 200 top psychology universities, including six in the top 100. Hong Kong and South Korea each have three representatives in the ranking, including the University of Hong Kong (41^st) and Seoul National University (101-150). 

Singapore claims two entries: the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nangyang Technological University (NTU), both ranked among the world’s top 100 for psychology.

Also with two representatives in the ranking are China and Japan, including China’s Peking University and Japan’s University of Tokyo, both within the top 100 worldwide.

Taiwan also features in the psychology ranking, with its sole entry National Taiwan University, ranked 101-150.

Top universities for psychology in Australia and New Zealand 

Australia boasts 17 of the world’s top universities for psychology, while New Zealand has four. Australia has six representatives within the top 50, including the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland.

Two of New Zealand’s offerings are also among the world’s top 50 psychology schools: the University of Auckland and the University of Otago.

Top universities for psychology in Latin America

There are four Latin American universities featured in the psychology ranking, with one entrant each for Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Brazil’s Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Chile’s Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and Mexico’s Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) all rank 101-150, while Argentina’s Universidad de Buenos Aires is ranked 151-200.

Top universities for psychology in the Middle East & Africa

Finally, Israel claims two top psychology schools, including Hebrew University of Jerusalem, while South Africa claims one entry, the University of Cape Town. Both of these schools are ranked 101-150.

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