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QS World Rankings by Subject 2026

The University of Edinburgh is ranked 3rd in the UK for:

  • English Language and Literature
  • Modern Languages 

We are ranked fourth in the UK in the broader subject area of the Arts & Humanities. 

Globally, we’re in the World Top 15: English Language and Literature (6); Modern Languages (12); Arts & Humanities (9).

The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings are based on research citations and the results of major global surveys of employers and academics. They are International Ranking Expert Group (IREG) approved.

Life at LLC

Life at LLC brings together undergraduate students in a wide range of subject areas with taught postgraduate students, students on research degrees, and staff at all career stages.  

Find out what life’s really like in our School from the inspiring students who’re living it.

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Beyond the Books

Beyond the Books is our podcast, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen. 

Series 4 is now live on YouTube and Apple Podcasts.

In our latest episode, join Professor Şebnem Susam-Saraeva for a deep dive into translation and health, from the labour ward to the ocean.

Research Excellence Framework (REF)

Leading research

The University of Edinburgh is ranked Top 5 in the UK for research in Modern Languages and in English Literature.

These rankings come from the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) – the UK’s system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

Find out about our research projects and centres, the impact we've made, and postgraduate opportunities. 

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About us

Contact us

Many of us work on a hybrid basis - a mixture of on-campus and digitally.

Our working hours are Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm (UK time).

Please email us in the first instance, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

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