The 2024 QS World University Subject Rankings released this week show Dalhousie placed in the top 200 globally in eight individual subject areas and in the top 500 in all five broad subject areas tracked.
A total of 1,559 institutions from 96 locations around the world were ranked in 2024 across 55 narrow subjects and QS's five broad subject categories: Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences & Management.
Within Canada, Dal placed in the top 10 in seven individual subjects. Here's a glance at the global and Canadian ranking for our top individual subject rankings:
Petroleum Engineering
Globally: 51-100
In Canada: #3
Earth and Marine Sciences
Globally: 151-200
In Canada: #6
Environmental Sciences
Globally: 151-200
In Canada: #8
Geography
Globally: 151-200
In Canada: #7
Geology
Globally: 151-200
In Canada: #6
Geophysics
Globally: 151-200
In Canada: #6
Law
Globally: 151-200
In Canada: #6
Nursing
Globally: 151-200
In Canada: 12
Dal's best broad subject placement is Life Sciences and Medicine, where it ranked 210 globally with a score of 67.4. That's down slightly from 204 last year.
The university climbed 15 spots in the broad Natural Science category to 331 (score = 64.3) and entered the 401-450 range from 450-500 in Engineering and Technology (score = 61.3).
In Arts & Humanities, Dal fell into the 401-450 bracket from 394 last year (score = 62.9). Social Sciences and Management ranked in the 401-450 range again this year (score = 61.2).
How the ranking works
The QS subject rankings are based on a compilation of five indicators with variable weights: Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Citations per Paper, H-Index, and International Research Network (IRN).
These metrics help determine an institution's score across the broad and narrow subject areas.
Academic Reputation serves as the most significant indicator across all five broad subject areas in the ranking, weighted at 60% in Arts & Humanities, 50% in Social Sciences & Management, and 40% in Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences and Medicine, and Natural Sciences. The metric draws on the collective expertise of international academics to shed light on research quality, strategic partnerships, innovation, and the broader educational and societal influence of universities.
Learn more about the QS Subject Rankings methodology.
Other highlights
- Dal ranked for 23 individual subjects overall, up from 22 last year.
- English Language & Literature entered the rankings in the 301-330 range.
- Dal's best overall individual subject score was for Geology at 73.4.