Best Social Sciences and Humanities Universities in the World 2023

The 2nd edition of Research.com ranking of the best universities in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities relies os data combined from a wide range of data sources including OpenAlex and CrossRef. The bibliometric data for evaluating the citation-based metrics were acquired on 21-12-2022. Position in the ranking is based on a sum of D-indexes (Discipline H-index) of all ranking scientist's affiliated with a given institution. D-index only includes publications and citation metrics for an examined discipline.
Show more

The scope of our Social Sciences and Humanities research
Research.com’s best universities ranking is a reliable list of leading scholars from the field of Social Sciences and Humanities, created using a meticulous examination of 166,880 scholars discovered from a variety of bibliometric data sources. For the field of Social Sciences and Humanities, more than 15317 scholars were examined.

What is D-index inclusion threshold for Social Sciences and Humanities
The D-index threshold for accepting a scholar to be evaluated is placed at 30 if most of their publications are in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities. The inclusion criteria for scientists to be considered into the ranking of top scholars are based on the D-index, proportion of the publications made within the selected area plus the awards and achievements of the scholars. The D-index threshold for including leading researchers is set as an increment of 10 depending on the overall number of researchers estimated for each discipline whilst making sure that the top 1% of best scholars are added into the list. We estimate a proximity of 30% or less between a researcher’s general H-index and their D-index.

Other verification rules
Because our leading aim is to guarantee that only actual researchers are included in Research.com ranking we realize that metrics are never supposed to be a complete means to assess the work of scientists. For that reason we manually verify every profile and cross-correlate it against publications in a varied range of credible sources. While it’s not a factor defining a scientist’s position in the ranking, the quantity of documents published in major journals and conference proceedings should constitute a credible secondary signal of their contribution to research in a given discipline. Position in the ranking is determined by each researcher’s D-index with the help of data compiled from OpenAlex and CrossRef, which are the most trustworthy and well-established bibliometric databases of this kind available to the scientific community. A thorough definition of our research policy can be found on our methodology page.

Our agenda
Our objective is to motivate researchers, companies and politicians around the world to investigate where leading experts are heading and to provide a way for the whole research community to get to know who the leading experts in specific areas of study, in different countries, or even within research institutions are.
Show more

Key findings for Social Sciences and Humanities
As far as scientific affiliations are concerned, the institution with the highest number of top researchers in the world is University of California System with 262 scientists affiliated with it being listed in our Social Sciences and Humanities ranking. It is followed by Harvard University with 110 scholars and University of Michigan–Ann Arbor with 95 scientists.

The most prominent researchers in the area of Social Sciences and Humanities in the world are representing Collège de France, Goethe University Frankfurt, Australian National University, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, University of South Australia, Maastricht University, University of Amsterdam, University of Cape Town, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Curtin University.

University of California System is highlighted as the best university in the world in our ranking with a total D-index of its ranking scholars at 12009. Ranking second in the world is Harvard University with a total D-index of 5668. The third spot in the world is taken by University of Michigan–Ann Arbor with a total D-index of 4412.

The average total D-index for the top 5% universities is 311 against an average of 311 for all 757 institutions featured in the ranking.

The average number of published articles within the field of Social Sciences and Humanities by researchers affiliated with the top 3% of scientists in the ranking is 1242 in comparison to an average of 1242 for all 757 universities.

The average number of citations of scholars affiliated with the top 5% universities is 102643 against an average of 102643 for all 757 universities.

World
National
University Details
Scholars
Σ Publications
Σ D-Index D-index (Discipline H-index) only includes papers and citation values for an examined discipline in contrast to General H-index which accounts for publications across all disciplines.
401 World 1 National Scholars 2 317 Σ D-index 86
402 World 4 National Scholars 2 630 Σ D-index 85
403 World 63 National
University of Westminster

University of Westminster

United Kingdom
Scholars 2 467 Σ D-index 85
404 World 64 National
University of Derby

University of Derby

United Kingdom
Scholars 2 413 Σ D-index 85
405 World 6 National Scholars 2 327 Σ D-index 85
406 World 148 National Scholars 2 292 Σ D-index 85
407 World 7 National Scholars 1 823 Σ D-index 85
408 World 149 National Scholars 2 200 Σ D-index 84
409 World 30 National
Murdoch University

Murdoch University

Australia
Scholars 2 625 Σ D-index 83
410 World 31 National Scholars 2 401 Σ D-index 83
411 World 9 National Scholars 2 294 Σ D-index 82
412 World 18 National Scholars 2 396 Σ D-index 81
413 World 65 National
Middlesex University

Middlesex University

United Kingdom
Scholars 2 303 Σ D-index 81
414 World 150 National Scholars 2 223 Σ D-index 81
415 World 19 National Scholars 1 169 Σ D-index 81
416 World 32 National Scholars 2 432 Σ D-index 80
417 World 28 National Scholars 2 309 Σ D-index 80
418 World 151 National Scholars 2 223 Σ D-index 79
419 World 20 National Scholars 1 146 Σ D-index 79
420 World 66 National
Edge Hill University

Edge Hill University

United Kingdom
Scholars 2 374 Σ D-index 78
421 World 1 National Scholars 2 342 Σ D-index 78
422 World 11 National Scholars 1 287 Σ D-index 78
423 World 152 National Scholars 1 268 Σ D-index 78
424 World 1 National
University of Sharjah

University of Sharjah

United Arab Emirates
Scholars 1 240 Σ D-index 78
425 World 153 National
Rush University

Rush University

United States
Scholars 1 325 Σ D-index 77
426 World 154 National Scholars 1 160 Σ D-index 77
427 World 21 National Scholars 1 375 Σ D-index 75
428 World 67 National Scholars 2 341 Σ D-index 74
429 World 2 National Scholars 2 294 Σ D-index 74
430 World 155 National Scholars 2 232 Σ D-index 74
431 World 10 National Scholars 2 226 Σ D-index 74
432 World 10 National Scholars 2 387 Σ D-index 73
433 World 5 National
Korea University

Korea University

South Korea
Scholars 2 370 Σ D-index 73
434 World 68 National
Queen Margaret University

Queen Margaret University

United Kingdom
Scholars 2 326 Σ D-index 73
435 World 6 National Scholars 2 241 Σ D-index 73
436 World 156 National Scholars 2 183 Σ D-index 73
437 World 1 National Scholars 1 360 Σ D-index 73
438 World 6 National Scholars 2 365 Σ D-index 72
439 World 11 National Scholars 2 232 Σ D-index 72
440 World 22 National Scholars 2 331 Σ D-index 71
441 World 69 National
Heriot-Watt University

Heriot-Watt University

United Kingdom
Scholars 2 315 Σ D-index 71
442 World 23 National Scholars 2 516 Σ D-index 70
443 World 24 National Scholars 2 325 Σ D-index 70
444 World 4 National Scholars 2 246 Σ D-index 70
445 World 1 National Scholars 1 168 Σ D-index 70
446 World 157 National Scholars 1 140 Σ D-index 70
447 World 70 National
De Montfort University

De Montfort University

United Kingdom
Scholars 2 409 Σ D-index 69
448 World 25 National Scholars 2 242 Σ D-index 69
449 World 12 National Scholars 2 185 Σ D-index 69
450 World 13 National Scholars 1 393 Σ D-index 69
451 World 8 National Scholars 2 221 Σ D-index 68
452 World 12 National Scholars 2 212 Σ D-index 68
453 World 2 National Scholars 1 408 Σ D-index 68
454 World 158 National
Seton Hall University

Seton Hall University

United States
Scholars 1 316 Σ D-index 68
455 World 26 National Scholars 1 237 Σ D-index 68
456 World 33 National Scholars 2 462 Σ D-index 67
457 World 11 National Scholars 2 461 Σ D-index 67
458 World 29 National Scholars 2 391 Σ D-index 67
459 World 7 National Scholars 2 192 Σ D-index 67
460 World 159 National Scholars 2 186 Σ D-index 67
461 World 160 National
William & Mary

William & Mary

United States
Scholars 2 161 Σ D-index 67
462 World 161 National Scholars 2 334 Σ D-index 66
463 World 1 National Scholars 2 322 Σ D-index 66
464 World 27 National Scholars 1 398 Σ D-index 66
465 World 5 National Scholars 2 539 Σ D-index 65
466 World 71 National
University of Bradford

University of Bradford

United Kingdom
Scholars 2 297 Σ D-index 65
467 World 30 National Scholars 2 257 Σ D-index 65
468 World 162 National Scholars 2 242 Σ D-index 65
469 World 163 National Scholars 2 215 Σ D-index 65
470 World 2 National Scholars 1 233 Σ D-index 65
471 World 164 National Scholars 2 276 Σ D-index 64
472 World 9 National Scholars 2 257 Σ D-index 64
473 World 34 National
Bond University

Bond University

Australia
Scholars 2 247 Σ D-index 64
474 World 13 National Scholars 2 179 Σ D-index 64
475 World 14 National Scholars 2 195 Σ D-index 63
476 World 165 National
University of Maine

University of Maine

United States
Scholars 2 193 Σ D-index 63
477 World 1 National Scholars 1 400 Σ D-index 63
478 World 3 National Scholars 1 246 Σ D-index 63
479 World 12 National Scholars 1 235 Σ D-index 63
480 World 35 National Scholars 2 282 Σ D-index 61
481 World 28 National
Kiel University

Kiel University

Germany
Scholars 2 214 Σ D-index 61
482 World 10 National Scholars 1 260 Σ D-index 61
483 World 166 National Scholars 1 160 Σ D-index 61
484 World 5 National Scholars 2 272 Σ D-index 60
485 World 7 National Scholars 2 176 Σ D-index 60
486 World 31 National Scholars 1 206 Σ D-index 60
487 World 167 National Scholars 1 243 Σ D-index 58
488 World 72 National
Bournemouth University

Bournemouth University

United Kingdom
Scholars 1 540 Σ D-index 56
489 World 7 National Scholars 1 417 Σ D-index 56
490 World 13 National Scholars 1 226 Σ D-index 56
491 World 12 National Scholars 1 175 Σ D-index 56
492 World 6 National Scholars 1 157 Σ D-index 56
493 World 1 National Scholars 1 160 Σ D-index 55
494 World 14 National Scholars 1 157 Σ D-index 55
495 World 2 National Scholars 1 150 Σ D-index 55
496 World 168 National Scholars 1 98 Σ D-index 55
497 World 169 National
Yeshiva University

Yeshiva University

United States
Scholars 1 238 Σ D-index 54
498 World 73 National
University of Brighton

University of Brighton

United Kingdom
Scholars 1 213 Σ D-index 53
499 World 11 National Scholars 1 186 Σ D-index 53
500 World 6 National
University of Basel

University of Basel

Switzerland
Scholars 1 243 Σ D-index 52

Newsletter & Conference Alerts

Research.com uses the information to contact you about our relevant content. For more information, check out our Privacy Policy.