Top Universities for Theology in 2019

The newly released QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019 includes a ranking of the world’s top universities for theology, based on a methodology which assesses four academic indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper, and H-index (which measures the productivity and impact of the publication of a scientist or scholar).  

So if you’re fascinated by the study of religion and want to study it at university level, then take a look at the world’s top universities for theology by region – or click here to see the full table.  

Top universities for theology in the US & Canada

The US dominates the theology ranking in the North American region, with 33 representatives in total and five institutions in the global top 10.

Six more US universities make the top 20, with the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) moving up three places to rank 12^th. The global top 50 sees the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) also improve its position in the ranking by moving up five spots to rank at joint 24^th, as well as the University of Virginia and Baylor University, which both shot up from the 51-100 range to place joint 40^th and joint 45^th, respectively.

Meanwhile in Canada, five top universities for theology are included in the ranking, with the best performer, the University of Toronto, placing 16^th. Further down in the global top 50, the University of British Columbia climbs eight places this year to now rank at joint 31^st.

Top universities for theology in Europe

In total, 47 European universities are included in the theology ranking this year, with the global top 10 comprising of top universities for theology in the UK, Germany and Belgium.

The majority of Europe’s top universities for a theology degree are based in the UK, which claims 14 institutions in total. Aside from the three in the top 10, other top UK universities for this subject include the University of Edinburgh (17^th) and the University of St Andrews (up six places to rank 18^th), while the University of Aberdeen stands out the most of the other UK entrants, having moved up from 42^nd place to 34^th.  

Germany has a total of nine representatives in the theology ranking this year, including six in the top 50, with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin boasting the most impressive performance, climbing seven places this year to rank 36^th. Georg-August-Universität Göttingen also climbed up the theology ranking to place joint 40^th after placing in the 51-100 region last year.

The Netherlands has six entrants in this year’s theology ranking, led by Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in 15^th place. Additionally, the nation’s only-ranked institution in the global top 50, Leiden University, improved its position by six places to now rank 33^rd in the world for its theology courses.

Italy has four representatives in the theology university ranking this year – two of which are new entrants, including Università di Bologna (UNIBO), which currently ranks at joint 180^th in the QS World University Rankings® 2019. It’s followed by Switzerland with three representatives; the University of Zurich ranking the highest, after moving up six spots to place 42^nd.

Belgium, Denmark and Sweden follow with two entrants each – Université Catholique de Louvain is up four places and now ranks within the top 10; while the nation’s only other ranked university, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, makes the global top 20, in 14^th place. Of Denmark’s two entrants, the highest-ranked is Aarhus University, which sits in 30^th place.

Finally in Europe, with just one entrant each, are Norway, Ireland, new entrant Spain, Austria and Finland; Norway’s only representative, the University of Oslo, sits in joint 45^th place, while the rest all follow at 51-100.

Top universities for theology in Asia

Of Asia’s nine representatives in the theology university ranking this year, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) ranks the highest for the subject and is the best performer overall, having jumped a whopping 24 places from last year to now rank 23^rd, as well as boasting the highest academic reputation score (and the highest score overall) among Asian universities for theology. Hong Kong’s remaining two ranked institutions are new entrants, with the University of Hong Kong (HKU) coming 25^th in the QS World University Rankings, while Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) places joint 277^th, internationally.  

Of China’s two representatives, new entrant Fudan University ranks the highest at joint 31^st, followed by Renmin (People’s) University of China in 44^th place, after ranking at 51-100 last year. Malaysia’s two representatives both now rank in the 51-100 range after seeing the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) drop from 31^st place this year, while Japan and South Korea follow with just one representative, both of which are ranked 51-100.

Top universities for theology in Australia & New Zealand

Over in Australasia, the theology university ranking includes four top universities in Australia, and three in New Zealand. Of the seven ranked institutions overall, the best performer is Australia’s Monash University, which currently ranks in 43^rd place after dropping nine places from last year. The University of Sydney previously ranked second-best in the region for theology at 37^th place, and Deakin University followed in 45^th place; both universities have now dropped in the ranking to sit in the 51-100 range.  

Of New Zealand’s three representatives (all of which place 51-100), two are new entrants, including the University of Auckland, which currently ranks 85^th in the QS World University Rankings.

Top universities for theology in Africa & the Middle East

South Africa is the only African nation to have representatives in the theology university ranking this year, with both of its ranked institutions maintaining their positions at 51-100.

Over in the Middle East, Israel claims the region’s only ranked institution for theology – the Hebrew University of Jerusalem – which claims an impressive 22^nd place.

Top universities for theology in Latin America

Finally in Latin America, Chile and Colombia are the region’s only representatives in the theology university ranking, each claiming one entrant each, with Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile ranking the highest, in 37^th place, and receiving the most impressive score of the two for employer reputation; while Colombia’s Pontificia Universidad Javeriana is a new entrant this year at 51-100.

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.