Two UAlberta Faculty of Arts subjects are among six University of Alberta areas ranked in the top 50 across the globe, according to a new QS World University report.
The QS World University Rankings rate universities by subject, and this year the rankings were split up into 42 subjects - making it the largest QS report to date.
Out of nearly 1,000 institutions worldwide, UAlberta ranked among the top 200 in 33 subjects and cracked the top 50 in six - two of which are in Arts.
"The Faculty of Arts once again shines in the QS World Rankings," said Arts' Acting Dean Lise Gotell. "To have two Arts programs in the University of Alberta's six highest ranking positions is a real testament to our faculty, staff and students."
The highest ranked subjects for Arts are archeology (42) and English language and literature (50).
In the Faculty of Arts, archaeology is taught in both the Department of History & Classics and the Department of Anthropology.
"Both departments are thrilled that our archeology program has made the top 50 in the QS rankings in the first year that archeology has been included," said Chair of Anthropology Pamela Willoughby. "Our ranking of 42nd in the world (and third in Canada) illustrates the strength of our researchers."
English & Film Studies chair Peter Sinnema says their department is proud to contribute to the university's top rated subjects.
"The Department of English & Film Studies is delighted to find itself, for the third consecutive year, among the top 50 literature departments in the world, according to the latest QS rankings," he said. "EFS has long been regarded, both nationally and internationally, as a research and teaching powerhouse, with strengths across a wide range of fields and areas, both historical and theoretical in focus."
The other four University of Alberta subjects ranked in the Top 50 this year are: nursing (4), pharmacy and pharmacology (32), education (41) and mining engineering (44).
Arts also cracked the top 100 in an additional three subject areas: psychology (51), philosophy (51) and communications & media studies (51).
Philosophy chair Jack Zupko says their department has held its top 100 ranking for the last four years.
"It testifies to the quality of my colleagues' research that we have held our top-100 ranking and remain one of the top five philosophy departments in Canada," he said.
A number of other U of A subjects also rated in the top 100, including agriculture and forestry, accounting and finance, chemistry, earth and marine sciences, chemical engineering, environmental sciences, mathematics, and medicine.
The University of Alberta is one of just four Canadian universities to rank among the top 10 universities in the world for its programs. The University of Toronto took the top spot, followed closely by UAlberta, University of British Columbia and finally the University of Guelph.
QS ranks universities based on academic reputation, employer reputation, academic citations and research impact, with an aim to help prospective students identify leading universities in their chosen field of study.
The 2016 report draws on opinions from 76,798 academics and 44,426 employers, as well as analysis of 28.5 million research papers and more than 113 million citations.
With files from Yolanda Poffenroth.