Best Universities For Masters in Philosophy & Religion In World

The University of Oxford is one of the world's most notable and historical institutes. A self-governing institute, it is ranked the fourth best university in the world by QS World University Ranking 2023. On the other hand, it is ranked #1 by the Times Higher Education World Ranking list for 2022. It is a world-class university that is highly regarded for its contribution to research.

Located in the city of Oxford, the University has more than 30 colleges, all spread throughout the city. Established in the 13th century, the University, Balliol, and Merton Colleges are the oldest. Green Templeton is the University’s newest college.

The University has three societies – Kellogg College, Reuben College, and St Cross College and they are considered departments under Oxford.

Students from more than 160 countries and territories come to study at Oxford.

The University College London is a public research university and has a campus at Bloomsbury in London’s Knowledge Quarter. The University College London UK has partner organizations such as the Alan Turing Institute, Google, Wellcome Trust, and the British Museum in the zone. The University was founded in 1826 and has more than 20,000 graduate students coming from 150+ global nations, pursuing 650+ graduate degree courses. The institution was the first in England to admit students from all religions and women.

The University College London ranking is number 9th in the QS World University Rankings list for 2024. It is also ranked at 22nd position in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings tally.

Founded in 1583, the University of Edinburgh opened its doors in the quaint, hilly city of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is exactly situated in Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK. 

Over the years the University of Edinburgh in the UK has nurtured some of the most renowned personalities who shaped the past and continue to change the present. 

As a public research university, it was one of the first to initiate Britain's literary awards. It was also here that the first animal, Dolly, the sheep, was cloned. Fascinatingly so, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle also crafted the very famous and notorious character of Sherlock Holmes within the institution’s premises!

According to the QS World University Ranking 2024, the University of Edinburgh ranking stands at 27th position, and on the World University Rankings list 2024, it ranks 30th. 

The Johns Hopkins University takes its name after the exemplary man, John Hopkins, who pushed the boundaries of education and public health in Baltimore and, since its establishment in 1876, has ensured to further his life's cause. 

The university runs with the simple motto of spreading the light of knowledge, original research, and independent thinking across the world. It’s also America’s first research university. 

This private research university has earned #32 position worldwide in the QS World University Rankings 2024. On the other hand, THE Times Higher Education places the university at #15 rank in the US College Rankings 2024. 

The University of Manchester in the UK is located towards the southern end of the city center in Manchester, encompassing Oxford Road and Sackville Street, the earlier homes of the Victoria University and UMIST respectively. The University of Manchester is a public research university known for its checkered history. Around 25 Nobel Prize winners have studied or worked at the institution while the atom was first split here by Ernest Rutherford. Alan Turing invented artificial intelligence here while the first stored-program computer in the world was made at the university. The university is known for its Square Kilometer Array, the biggest radio telescope in the world, and also the Jodrell Bank observatory with its Lovell Telescope. 

The University was founded in its current avatar in 2004 through the fusion of the UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology) and the Victoria University of Manchester. After collaborating for 100 years, the institutions merged on 22nd October 2004, creating the biggest single-site UK University. 

The University of Manchester ranking is 1 in THE (Times Higher Education) University Impact Rankings and 27 (World) in the QS World University Rankings for 2021. It is ranked at 35 in the World in the Academic Rankings of World Universities (2021). THE has ranked it at 50 (World) in its 2022 rankings. 

Founded in 1946, Australian National University (ANU) is a leading public university situated in Canberra, Australia. With more than 350 undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees, the university has seven colleges that offer courses in various disciplines. Consistent higher rankings, cutting-edge curriculum, and modern pedagogy with a vision to uplift society are the features that make Australian National University one of the sought-after study abroad destinations. 

King’s College London is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. It is renowned for its academic and research excellence and commitment to sustainable societal change. It is ranked 37 (2023) and 35 (2022) in the QS and THE World University Rankings lists, respectively. The institution was founded in 1829. 

The University of London came up in 1836, with the King’s College being one of its founding colleges. It has witnessed several other mergers, especially with the Chelsea and Queen Elizabeth Colleges (1985), Institute of Psychiatry (1997), and the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals (1998). The institution has achieved prestigious accreditations, including EQUIS and AACSB. It has 33,000+ students from 150+ countries with 185,000+ global alumni. It also has 14 Nobel Laureates to its credit. 

The institution has Denmark Hill, Strand, Guy’s, St Thomas’, and Waterloo campuses. Some of its research centers include the Academic Centre of Reconstructive Science, ADHD Remote Technology, Aerospace Medicine & Physiology Research Group, Centre for Attention Studies at King’s, and many others. 

The institution offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and short courses for aspirants. The study faculties include Business, Arts & Humanities, Life Sciences & Medicine, Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Law, and Social Science & Public Policy. There is also the King’s Business School for students. 

Famous alumni at the institution include athlete Dina Asher-Smith, author-philosopher Alain de Botton, science fiction writer, author Virginia Woolf, Sir Arthur C Clarke, poet-novelist Thomas Hardy, and biophysicist Rosalind Franklin. Poet John Keats studied here, as did social reformer-nurse Florence Nightingale and politician Sarojini Naidu. 

King’s CareerConnect is a platform for finding new employment opportunities and events and booking appointments. KEATS takes care of resources, career information, case studies, online workshops, and more. Students can also access the King’s Careers Blog for information, along with Academic & Professional Services Support. King’s CareerConnect helps with vacancies, placements, internships, graduate career opportunities, reminders, alerts, career goals, and career lounges. It also helps access career fairs, panels, workshops, masterclasses, presentations, and varied career pathways.

The University of British Columbia, with its establishment as McGill BC in 1908, is the oldest university and one of the top three universities of Canada. Since 1915, after being renowned as the University of British Columbia, it has become the world-leading center in terms of education and research, with its outstanding and innovative form of teaching, nurturing, and inspiring the students. The University of British Columbia, Canada, has two major campuses in Vancouver and Okanagan

The University of British Columbia is a global center for teaching, learning, and research, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Having more than 80 training sites across British Columbia for medical students, the University is also known as the center of clinical education and research. 

Eastern Illinois University (EIU) is a public university located in Charleston, United States of America (USA), offering over 80 undergraduate and postgraduate courses in business, arts, science, humanities, and education. Students are guided by a faculty known for their excellence in teaching, creative activity, research, and free and rigorous inquiry. Eastern Illinois University is consistently ranked amongst the top third Midwest universities by US News and World Report, thereby earning its reputation of offering a wide variety of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. The university has a mission to enrich the social, educational, cultural, and personal development of the students by offering exhilarating co-curricular experiences

The University of Bristol is a public red brick university in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is known for its academic and research excellence, ranking 61 in the QS World University Rankings list for 2023. The University was established as the University College Bristol in 1876, the first to admit women on an equal merit basis as men. 

The college continued operations till 1909 as the precursor to the current institution. The origins of the university lay in the efforts made by Clifton College headmaster John Percival to set up such an institution. It has accreditation from several bodies, including the Royal Statistical Society, AVMA, RCVS, and EAEVE. The institution had 29,356 students as of 2020-21. 

The main campus of the University lies at Clifton, while it's Richmond Building is a stroll away from the same. There are several research institutions at the University, including the Bristol BioDesign Institute, Bristol Quantum Information Institute, Bristol Population Health Science Institute, Migration Mobilities Bristol, Brigstow Institute, Jean Golding Institute, Elizabeth Blackwell Institute for Health Research, and many others. 

There are 200+ degree courses available for students at the institution. The institution also has 25 academic schools and six faculties in total. Some of the top academic centers are dedicated to disciplines like arts, philosophy, music, films and television, anthropology and archaeology, humanities, theatre, English, aerospace engineering, computer science, civil engineering, health and life sciences, and social sciences and law. 

Famous alumni at the institution include Nobel Prize winner and physicist Paul Dirac; author-economist-journalist-administrator Will Hutton; journalist Sarah Montague; author Deborah Moggach OBE; equestrian and Olympic medal winner Laura Tomlinson; rugby player and World Cup winner Josh Lewsey MBE;  and actor Will Poulter. 

The institution has several industry connections, linking with numerous employers, right from smaller business entities to global companies. There are several other activities like networking events, career fairs, workshops, and mentorship programs for student entrepreneurs. Students get assistance in finding and choosing career pathways, preparing for job applications and interviews, and creating resumes. They also get help finding part-time work opportunities, volunteering programs, and internships. They can also find jobs after graduating and support for their start-up aspirations. Students also get assistance with choosing and applying for further study programs. 

The University of Warwick in the UK was founded in 1965 after receiving its Royal Charter of Incorporation. The University of Warwick got approval in 1961 from the government and has four campuses: Central Campus, Lakeside & Cryfield, Westwood & Science Park, and Gibbet Hill Campus.

The City and County together worked to make a 400-acre university campus a reality. It has 29 departments and 50+ research centers and institutions across the Science, Arts, Medicine, Entertainment, and Social Sciences faculties. It is a public research institution.

The University of Warwick's ranking is #106 (globally) for 2024 as per the Times Higher Education (THE) world university rankings tally and #20 in the UK. It is also ranked at #172 in the list of global universities according to US News rankings.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University of Illinois system. This university is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the country. The former names of the university are Illinois Industrial University and the University of Illinois. The motto of this university is ' Learning and Labor' and it is a public land-grant research university. The parent institution of this university is the University of Illinois System. The academic affiliations are AAU, URA, Sea-grant and Space-grant. This university offers undergraduate, postgraduate and many certification programmes. It is located at Urbana and Champaign in Illinois, US. The newspaper of this university is The Daily Illini and the colours are orange and blue. The nickname of this university is Fighting Illini and the sporting affiliations are NCAA Division I FBS- Big Ten. This university is a member of the Association of American Universities. The university contains 16 schools and colleges and holds 651 buildings with educational and administration buildings. The mission of this university enhances the lives of citizens in Illinois across the nation and around the world through our leadership in learning, engagement, discovery and economic development. 

The University of Leeds is located at Woodhouse, Leeds, LS2 9JT in the United Kingdom. The University of Leeds UK is a public research institution that was founded in 1874 with the name Yorkshire College of Science. It fused with the Leeds School of Medicine in 1884 and became Yorkshire College. The University was formally set up in 1904 and is one of the country’s premier educational institutions. Ranking amongst the world’s top-100 institutions, the university is also a Russell Group member. It is also one of the top-5 most-targeted institutions for recruiters of graduate students in the country as per reports.

Durham University is a public university in the United Kingdom. The university was established through an Act of Parliament in 1832. Further, in 1837, this public research university was incorporated by the Royal Charter.

Since then, the University and its 17 colleges have strived to put out world-leading research and ensure the highest degree of academic excellence. As such, it offers its students the means and measures to build up incredible skills for their careers like communication, team-working, leadership, and problem-solving.

The university is situated in North-east England, in the picturesque city of Durham. The exact location is:

The Palatine Centre, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3LE

QS World University Rankings 2022 ranked Durham University at the 82nd spot. Additionally, 9 of its subjects are ranked in the top 50 QS World University Ranking.

Sheffield is a research university located in Southern Yorkshire, England. It has around 50 academic research departments that are categorized into five different faculties. It is one of the top 10 best universities in the UK when research grant funding is considered. 

The University of Sheffield UK is not a campus university, even though most of its 430 buildings are within walking distance. Some of the buildings located in the area are in the following places:
 

1. 9 Mappin street

2. 38 Mappin street

3. 45 Victoria Street

4. 301 Glossop Road, Student Skills and Development Centre

5. 34 Endscliffe crescent, Accommodation, and Commercial Services

6. 12 Bolsover St, Arts Tower, Admissions Service

7. 241 Glossop Rd, Edgar Allen House, Careers Service

8. Clarkson St, Octagon, Convocation Hall

9. 36 Wilkinson St, Counselling Service

10. 44 Leavygreave Rd, Information Commons (IC)

Rankings: 

The University of Sheffield is ranked #160 in the world's best universities, #59 in Europe's best universities, and #19 in the United Kingdom's best universities, by USnews.com. The University of Sheffield is ranked #105 by QS World University Rankings.

Youngstown State University is a public institution in Youngstown, Ohio. It was founded in 1908 by the YMCA, which later transferred its leadership. 

The University became a part of the Ohio System of Higher Education in 1967. It has accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. Several other programs have accreditation from the CAEP. The institution has a student-to-faculty ratio of 14:1 along with 12,76 students and an average class size of 21 students. 

The University has campuses in Cleveland in Ohio, and Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. There are several research centers and institutions, including the Center for Advanced Materials Analysis, Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Engineering, Center of Excellence in Applied Chemical Biology, and many others. 

There are several academic degrees, including associate (two-year courses) degrees, graduate degrees (master’s, doctoral, and graduate certificate courses), and online degrees across undergraduate and graduate disciplines. Key study areas include anthropology, accounting, American studies, biology, biochemistry, art history, biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, computer science, dietetics, criminal justice, electrical engineering, ethics, entrepreneurship, fashion, geography, finance, journalism, law enforcement, management, and public health. 

Notable alumni include politician and police officer James Traficant, astronaut and scientist Ronald A. Parise, and businessperson Linda R. Gooden. 

The institution has its own Office of Career Exploration & Development. It supports students, helping them prepare for future work and higher education throughout various streams and fields. There are several options for assisting those seeking internships and jobs, along with career and professional preparation and development programs. Students also get opportunities for experiential learning, which include externships, internships, clinical or field observations, service learning, practicums, co-op activity, research for credit options, and of course, student teaching opportunities. 

The University of Glasgow in the UK has three campuses: Garscube, Gilmorehill, and Dumfries. The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451 and is the fourth-oldest university in the country. It is known for its association with seven Nobel Laureates, the first Prime Minister of Scotland, and two Prime Ministers. Albert Einstein lectured here in the past while the first cohort of female medical students graduated here in 1894. It was also the UK’s first university to appoint an Engineering Professor while Adam Smith entered the institution for his studies in 1737.

The University of Glasgow’s ranking is 86 in the 2022 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings and 73 in the QS World University Rankings list.

Newcastle University is a public research university in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Newcastle University is a Russell Group member with one of the largest EU research portfolios in the country. 

 The University’s origins may be traced to the School of Medicine and Surgery (later the College of Medicine), which was founded in 1834, and the College of Physical Science (later called Armstrong College), which was formed in 1871. The more significant part of the federal University of Durham was created by these two colleges, with the Durham Colleges comprising the other. In 1937, the Newcastle institutions combined to establish King’s College. King’s College was renamed the University of Newcastle in 1963.

Lancaster University is a public research university situated in the United Kingdom (UK). It has been a top school in north-western England for more than ten years now.

Lancaster University, UK, was consolidated in the 1970s-80s. The school introduced several combined degree schemes with subjects like Environmental Science and Philosophy during this time. It was also the period for constructing modern laboratories for teaching and research.

The university has its prestigious campus at Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4YW, United Kingdom.

Lancaster University’s ranking is commendable on most university ranking indexes. It is ranked #155 on the World University Rankings by Times Higher Education 2024, whereas the QS World University Rankings 2024 places the university at #141 globally.

The University of Exeter is a leading public institution offering world-class academic and research facilities to over 30,000 students in the United Kingdom (UK). Even though the university was officially established in 1955, its history goes back to the 1900s. It includes six departments, offering knowledge in various subjects and education levels.

The magnificent campus of the university is located at Stocker Rd, Exeter EX4 4PY, United Kingdom.

In terms of the University of Exeter rankings, it is exceptional. In the QS World University Rankings 2024, the institution is listed at 169th position. The university bagged #177 place in the World University Rankings by Times Higher Education. This speaks volumes about the institution’s popularity and performance.