Superb REF results for York Arts and Humanities

Posted on 18 December 2014

CREMS' parent departments rule the roost in this authoritative research assessment, which measures the quality of publications, the social and cultural impact of research, and the research environment.

The Departments of English and History were both ranked 2nd in the country for the quality, significance and impact of our research, with English rated top in the country for its publication of world-leading research. History of Art were ranked 5th of 84 departments in Art & Design, and 3rd among History of Art departments. Archaeology at York climbed to 4th among UK Departments of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Studies.

One of the assessments introduced for the first time in REF 2014 was the wider societal impact of research. York ranked 2nd for research impact among Archaeology departments, and 1st for research impact among History of Art Departments. English and History also performed impressively, with 68% of English's impact rated as world-leading, and 100% of History's impact rated as either world-leading or internationally excellent.

The departments also outperformed the competition on the key question of research environment, testimony to the excellent support and resources provided through York's Humanities Research Centre and the interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities Centres: CREMS, CMS, CECS, and CMoDS.

English was only one of two literature departments nationally to score 100% for 4*, world-leading research environment, and History of Art were also ranked joint first among all 84 departments, reflecting the strength of York's research community and the excellence of our faculty and doctoral researchers.

Director of CREMS, Helen Smith, commented: 'These are amazing results, which recognise and reward the exceptional quality of our research, but also provide vivid testimony of just how supportive, creative, and ambitious our Arts and Humanities research community is here at York. Taken together, these superb results for our parent departments confirm that York is the best place in the country for interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities study'.