Research Excellence Framework results 2021
The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a UK-wide assessment of the quality of research in universities undertaken by expert review panels.
How did we do in the latest REF exercise?
- We move into the top 10 (joint 10th) of UK universities for research quality, up from 14th position in REF 2014 (based on the Times Higher Education ranking of the Research Excellence Framework).
- All of our subject areas are now ranked in the top 30 in the UK, with four of our Departments positioned in the top five: Language and Linguistics (1st), Philosophy (2nd), Sociology (4th), Education (5th). A further eight Departments are in the top 10: Archaeology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English and Related Literature, Health Sciences (including CHE, CRD and HYMS), History of Art and Psychology.
- Particular recognition was given to the way research is supported at York, through facilities, mentoring and career development, and we rose from 19th to 11th place in this category.
Read our statement on our REF 2021 results to find out more about why REF is so significant.
Departmental results
| Department | REF comment |
|---|---|
| Archaeology | We’re ranked 6th overall for our research according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). And 100% of our research environment, the support we give to our researchers, is rated 4* - REF’s highest rating. We’re also rated 5th for the quality of our research outputs. |
| Biology | Biological Sciences is ranked in the top 10 overall in the UK according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results. Over 55% of our research outputs and 75% of our research environment - the support we give to our researchers - is classed as “world-leading” with 4* - the REF's highest rating. |
| We’re a top ten department - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021) - with the majority of our research and impact rated as a world leading 4* - REF’s highest rating. | |
| Computer Science | We’re a UK top ten research department - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021) - and 100% of our research impact and our research environment were rated 3* or higher. |
| Economics | The Department of Economics ranks jointly in the top 10 for impact and is joint 14th for research in the UK - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). Also, 92% of our research outputs, 100% of our research impact and 100% of our environment (the support we give to our researchers) are rated as world leading or internationally excellent (4* or 3*). |
| Education | We’re ranked 5th in the UK for research according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021) - and 100% of our research impact is rated at 4* - REF’s highest rating. |
| Electronic Engineering | We’re a UK top 30 research department according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). 97% of our research is rated as 3* or higher - in the latest REF results (2021). |
| English | We’re a top ten research department according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021), and 98% of our research was rated 3* and higher. |
| Environment and Geography | We’ve improved our ranking to become a top 15 research department, and our research is ranked joint second in the UK for impact, according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). |
| Health Sciences (CHE, CRD, HYMS) |
Our research is ranked 6th in the UK for research power in the Times Higher Education ranking of the latest REF results with over 92% of our research rated as world-leading (4*) for impact. |
| History | Our department’s research was ranked 11th in the UK and third nationally for the impact of its research in the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). Also, 87.5 per cent of our research impacts were rated at 4* - REFs highest rating. |
| History of Art | We’re a top ten UK research department. Our research is ranked first in the UK for its impact and environment - the support we give to researchers - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). |
| Hull York Medical School (HYMS) | HYMS staff were part of the University of York's top-10 rated REF (2021) submissions in Health Sciences, Biology, Psychology, Education, and Archaeology. |
| Law | We're ranked a top 25 law school in the UK according to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021). More than 85% of our outputs are of 3* or 4* quality, REF's highest ratings. |
| Language and Linguistic Science | We’re ranked 1st in the UK for the quality of our research - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). Also, 100% of our research impact was rated 4* - REF’s highest rating. |
| Management | A UK top 30 research department according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). We've moved into the top 25% of submissions, and 100% of our research environment - the support we give to researchers - is rated 3* or higher. |
| Maths | We’re a UK top 20 research department according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). Also 100% of our research is rated as 4* or 3* in the latest REF results (2021). |
| Music | We're a UK top 30 research department according to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021). |
| Philosophy | 100% of our research’s impact is rated as 4* - the Research Excellence Framework’s highest rating. And we’re ranked 2nd in the UK in the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021) |
| Physics | Our research is ranked 13th in the UK according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). And our research environment - the support we give to our researchers - is ranked 5th. |
| Politics | We’re ranked in the UK top ten for the quality of our research outputs and our research environment - the support we give to our researchers - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021) |
| Psychology | We're ranked 8th in the UK for research and 2nd for research output quality in the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). Our research environment - the support we give to our researchers - is rated as 4*, the Research Excellence Framework’s highest rating. |
| Social Policy and Social Work | We’re ranked 11th in the UK for the quality of our research - according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). |
| Sociology | We’re ranked 1st for research impact and 4th in the UK for research overall according to the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results (2021). Also, 100% of our research impact is rated at 4* - REF’s highest rating. |
| Theatre Film and Television | We’re one of the UK’s top 25 research institutions in the Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest Research Excellence Framework results. And 83.3% of our research impact is rated 4* - REF’s highest rating. |
* The REF exercise is a measure of research quality. The rankings within this listing are based on Grade Point Average (GPA) unless otherwise identified. Some rankings are listed excluding single or specialist institutions who returned in fewer than three Units of Assessment.
Units of assessment
A full breakdown of the results according to the REF units of assessment is shown in the table below.1
| Unit of Assessment | York Department | Overall quality profile (percentage of research activity at each level) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4* | 3* | 2* | 1* | U/C | ||
| 2 Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care | Health Sciences, Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, Centre for Health Economics and Hull York Medical School (HYMS) | 55 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience | Psychology, HYMS | 62 | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 Biological Sciences | Biology, HYMS | 57 | 36 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences | Environment & Geography | 56 | 38 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 Chemistry | Chemistry | 62 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 Physics | Physics | 51 | 47 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 Mathematical Sciences | Mathematics | 40 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 Computer Science and Informatics | Computer Science | 64 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 Engineering | Electronic Engineering | 34 | 63 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 Archaeology | Archaeology, HYMS | 55 | 32 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 Economics and Econometrics | Economics & Related Studies | 33 | 63 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 Business and Management Studies | Management | 39 | 46 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 Law | Law | 38 | 45 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 Politics and International Studies | Politics | 46 | 46 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 Social Work and Social Policy | Social Policy & Social Work | 47 | 44 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 Sociology | Sociology | 62 | 26 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 Education | Education, HYMS | 63 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 26 Modern Languages and Linguistics | Language and Linguistics | 67 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 English Language and Literature | English & Related Literature | 61 | 37 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 History | History | 58 | 27 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 Philosophy | Philosophy | 58 | 33 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory | History of Art | 73 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 33a Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies | Music | 45 | 39 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 33b Music, Drama, Dance, Performing Arts, Film and Screen Studies | Theatre, Film, Television & Interactive Media | 49 | 37 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
¹ REF is a subject based exercise, and Units of Assessment do not directly map to departments. Figures here are therefore allocated based on the majority contributing department.
Key
- Four star (4*): World-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
- Three star (3*): Internationally excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour but which falls short of the highest standards of excellence.
- Two star (2*): Recognised internationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
- One star (1*) Recognised nationally in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
- Unclassified (U/C): Falls below the standard of nationally recognised work. Or work which does not meet the published definition of research for the purposes of this assessment.