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Sports science — The Guardian UK University Guide 2026

Subject-level ranking from the The Guardian UK University Guide for Sports science in UK universities. University of Bath leads this subject in 2026.

85 UK universities ranked · See the overall The Guardian UK University Guide table →

RankUniversityScore
TEF G · #1University of Bath 100.0
TEF S · #2Swansea University 95.2
TEF B · #3University of Strathclyde 93.1
#4University of Wales Trinity Saint David 91.5
#5Anglia Ruskin University 90.8
#6University of Surrey 89.0
#7University of Nottingham 88.4
#8University of Greater Manchester 87.9
#9University of Staffordshire 87.4
#10University of Essex 86.0
#11Loughborough University 85.4
#12Lancaster University 83.8
#13Durham University 83.4
#14University of Lincoln 82.7
#15University of Brighton 82.5
#16University of Portsmouth 82.3
#17Teesside University 82.0
#18University of Central Lancashire 81.2
#19Bangor University 81.1
#20University of Exeter 80.4
#21Hartpury University 79.5
#22King's College London, University of London 79.0
#22University of South Wales 79.0
#24University of Derby 78.5
#25University of Bedfordshire 78.2
#26University of East London 78.1
#27University of Glasgow 77.7
#28University of Sunderland 77.4
#29University of Gloucestershire 76.9
#30University of Birmingham 76.4
#31The University of Edinburgh 76.3
#32University of Chichester 75.3
#33Southampton, Solent University 75.2
#34Newcastle University 75.1
#35University of East Anglia UEA 74.8
#36University of Hull 73.9
#36University of Salford 73.9
#38Manchester Metropolitan University 73.4
#39Nottingham Trent University 73.1
#40University of Leeds 72.6
#41University of Aberdeen 70.7
#41University of Greenwich 70.7
#43Liverpool John Moores University 70.4
#44Bishop Grosseteste University 70.3
#45University of Hertfordshire 68.8
#46University of Cumbria 67.8
#47Edge Hill University 67.4
#48Leeds Beckett University 67.0
#49Sheffield Hallam University 66.3
#50Edinburgh Napier University 66.2
#50Liverpool Hope University 66.2
#50St Mary's University, Twickenham 66.2
#53Cardiff Metropolitan University 64.6
#53Oxford Brookes University 64.6
#55London Metropolitan University 64.4
#56Northumbria University, Newcastle 64.2
#57University of Worcester 63.9
#58University of Northampton 63.7
#59York St John University 63.6
#60Buckinghamshire New University 63.5
#61Canterbury Christ Church University 63.1
#62University of Chester 62.0
#63Aberystwyth University 61.5
#64Coventry University 61.0
#65Kingston University 60.1
#66University of Huddersfield 59.1
#66University of Winchester 59.1
#68Ulster University 58.5
#69University of Wolverhampton 58.4
#70Abertay University 57.7
#71University of Suffolk 55.3
#72Birmingham City University 55.0
#73Brunel University of London 53.8
#74Plymouth Marjon University 53.7
#75University of Kent 50.7
#75Wrexham University 50.7
#77London South Bank University 50.0
#78University of Stirling 48.7
#79Robert Gordon University 47.1
#80Bournemouth University 44.6
#81University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) 43.8
#82Middlesex University 40.0
#83Leeds Trinity University 38.9
#84University of Roehampton 38.4
#85University of the West of Scotland 35.3

Other subjects in the The Guardian UK University Guide

Accounting and finance 100Aerospace engineering 32Anatomy and physiology 26Animal science and agriculture 20Animation and game design 58Anthropology and archaeology 28Architecture 56Biology 83Biomedical science 68Business and management 118Chemical engineering 29Chemistry 49Children's nursing 55Civil engineering 53Classics and ancient history 23Computer science and information systems 110Construction, surveying and planning 41Creative writing 28Criminology 87Dentistry 16Drama and dance 80Earth and marine sciences 38Economics 71Education 91Electrical and electronic engineering 58English 84Fashion and textiles 46Film production and photography 70Fine art 57Forensic science 25General engineering 27General nursing 76Geography 62Graphic design 64Health professions 71History 81History of art 19Hospitality, event management and tourism 45Interior design 35International relations 46Journalism 40Languages and linguistics 49Law 110Marketing and public relations 76Mathematics 55Mechanical engineering 69Media and film studies 75Medicine 36Mental health nursing 67Midwifery 54Music 79Nutrition and food science 30Paramedic science 41Pharmacy and pharmacology 40Philosophy 42Physics 44Physiotherapy 47Politics 60Product design 41Psychology 115Social work 78Sociology and social policy 91Theology and religious studies 15Veterinary science 8Zoology 29

How subject rankings work

Uses NSS teaching, NSS feedback, NSS overall satisfaction, student/staff ratio, expenditure per student, average entry tariff, value-added score, and career prospects 15 months after graduation.

Subject rankings apply the same methodology to courses within a single discipline. They tend to reorder the overall table — a top-10 overall university may rank lower in a specific subject, and vice versa.