Derby rises 25 places to 33rd in Guardian University Guide 2027

The University of Derby has climbed 25 places in The Guardian University Guide 2027, making it one of the Top 35 universities in the UK.

Derby is now ranked 33rd out of 123 universities. 

As well as an overall ranking, The Guardian University Guide 2027 produces league tables for subject areas, which has seen some equally impressive performances for Derby.  

Top 10 subject rankings: 

• Forensic Science (1st) 
• Marketing and PR (2nd) 
• Biomedical Science (4th) 
• Zoology (4th)  
• Creative Writing (10th) 
• Hospitality Event Management and Tourism (10th)   

Top 20 subject rankings:  

• Education (12th)
• Journalism (13th) 
• Architecture (14th) 
• Children’s Nursing (15th)
• Electronic & Electrical Engineering (15th) 
• Anatomy & Physiology (19th) 

The Guardian University Guide is designed to assess universities from a student perspective, focusing on factors including teaching quality, student experience, feedback, career prospects and graduate outcomes, rather than solely on academic research performance.  

The rankings are based on eight measures, which are combined to produce an overall score out of 100. These include satisfaction with teaching and feedback, as reported by students through the annual National Student Survey, as well as measures relating to student continuation and graduate outcomes.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Derby, said:

“This significant rise is a tremendous achievement and reflects our clear focus at Derby – ensuring our students are not only academically excellent, but are equipped with the skills, knowledge and experience that employers value.

“We work closely with businesses and other organisations to ensure that what our students learn is relevant to the industries and sectors they will enter, while giving them opportunities to apply their knowledge, make connections, develop their skills and gain valuable experience.

“Ultimately, our ambition is for every student to graduate with the confidence and capabilities to thrive in their future career. To see that commitment recognised through such a significant rise in the Guardian rankings is a fantastic achievement for our students and staff.”

The success follows the recent announcement that Derby has been named University of the Year in the Uni Compare 2027 rankings and ranked number one in the UK for employability, based on more than 24,000 student reviews.

Find out more about studying at Derby