Massey University achieves strong performance in 2025 QS Subject Rankings

Massey boasts strong performances across a range of subjects, including several disciplines from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. These results highlight Massey’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence and its ability to produce world-class research across various fields, reinforcing its position as a leader in higher education.

The highest ranked subject is Veterinary Science, which consistently receives a high world ranking in the annually released list. After being ranked 21st globally in 2024, the subject has risen two places this year, and is now ranked 19th globally and first in Australasia and Asia.

Two other subjects also rank in the top 100, with Agriculture and Forestry and Development Studies both ranking in the 51-100 band. Both are also rated first in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Architecture and Built Environment, and Communication and Media Studies rank in the top 150, while Art and Design ranks in the top 200.

Head of School of Built Environment Professor Monty Sutrisna says he’s pleased with Architecture and Built Environment continuing to rank in the top 150 in the world.

"This cements our status as a world-class school and reflects the hard work of staff and students in continuously raising the standard of our research, teaching, pastoral care and student employability, enabling students to meaningfully contribute to our academic communities, industry and society."

Overall, the latest rankings see one more subject receive a ranking than in 2024, with English Language and Literature receiving a top 250 ranking.

Out of the 21 ranked subjects for Massey this year, seven are from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CoHSS): Communication and Media Studies, Development Studies, Education, English Language and Literature, Geography, Psychology and Sociology. Many of the CoHSS subjects have gone up in their citation per paper and H-index metrics, a sign that quality research publications are being produced in these areas.

CoHSS Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Cynthia White says to achieve high QS rankings in seven subject areas is an excellent achievement and reflects the quality, sustained commitment and reputation of CoHSS staff at Massey University.

“Development Studies, Psychology, Geography, Education and Sociology once again feature as highly ranked disciplines, with Development Studies again ranking first in Aotearoa. Since the start of February 2025, Communication and Media Studies have been consolidated into CoHSS, with new opportunities for collaboration and the strengthening of research impact, which is already evident in this highly ranked area. A further feature of these results is that English Language and Literature have now received for the first time a top 250 ranking. My congratulations and thanks to colleagues across the College for these very pleasing results.”

Provost Professor Giselle Byrnes says the university’s sustained performance in the QS subject rankings is great to see.

"Our world-leading reputation in research extends across many diverse disciplines, and the latest QS results demonstrate both international excellence and national significance. Research rankings are an excellent way to communicate the quality of our research endeavours and we’re immensely proud of the collective effort that this year’s results represent."

The 2025 QS World University Subject Rankings examined 5,200 institutions in 148 countries across 55 subjects and five broad faculty areas. Universities are evaluated according to five metrics: academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper, the H-index and the International Research Network.

More information on the rankings is available here.