Our reputation
We are a highly ranked and reputable School of Design with strong performance in major league tables. We also have a strong reputation with industrial partners, as well as public and third-sector partners, locally, nationally and across the world. This means that we are able to offer our students many opportunities to network with potential future employers, and our graduates from the School of Design are highly regarded.
Our staff are leading experts in their field and many regularly contribute to research on contemporary issues such as the impact of design on sustainability, healthcare, food, cultural impact and industry practice. This research influences our teaching and therefore, whatever future career path you decide to take, you’ll have a well-rounded and up-to-date knowledge of the design and technology industry.
Academic excellence
- 6th in the UK for Art and Design, Complete University Guide 2026
- 54th in the world for arts and humanities, QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025
University of Leeds rankings
- 86th in the world, QS World University Rankings 2026
- 6th most targeted by employers, High Fliers 2025 Report
- 21st in the UK, Complete University Guide
- Top 10 UK student city, Best Student Cities 2025
- We are a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
Every six years, the UK’s four higher education funding bodies undertake an exercise to measure the quality of research undertaken by UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The funding bodies use the outcomes to inform the allocation of their research funding to HEIs. The Research Excellence Framework was the framework used in 2021.
Unit of assessment: Art and design
- 81% of the research submitted across the School of Design is rated as either “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 with a 100% rating as “world-leading”, and the impact, 90% of which was rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent”.
Sophie Prentice BA Fashion Marketing (Industrial)
I knew as soon as I came to Leeds that it was the place for me. The course was my clear favourite of those I had looked at, and so I was hoping everything else on my visit would live up to it. I loved the campus and the city, and all the teaching staff were lovely. One thing I particularly liked about the School of Design at Leeds was its location in the centre of the university, as this was not the case at the other universities I visited. I think it’s exciting to study a design-based subject in a city that was built on the Textiles industry!View Profile