The University of Canterbury has the following subjects ranked in the world’s top 350 (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025):
Top 100 in the world for Sustainability
2025 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings
Top 10 in the world for Environmental Education
2025 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings
#2 in New Zealand for employability outcomes
2026 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings
Top 100 best student cities — Christchurch
2026 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Rankings
| Subject | QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025 (released March 2025) |
| Accounting and Finance | Top 300 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | Top 200 |
| Arts and Humanities | =331 in the world |
| Business & Management Studies | Top 350 |
| Classics and Ancient History | Top 150 |
| Earth and Marine Sciences | Top 200 |
| Education and Training | Top 300 |
| Engineering and Technology | =345 in the world |
| Engineering – Civil and Structural | Top 150 |
| Engineering – Electrical and Electronic | Top 350 |
| Engineering – Mechanical | Top 300 |
| English Language and Literature | Top 300 |
| Environmental Sciences | Top 250 |
| Geography | Top 100 |
| Geology | Top 250 |
| Geophysics | Top 250 |
| Law and Legal Studies | Top 200 |
| Linguistics | =85th in the world |
| Modern Languages | Top 350 |
| Politics | Top 250 |
| Psychology | Top 300 |
| Social Sciences and Management | =344 in the world |
5 Star University
In 2011, the University of Canterbury was the first New Zealand university to receive the 5 Star rating by QS and has maintained its 5 Star status since then.
The QS website states “A typical five-star institution is generally world-class in a broad range of areas, enjoys an excellent reputation and has cutting-edge facilities and internationally renowned research and teaching faculty.”
