The University of Sheffield has been ranked in the global top 10 for both overall programme quality and departmental climate in the latest Academic Philosophy Data and Analysis (APDA) graduate programme survey.
The APDA survey aims to include all primarily English-language philosophy PhD programmes worldwide with available graduation and/or employment data. In 2025, the survey covered 149 programmes.
As in previous years, participants – including current PhD students and graduates from the past 10 years – were asked: “How likely would you be to recommend this program to prospective PhD students?” The responses informed the overall programme rankings, in which Sheffield placed in the top 10.
The survey also asked respondents to rate their satisfaction with their programme’s efforts to foster a healthy, respectful academic culture or climate. In the 2025 results, Sheffield was again placed in the top 10 for climate ratings.
The University of Sheffield is the only UK university to appear in the top 10 for overall PhD programme quality, and one of only two UK universities to feature in the top 10 for departmental climate.
The 2025 APDA ratings are based on more than 1,100 survey responses, reflecting the experiences of students and recent graduates across the 149 participating institutions.
For more information about the survey and the full results, visit the APDA website.