Rankings and reputation

We consistently rank in the top tiers of global education and sport-related studies. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 results for both Education and Sport-related research place us as Scotland’s top-ranked institution for research breadth and quality (Times Higher Education).

Moray House ranks in the top 10 in the UK in a number of rankings for education and sport-related studies

  • 1st in the UK, 2023 THE World University Ranking for universities offering Sport Science
  • 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for Education in the 2024 Complete University Guide​​​​​
  • 1st in Scotland and 12th in the world in the 2024 QS World University Ranking by subject: Education and Training
  • 2nd in Scotland and 8th in the UK for Sport Science in the 2024 Complete University Guide
  • 3rd in Education and 7th in Sport Science in the UK in the 2022 Times Good University Guide
  • 4th in the UK, 2023 THE World University Ranking for Education
  • 1st in Scotland and 16th in the world in the 2024 QS World University Ranking by subject: Sport-related subjects

In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, we ranked first in Scotland in both Education and Sport-related research (Times Higher Education). We are ranked 3rd in the UK in terms of the breadth and quality of our research in Education, with nearly 80 per cent classified as ‘world leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’ (Times Higher Education). Nearly 90 per cent of our Sport-related research activity is classified as ‘world leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’, a growth of 22 per cent since the previous REF in 2014.

Accreditations, affiliations, endorsements and recognition

BSc (Hons) Applied Sport Science

The BSc (Hons) Applied Sport Science is endorsed by the BASES Undergraduate Endorsement Scheme.

BA Childhood Practice

The BA Childhood Practice is accredited by the Scottish Social Services Council.

MA Learning in Communities

The MA Learning in Communities, like its predecessor, the BA Community Education, is accredited by the Community Learning and Development Standards Council for Scotland.

Initial Teacher Education programmes

Our Initial Teacher Education Programmes - including MA (Hons) Primary Education with Gaelic, MA (Hons) Physical Education, PGDE, MSc Transformative Learning and Teaching, and MSc Dance Science and Education with TQs - are accredited by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).

MSc Social Justice and Community Action

The MSc Social Justice and Community Action (Online Learning) is the flagship teaching initiative of the University of Edinburgh's Global Justice Academy, a multi-disciplinary network of academics and research centres committed to global justice concerns.

Athena SWAN Bronze Award

In recognition of the positive work Moray House School of Education and Sport has done to promote diversity and equality among staff and students, Advance HE granted the School an Athena Swan Bronze Award in 2024. This testifies to the School's commitment to embedding Athena Swan's principles of inclusion and equality into all we do.

Athena Swan bronze award logo

Sustainability Awards

Moray House is pleased to have earned a SILVER Sustainability Award in 2018. Office Sustainability Awards recipients fulfil a range of social responsibility and sustainability criteria focusing on communications and engagement, energy savings, sustainable travel, resource efficiency, responsible purchasing and staff wellbeing.

Sustainability awards logo