Our reputation
The School of Healthcare is a research led multidisciplinary school within the Faculty of Medicine and Health.
Our achievements
- 3rd in UK and 1st in England for Nursing and Midwifery - Complete University Guide, 2026
- Top 100 in the world for nursing - QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025
- Top 20 for midwifery - The Guardian, 2024
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
Every six years or so, 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. The research undertaken in the School of Healthcare spans a number of disciplines. These include Social Work and Social Policy as well as Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy.
In REF 2021, the School of Healthcare was submitted in Unit of Assessment 3 (UoA 3), aligned with Nursing & Allied Health; and combined with Dentistry. Within Nursing & Allied Health, this was the equivalent of 17.6 full time staff from the School of Healthcare and 11.8 staff from the School of Medicine.
The results confirmed that 95% of the submitted research activity is either world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).
Visit the REF 2021 web page to learn more.
About us
The School of Healthcare takes pride at being at the forefront of advancing the health and social care agenda by leading change and development in education, research, health and social care policy and practice. The School provides high quality education and undertakes applied research in health and social care. We have talented academic staff that excel in their speciality and undertake leading research across two themes: ageing well, and quality and safety.
We have a vibrant postgraduate research community studying full-time and part-time PhDs. Our international PhD community is growing alongside clinical academics. We welcome interested students to contact leaders in the relevant research theme prior to application.