| 2001 Research Rating | Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Teaching Ratings | Institutional Periodic Quality Review | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Finance | see Management School | see Management School | Full Confidence |
| Applied Social Science | 5 | Excellent | Full Confidence |
| Art | 3a | Excellent (23/24) | Full Confidence |
| Biology | 4 | Satisfactory (21/24) | Full Confidence |
| Communications Systems | 4 | – | Full Confidence |
| Computer Science | 5 | Satisfactory | Full Confidence |
| Economics | see Management School | Excellent (Confidence*) | Full Confidence |
| Educational Research | 5 | Excellent (24/24) | Full Confidence |
| Engineering (General) | 4 | Excellent (22/24) | Full Confidence |
| English Language and Literature | 5 | Excellent | Full Confidence |
| Environmental Sciences | 5 | Excellent | Full Confidence |
| European Languages and Culture | 5 | – | Full Confidence |
| French | 5 | Satisfactory (20/24) | – |
| German | 5 | Satisfactory (19/24) | – |
| Italian | 5 | Satisfactory (20/24) | – |
| Spanish | 5 | Satisfactory (20/24) | – |
| Geography | 4 | Excellent | Full Confidence |
| History | 4 | Excellent | Full Confidence |
| Innovation and Enterprise Unit | – | – | Full Confidence |
| Law | 5 | Satisfactory (Confidence*) | Full Confidence |
| Linguistics | 5 | Excellent (23/24) | Full Confidence |
| Management School | 5* 6* (2003) | Excellent | Full Confidence |
| Music | 4 | Excellent | Full Confidence |
| Philosophy | 3a | Excellent (24/24) | Full Confidence |
| Physics | 5* | Excellent (23/24) | Full Confidence |
| Politics and International Relations | 4 | Excellent (23/24) | Full Confidence |
| Psychology | 5 | Excellent (24/24) | Full Confidence |
| Pure Mathematics | 4 | Excellent (22/24) | Full Confidence |
| Religious Studies | 5 | Excellent (24/24) | Full Confidence |
| Statistics and Applied Statistics | 5* 6* (2003) | Excellent (22/24) | Full Confidence |
| Sociology | 5* 6* (2003) | Satisfactory (21/24) | Full Confidence. |
| Theatre Studies | 4 | Excellent (24/24) | Full Confidence |
* The School of Law and the Department of Economics underwent a National Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Developmental Engagement in May 2003. The main purpose of a Developmental Engagement is to provide an opportunity for testing an institution's internal review procedures at department level. The students' learning experience is at the heart of the review process. The outcome of a Developmental Engagement is a set of conclusions reached by the external QAA team. Threshold judgments are made as to the 'confidence' or otherwise in the academic standards set and achieved and in the quality of the learning opportunities that support the students in achieving the academic standards of the School's degree schemes.
Both departments received the highest judgments of confidence in the academic standards set and achieved, and in the quality of the learning opportunities that support students in achieving the academic standards of the awards to which the School's degree schemes lead.
Teaching ratings
Pre-2002: numerical grades of 22 and above (post-1995 system) are treated in the same way as an 'excellent'; in the pre-1995 system.
Post-2002: teaching quality assessments have become the responsibility of individual institutions, via periodic quality reviews (PQR), which are then audited by the Quality Assurance Agency. Please see the Quality Assurance Agency website for full reviews.
Research ratings
These are on a scale of 1-5, with 3 being split into two categories, a and b. An exceptional ranking of five star (5*) indicates a world-wide reputation for excellence in research. As of 2003, departments who achieved 5* in 2001 with the same number of staff as in the 1996 RAE now have, in addition to 5*, the status of 6*. For Lancaster University, this applies to the Management School, Sociology and Statistics.