Deciding which degree to pursue can be a daunting task for many students. With so many options and factors to consider, it’s not always clear which fields are relatively easy or fast to get a degree in. When evaluating programs, things like admission requirements, coursework, internships, and certification exams will impact the overall time and effort needed to graduate.
While no degree is truly “easy” to obtain, some majors are more direct paths and have fewer prerequisites than others. This allows students to complete the core program requirements faster. Fields like business, communication, psychology, and liberal arts tend to offer flexible and streamlined routes to graduation. Let’s take a closer look at why these may be among the easiest undergraduate degrees to earn.
Business
Business administration and management degrees are popular options that can be efficient to complete. Here are some of the reasons why:
- Broad and adaptable curriculum – Business programs provide foundational knowledge in topics like accounting, marketing, human resources, economics, and finance. Students take a mix of classes to gain well-rounded skills.
- Accelerated options available – Many schools offer 3-year tracks or combined bachelor’s/MBA programs to accelerate degree completion.
- Few course prerequisites – Some intro business classes may be required but there are not extensive pre-major requirements.
- Wide availability – Business schools and degrees exist at most colleges and universities, providing many program options.
- Flexible requirements – Students often get to choose several electives based on interest instead of following a rigid course sequence.
- Marketable skills – Business majors build abilities like communication, analysis, leadership, and relationship-building that employers value.
With minimal roadblocks to entry and valuable real-world skills gained, a business administration degree can be one of the most straightforward paths to a bachelor’s.
Communication Studies
Degree programs related to communication, speech, and public relations also rate high for ease of completion. Benefits include:
- Few prerequisites – Relevant high school classes may be recommended but are not required to start the major.
- Wide applicability – Communications skills are useful in every field, expanding career options after graduation.
- Emphasis on soft skills – Courses build abilities like writing, speaking, listening, and relationship management.
- Familiar content – Classes often cover subjects students have some experience with like interpersonal communication.
- Adaptable and engaging – Communication curriculum aligns with student interests through choices like public speaking vs. rhetorical analysis.
- Accelerated options – Some schools offer accelerated 3-year paths to finish faster.
- Available concentrations – Students can specialize through tracks in marketing, PR, journalism, technical communication, and more.
With so much flexibility and little required to enroll, communication degrees offer smooth routes to graduation.
Psychology
Psychology is another popular and reasonably accessible field of study. Benefits include:
- No specific prerequisite classes
- Broad curriculum applicable to many settings
- Basic early requirements – Intro psych and statistics are common first classes
- Abundant elective choices later on
- Opportunities for concentration – Focus on clinical, developmental, social, cognitive, or other psychology topics
- Alignment with student interests – Curriculum often relates to human thoughts and behaviors
- Applicable skills gained – Research methods, critical thinking, analysis, statistics, and communications
The combination of open admission policies and adaptable curriculum allows psychology majors to progress smoothly through required courses.
Liberal Arts
Liberal arts encompasses humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and other academic disciplines. Some of the ease of completion factors include:
- Variety of majors and subjects to choose from
- Few technical prerequisites – High school classes in specialized subjects not required
- Customizable program options – Take preferred subjects of interest
- Develop critical thinking and communications
- Some accelerated 3-year options available
- Dual degree paths combining two interests
- May allow late major declaration after starting undecided
- Opportunities to gain broad knowledge
Liberal arts programs emphasize well-rounded education over specialized preparation, offering flexible paths.
Other Notable Options
Beyond the above broad fields, many other majors can also offer relatively smooth routes to a degree. Here are a few more to consider:
- Education – Direct path to a useful career. May require student teaching period.
- Nursing – Heavy course-load but clear program sequence. Licensing exam required after graduation.
- Social Work – Internship required but otherwise straight path. Need to like helping people.
- Criminal Justice – Interesting applied curriculum with some class choices. May need internship.
- Hospitality – Practical programs in hotel, restaurant, tourism management. Some offer work experience.
Things That Can Increase Degree Completion Time
While the above majors tend to offer clear roads to graduation, there are some factors that can add time or difficulty. These include:
- Extensive prerequisite courses required to start major classes
- Highly structured curriculum with little flexibility
- Programs with competitive enrollment requirements
- Degrees that require extensive collaborative projects and group work
- Fields requiring heavy use of technology, statistics, or scientific analysis
- Needing certain foundational abilities like musical talent or quantitative skills
- Mandatory internship, student teaching, or clinical rotation periods
Degrees like engineering, sciences, music, and architecture tend to have more barriers that extend time to completion. However, they can be great options for motivated students in those fields.
Key Considerations When Choosing a Degree
While time to graduation is important, there are several other key factors students should think about when selecting a major:
- Career opportunities after graduation – Will this degree lead to jobs you want?
- Interest and aptitude – Do you enjoy and have talent for this subject?
- Earnings potential – Will this field provide the income you need?
- Program reputation and resources – Is the school known for this particular program?
- Opportunities like research and internships – Does the degree offer experiences to boost learning?
- Accreditation – Is the program accredited and respected?
Choosing a major aligned with interests, ambitions, and strengths is crucial, even if it requires extra time or effort to complete.
Conclusion
While most college degree programs require significant work, some majors offer more direct and flexible paths than others. Fields like business, communications, psychology, and liberal arts tend to have open admissions, engaging coursework, and fewer structural barriers to completion. However, students should weight factors like career prospects, earnings, and program quality along with time considerations when selecting a degree. With smart planning, nearly any major can lead to graduation success within a reasonable timeframe.