Perhaps you are even looking at college as a way to defer getting a job. In this case, going for an easy major makes sense to you because a student lifestyle with fewer class hours is most appealing. It may be that you’re unsure about what you want to study or where you want to go in your career, and you want to keep things simple to start with. Or you might be looking for a way to extend your education without taxing yourself too much. When it comes to picking a major, you should first go with what interests you, but the ease of study obviously matters too. Along with those two factors, there are others that come into play as well, and these are discussed below.
What Makes a Major Easy?
There are some majors which have a reputation for being easy. This article will go through some of your options and help you work out what might be the easiest college major for you to pick. There are some majors which are generally considered straightforward and the focus here is on what most people feel about these subjects. Of course, what is easy for one person, may not be the same for everyone. People have different personalities. In general, an easy major for you is one that you have a natural interest in, and one which you do not begrudge studying for. An easy college major might be one in which your coursework cannot be objectively evaluated (like in art class, for example). While math and science majors can be clearly assessed, some of the more nuanced subjects allow for greater leeway, which can feel easier. A major which requires group work above lots of individual assessments might also be considered easier, as there’s more of a chance to spread the workload. Fewer hours spent studying or face-to-face in class, and having a light course-load, can make a real difference too. Nobody wants to be the person studying all hours and having to forgo a social life. Gaining a bachelor’s degree should be an asset to your life – not something that feels a burden to achieve.
How Much Should Difficulty Factor Into Your Decision?
When you are picking your major, there are various things to weigh in making your decision. The difficulty of the major is, of course, an important consideration, but you also need to think about your strengths and weaknesses. Choosing a major might also make you think about your core values and beliefs, as well as your strengths and skills. Doing a values survey like the VIA Survey of Character Strengths can be helpful if you are not sure what your core principles are. You also want to take into account your long-term goals and aspirations – if you want to work in the medical field, for example, you will need to make sure you have certain course credits. In general, the more credits a major requires, the less flexibility – or fun – you might have experimenting with elective coursework or following unusual interests. Having more credits to complete can also have an impact on your overall GPA, so bear that in mind too. You should think about the career prospects certain majors can open up for you – and you might be curious about which majors lead to jobs that will pay well too. Linked to this, it makes sense to go into a somewhat future-proof employment field, so you can be sure you have secure career prospects. As you can see, there are multiple items to consider in picking your major, not just how easy it is. Maybe the difficulty of your major is the eventual tie-breaker in picking between courses you’re considering – if all the other factors are balanced out.
Can Choosing an Easy Major Affect Your Career?
Some majors are more popular with employers than others. If you pick one that has an ’easy’ reputation, it could perhaps have an impact on how you are viewed as a potential employee. On the other hand, picking a major that shows analytical rigor can work to your advantage. Some majors even have internships or specific work experience opportunities built into them, which can be appealing to employers when it comes to your graduation and starting the world of work. However – if picking an easy major makes it more likely that will you graduate, that’s a significant benefit. Be realistic about what you can cope with over the next four or five years and weigh the pros and cons between picking an easy or hard major. And remember, your choice of major is not the only thing that will affect how employers see you – the university you attend will also have an impact on their perception. Picking an easy major at an elite school might be better than taking a tough subject at a less prestigious school. Your GPA will also be affected by your major. It can be trickier to get strong or impressive grades if you are studying a hard subject that is marked very objectively. Other ‘easier’ majors with more open-ended marking often have higher pass rates and overall GPA scores. There are so many factors that you need to take into account. The important thing is to pick the right major for you – regardless of whether it’s a popular choice with employers.
The Top 10 Easiest University or College Majors
Some majors have a reputation for being easy, but it is important to investigate to see if that is really the case. A bachelor’s degree should set you up for a fulfilling career that you enjoy. The section below helps explain why these majors might be considered ’easy’ and the career options open to you after you graduate, particularly if you are concerned about getting a well-paid job.
1. Psychology
Psychology – the science of brain and behavior – is a common major and can lead to a career in multiple fields. Depending on the modules you choose, you could be studying the brain in forensic detail or creating experiments to investigate human behavior. One of the reasons psychology is seen as an easy choice is because it applies to so many different jobs. You could get a high-flying job in advertising, for example, or work in occupational psychology as a consultant to executives, coaching them in their careers. On the whole, it’s a solid choice of major, as you’ll learn analytical skills and be able to apply those in various future roles.
2. Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of cultural history and social evolution, which can help you develop skills you can use in the future, perhaps in public service, research or even advocacy. Like psychology, it is a fascinating choice for those interested in human nature, but avoids most advanced math and science. Anthropology can also lead to a variety of careers, and even allows you to travel for work – for example, taking part in archaeological digs – but it is less likely that you’ll find a job that pays comparably to the corporate world. Often anthropology graduates work in smaller not-for-profit organizations – for example, in museums or galleries as curators. People can often look at this as an easy major because it involves simple-to-grasp modules like television and social media. But it also has a lot of rapidly evolving content, which means you need to keep up with things as they change. This is a field in which you can do well financially, though – especially if you are good at networking and grasping or utilizing branding techniques. As a major, communications could be considered an easy pick because there is lots of group-based work and not much in terms of complicated scientific or mathematical concepts to grasp. And the work that you do, for example, in journalism class, is easy to talk about and see how it’s applied in various contexts.
4. Photography
Photography is one of those fields that most people instinctively think they know a fair bit about. It can seem easy to take a great picture, but there are lots of technical elements to be aware of too. A degree in this subject might include courses like the history of art, compositional theory, photojournalism, as well as darkroom classes and other practical elements. In terms of career prospects, top-notch photographers can charge as much as they like, but it can be difficult to stand out in a field where there is plenty of competition. Networking and hustling are the name of the game here as lots of people like the idea of turning their favorite hobby into a lucrative career.
5. Creative Writing
Creative writing is an appealing major, especially for people who enjoy reading, analyzing and writing – and those who prefer studying without too many constraints. Sometimes essay-based subjects like these have fewer hours of face-to-face time with professors and teaching assistants. You are not expected to be seen in a lab or go to a lot of technical classes, as you would with science subjects, for example. The emphasis on independent study can make some of these creative writing majors look easy in comparison to other subjects which require more regular or group classwork. As well as improving your writing skills, in taking this major you would develop analysis and feedback skills, which can be helpful in many future careers like teaching and human resources.
6. Liberal Arts
Liberal arts as a major can include many topics, like history, literature, philosophy, sociology, creative arts, etc. The breadth of choice can be brilliant for those who are unsure about their future careers, and to some degree, you can pick and choose subjects that feel like a great fit, or easiest to you. A benefit of picking liberal arts as a major if you don’t have a future career in mind is that you would pick up various skills that could be considered transferable for a variety of roles. It’s a theoretical degree that can actually develop your critical thinking and emotional intelligence as you navigate the different subjects involved.
7. Sports Studies
Sports studies might seem like a great pick for people who are passionate about sport and exercise and looking for a light workload. It is worth noting, though, that there’s a fair bit of science and anatomy to be aware of if you pick this major, as it is the study of how the healthy human body works during exercise, impacting people’s health physically, mentally and socially. In terms of career prospects, there is a wide range of options after graduating with a major in sports studies, from high school phys-ed teaching all the way through to elite athlete coaching. The remuneration therefore also varies, from low figures right up to the top end of the spectrum.
8. Health
Health degrees are considered easier than life or physical science degrees, and as a major, it’s flexible and broad enough that you could find lots of different job opportunities after graduating. It might seem easy at first glance, but depending on how you specialize, it can get quite deep in terms of subject knowledge. Studying health as a major can also prepare you for a career where you are genuinely helping people but without the rigors of nursing or medical school. One of the other great things about this major is that you are likely to have lots of potential job opportunities and strong job security after graduating, as healthcare is a rapidly growing field.
9. Linguistics
Linguistics is an easy major to decide on if you have a keen ear for languages and are great at memorization. If you love learning about words, dialect and vernacular – or if you were raised bi or trilingual – then this would be an easier major for you to pick than most. Linguistics is also a perfect major to choose if you are keen to travel and see the world. In terms of careers, people with language skills are often in great demand; you could go into translation services, writing or working in government agencies, or even teaching languages at any level.
10. Religious Studies
Religious studies might be a straightforward choice as a major if religious movements and philosophies are of deep interest to you. It is quite a niche subject and might be seen as an easy bachelor’s degree if you already have extensive knowledge from your own personal or religious background. It is also a subject in which there are few ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ answers – your work is marked on your ability to argue a point. There’s no clear career progression route, though, after taking religious studies as a major, so it is unlikely that you would find work that’s highly paid – but people who pick this major are probably not overly financially motivated. (This is a good example of how knowing your values as mentioned before helps you align your career choices.)
What If You Didn’t Pick the Right Major?
Perhaps you go down one of these routes and realize that the major you picked is not for you, after all. Take your time in making your decisions, and if you do switch careers, it’s not the end of the world – you’re simply then another step closer to your end goal.
Final Thoughts
Depending on your ambitions around your future career, you can see that there are many factors to consider in picking your major. It might still be tempting to pick a major just because it sounds easy, but now you’ve got a wider sense of the other things to take into account too. Ideally, you want to choose a career path that aligns with your values and future goals – and one that you enjoy and are proud of taking. If you have a true passion for the subject, everything will go more smoothly for you at college. The reality is that all majors will require a certain amount of hard work – if you pick a subject that feels easy for you, you’re simply maximizing the effort you’re already putting in. A bachelor’s degree feels easier when you’re enjoying it too, so the best tip involves doing plenty of research around a major you’re considering, so you can work out if it’ll be a good fit. Look at the college guidelines, the reading lists and maybe speak to university advisors or someone who has done that major before. Some universities will even offer taster courses or let you audit a class to see if it works for you. There are even college major assessment tests you can take to help. Picking a college major is a deeply personal choice, so take your time to think things through and ensure your bachelor’s degree is worth the investment you’re making.
