Bachelor’s Degrees with Minimal Math Requirements

Quick Highlights:

• Certain fields like humanities, creative arts, and some business degrees have minimal math requirements.
• Most universities still require some math courses as part of their general education requirements.
• Students can substitute math courses with related subjects, use tutoring, or test out to minimize math in their curriculum.
• It is important to choose a degree that aligns with your career goals and your abilities.

Earning a bachelor’s degree without heavy reliance on math is a highly appealing option for students whose strengths lie outside the traditional STEM disciplines. While many degree programs emphasize quantitative skills, there are a multitude of fields where students can thrive and develop expertise without delving deeply into complex mathematics.

Programs in areas like the humanities, arts, communications, social sciences, and certain business fields offer rich intellectual environments where critical thinking, creativity, and practical skills take precedence. These programs often provide students with valuable skills that are highly sought after in various industries, such as problem-solving, communication, and analytical reasoning, all without the need for advanced math coursework.

The allure of pursuing a degree without heavy math requirements is also tied to the diverse career opportunities that open up upon graduation. Whether it’s in writing, design, marketing, social work, education, or law, many of these fields value conceptual understanding and interpersonal skills over mathematical proficiency. As we explore the possibilities further, we can dive into specific degrees that do not focus on math and how they align with your unique goals.

Related:

• Great Paying Degrees That Require Minimal Math
• An Overview of Low Math Degrees

Understanding Math Requirements in Bachelor’s Degrees 

When you pursue a degree at a college university, you will likely have to take some amount of math. Because of this, your best option is to find low-math requirement degrees. Universities have general requirements that every student must take, and a portion of these requirements involve math. 

If you’re looking for math-free degree programs, there are still ways to reduce the amount of math you take. For example, general education requirements often allow you to substitute other subjects, like economics and statistics, for math. You may also be able to meet this general requirement by taking basic math or survival math. 

Even when you take degrees that require no math, universities will still require math classes during your general requirements. They want you to have a well-rounded education, which means you need to take different types of courses. This type of broad education gives you a strong base of knowledge so that you move on to pursuing more specialized skills.

Degrees with Minimal Math Requirements: Fields to Consider 

What degrees require no math? While you may still have to take general education requirements, there are specific degrees that don’t require math. Humanities, creative arts, and education are just a few of the degree tracks you can pursue that won’t make you take STEM classes. 

Humanities and Social Sciences

Some of the best no-math bachelor’s degrees are in the humanities. For example, you can pursue a degree in history, English, or sociology. Instead of focusing on STEM classes, these degrees involve coursework on critical thinking and analysis.

Creative Arts

Creative arts include the fine arts, creative writing, and music. Because these classes focus on artistic development, they tend to involve very little math. The amount you can earn in this career field can vary significantly based on where you are employed and the title of the job. While an art designer makes an average salary of $53,808 in Texas, an orchestra musician in New York can make $72,000 to $100,000 per year. based on figures from salary.com. If you want to avoid math completely, focus on art-focused degrees that involve studying music, writing, theater, or art. 

Communication and Media Studies

For other majors that don’t require math, try pursuing a degree in communication and media studies. Communication degrees focus on the way human beings interact with each other and convey messages. Because of this, they tend to focus on speaking and writing instead of mathematical ability. 

There is a significant amount of crossover between media studies and communication degrees. Often, both degrees will require classes on public speaking and interpersonal communication. Additionally, you may be required to take coursework on media literacy. 

Education 

Education includes other non-STEM bachelor’s programs, but you will need to choose the right educational programs. For example, degrees in curriculum development, pedagogy, and educational psychology require very little math. You can also get your teaching degree with a specialization in history, English, and similar subjects. 

Before you sign up for a specific program, pay attention to the requirements. While there are education degrees with no math or very little math, this often doesn’t apply to the lower grade levels. Because elementary and middle school teachers often teach the same class all day, they may be required to take coursework in a range of classes. To avoid this issue, you may want to focus on teaching at the high school or college level.

Certain Business Degrees

You don’t have to solely study humanities degrees with no math. While some business programs require statistics and mathematics, this isn’t true for every field. Human resources and marketing have a limited number of math prerequisites. In your entire four-year degree, you may only have to take two math courses. Depending on the university, you may be able to reduce this amount even more.

How to Identify Programs with Reduced Math Requirements 

If you are looking for the best degrees that require no math, there are a few things you can do to get started. First, talk to your admissions counselor. If you have already been accepted at a specific university, the admissions counselor can tell you which degrees require the least amount of math. 

Each degree field also includes a list of the classes you must take in order to graduate. By reading through this list, you can find no-math bachelor’s degrees. Normally, the math courses will be included in the part of the curriculum that is devoted to general requirements. 

Even though certain subjects require very little math, you will likely have to take a few courses in mathematics in order to graduate. For your degree to be valuable to an employer, it must be accredited. When schools apply for accreditation, they must meet certain criteria that are set by the accrediting agency and the United States Department of Education. Math classes and general education requirements are generally a part of that criteria. Because of this, even non-STEM bachelor’s programs require some level of mathematics. 

If you are uncertain about whether a college program will be the right choice for you or not, you can always try visiting student forums and review sites. Current and former students can tell you how difficult the program was and if they had to take a lot of math. 

Strategies for Managing Required Math Courses 

Finding completely math-free degree programs may not be possible. Because of accreditation requirements, you will likely have to take one or two STEM courses. If you are required to take math, there are a few things you can do to make your experience a little easier. 

• Tutoring services: If you want degrees with no math because mathematics is a struggle for you, you aren’t alone. Many colleges offer tutoring services to students who need extra help. By taking advantage of these services, you can complete the required math courses and quickly return to the rest of your normal coursework. 
• Online courses: Some people find online courses easier than in-person classes. You can complete assignments on your own time, and you can easily do homework with a friend when you need extra help. Additionally, some courses are designed to be completed at your own pace, which can give you extra time to figure out how to do each lesson.
• Testing out of math: Often, students have to take math courses during their high school degree. If you have already taken college-level mathematics, you may be able to test out of basic math courses. This can be done through a placement exam, like the advanced placement tests.
• Learning assessments: Another alternative is to use learning assessments at your college to test out of your math classes. For these tests, you typically have to show up in person and bring your photo identification. If you score high enough, you won’t have to take some or all of your math classes.
• Study groups: A final option you can use to navigate math problems is a study group. In a study group, you can get help from peers who are going through the same issues as you. They went to the exact same classes, so they know the challenges involved in doing each problem on your homework assignments. 

Making the Choice: Balancing Interests and Career Prospects 

As much as you want to find humanities degrees with no math requirements, this might not be the best choice for your future. Many math-related career paths are highly paid. For example, you would need to take math classes if you wanted to become a nurse, computer programmer, or economist. 

By deliberately choosing low-math requirement degrees, you are limiting the options you have in life. You will be unable to do many different careers, and no-math bachelor’s degrees may limit your ability to get marketable skills. Because of this, it is important to balance your interests and aptitude with your desire to get a high-paying career. 

Discover Bachelor’s Degree Programs That Require No Math 

While it may be impossible to find truly no-math bachelor’s degrees, there are many college programs that require limited amounts of math. For example, you can often find creative degrees without math or science requirements. Your best option is to try to look for non-stem bachelor’s programs, like humanities degrees with no math. 

It is important to balance your desire for math-free degree programs with your eventual career goals. By seeking a no-math degree, you may be potentially limiting yourself from an exciting career field in the future. If you’re committed to getting a degree with minimal math requirements, you can talk to a counselor, research the curricula, and read student reviews to see if a college program is right for you or not.