The 10 Easiest University Degrees in the UK – Ranked for 2023 (2023)

At the exciting stage of applying to University but not sure which subject to pick? We have compiled a list of the 10 Easiest University Degrees that you can take in the UK to help you.

You may want to use this list to help you lead a less stressful University life, or you might want to know which subjects to avoid if you want a challenge! Either way, this list is a great starting point for research about which University degree you would like to take.

If conversely, you would like to find out what the 10 hardest degrees in the UK are, take a look at this helpful article, which ranks the hardest subjects to study.

Disclaimer:The ranking of the degree subjects in this list is not definitive. Every student will have individual strengths and weaknesses, and so will find some subjects more challenging than others. Additionally, judgements about the hardest degrees depend on the criteria that it is based on.In this article we have tried to take into account many different factors that make certain degrees challenging, but still, keep in mind that the list here is formed of opinions which are based on polling. Although you may want to take them into account when choosing your degree subject, you should also think about what your specific skills are and what it is that interests you when choosing your degree. This is simply a list constructed from UK student polling.

10. English Literature

An English Literature degree is a great choice for those who are interested in reading and literature as a whole. It is challenging in terms of the amount if reading that is required of you, and the historical contexts which you will have to learn surrounding the Literature that you have to study.

This is something that some students find tricky, as there is a high volume of work required for this degree, and you will need to be organised in order to manage it. However, if reading and analysing literature is something which you enjoy, a degree in English Literature is a great way to turn a hobby into a full-time subject!

One of the benefits of an English Literature degree is that it can lead you to a variety of careers, including (but not limited to) the jobs listed on this helpful website. The degree allows you to not only understand author intentions, but to delve into the contexts of the books, as well as to recognise techniques used, so that you can apply them (if you choose) to your own writing.

The assessment of your degree will vary depending on the University which you have gone to, but English Literature students tend to have a mixture of coursework and exams, which students usually like – there’s no need to memorise everything you know, but the coursework pieces also aren’t as pressured!

9. Education

An Education degree can lead you to a variation of careers, but primarily, graduates tend to move into teaching. If becoming a teacher is something which you would like to do, an Education degree is a wonderful way to equip yourself with the skills which the profession requires.

While completing an Education degree, you will develop skills in communication, analytics, problem-solving, and organisation. These are widely applicable, and if you are interested in education in terms of looking at different cultural, political and social contexts, an Education degree will be valuable because of the skills that it enables you to practice. If you didn’t want to go into teaching, there are also careers related to the degree, more information about which can be found here.

One of the things that means that Education degrees have made it on to this list is the low entry requirements that are generally made by Universities. Although you may have to do an interview as part of your application, the grade requirements from Universities are a good indicator that this is a fairly straightforward course to study.

Generally specific subjects at A-Level are not required (If you are taking a general degree that is) for this degree, and it will often lead you to primary school teaching. If you would be more interested in teaching a specific subject (for example at a Secondary School or Sixth Form), you should have degree-level knowledge of the subject you want to teach, and so an Education degree is not for you.

8. Music

If you love music and want to study it at degree level, then this is some good news for you! A music degree tends to be relatively simple if you already have a background in the subject. Some courses focus heavily on performance, whereas others are theory-based. This means that it is important that you know the details of the course you are applying to depending on where your interest lies.

Generally speaking, applications to do Music degrees don’t require top grades, though there will often (understandably) be some audition element to the application where you can show off your musical skills. If you want to do a performance-based course, you may have to be up to a Grade 7 standard upon application.

Although musical theory can be challenging, students who are really interested in this subject are likely to find it enjoyable (and therefore easier), as the things that your course will teach you will only broaden your current knowledge of Music. Additionally, a developing knowledge of theory may lead you to a more appreciative view of music, and you will be able to recognise different musical tools in pieces almost immediately.

This instant ability to apply knowledge is something that will make a Music degree so much fun, and this is something that can’t be said about all degree programmes. You can develop skills, experiment with new techniques, and perform all the way through your degree, and this variation is what makes Music an interesting course.

A degree in Music, although on the easier end of the scale, can also lead you to a variety of exciting careers, and success in the field is something that many people aspire to. More information about careers can be found here.

7. Graphic Design

If you are artistically inclined, graphics is a subject which is generally considered to be fairly easy at degree level. Design is an enjoyable discipline for those with the artistic abilities needed, and Graphic Design is a great degree programme for those interested in being involved in creative projects.

A Graphic Design degree will give you the opportunity to develop not only artistic skills such as printing, drawing, using digital media, and typography, but it will also enable you to use essential general skills that are loved by employers including communication, and time management just to name a few! There are a wide range of jobs which this degree may lead you to, and you can find out more on this useful website.

One of the things that makes Graphic Design fairly simple as a degree is the fact that, although you have to demonstrate skills and techniques in your projects, there is a reasonable amount of freedom in the work, which means you can work in quite an independent way.

6. Philosophy

Philosophy at degree level is a subject which aims to give students skills in logical thinking, analysis, and the ability to challenge commonly accepted ideas. These are skills which can be indirectly applied to many careers, which why it is a beneficial degree, especially as becoming a philosopher tends not to be an option nowadays! Career options with this degree do vary, but in terms of a direct link to Philosophy, they are usually in teaching roles. You can find out more about related jobs here.

Philosophy degrees don’t usually require you to have specific subject knowledge before the course, so entry requirements for Universities can be quite flexible. This seems to be an indicator of the difficulty of the course.

Although you will learn and develop skills, you don’t learn material in the context of application to the real world, and you won’t necessarily be moving on into a directly philosophical career. This means that students may find the content to be less challenging, and easier to engage with, particularly because you tend to be dealing with opinion rather than fact.

Despite the low difficulty level of this course, you will need to have the ability to articulate yourself well, as well as strong debate skills. Dealing with uncertain things comes with its own challenges, but in the grand scheme of things this is not an overly challenging degree.

5. Anthropology

Anthropology is strongly based on the way that humans live in the world, and this can be examined from either a Social or Biological standpoint. This means that a degree in Anthropology is something which can give you a great overview of society as a whole, and therefore can lead you to some interesting careers, and more information about where this degree could lead you can be found here.

This degree is viewed as one of the easiest in the UK because of the nature of the content which you have to learn, as well as the fact that entry requirements for courses don’t tend to be very high, and specific subjects are often not required.

Firstly, the content which you have to learn is based on historical and current culture. As a type of content, culture is something that is likely to be very familiar to you because of your experience of the world, and knowledge of world events and news. Although you will not have enough knowledge straight away to pass the degree, it is the type of knowledge that can be built up quite easily. It relates directly to your environment, and so is not completely alien!

Secondly, entry requirements for this course don’t tend to be as high as those for other courses. Some Universities will ask for subjects such as Biology, but this is not essential for most courses.

Despite the relatively low difficulty of this course, it can provide you with some very useful skills. Knowledge of the world is valuable to many professions, as well as problem-solving skills, logical reasoning skills, and the ability to communicate in a coherent and effective way.

4. Creative Writing

Creative Writing is another great subject for English enthusiasts to consider. If you have a talent for creative writing that you would like to develop, this is certainly the course for you. In terms of difficulty of a degree programme, this is a course which is substantially easier than other courses out there (such as Medicine or Engineering). This is true for a number of reasons.

Creative Writing degrees aim to enable students to make technical improvements to skills which they already have. Obviously, Creative Writing requires fairly strong baseline English abilities, as well as a creative brain to come up with interesting, engaging characters and plots. If you already have some of these skills developed, a Creative Writing degree won’t be the most challenging of degrees to study.

Additionally, Creative Writing, although it requires motivation and effort, is often a subject where Universities don’t expect you to have specific subjects as A-Levels when you enter the course, although obviously English is a useful subject to have some knowledge of!

Although a Creative Writing degree may not be the most challenging, it can lead to some great careers, in a range of different related areas. You develop a wide range of skills in presentation, planning, creative thinking, and working independently. More about the jobs which are related to this degree can be found here. If writing is something you love, and you want a relatively stress-free University life, you should certainly consider Creative Writing.

3. Religious Studies

Religious Studies is another subject which enables you to gain insight into culture across the world. This is something that can be incredibly useful when you are thinking about working with the public and can therefore be applied to many different fields. You can find a list of the potential areas of work this degree could lead you onthis useful website, though generally the work which is directly related to the field is in teaching.

However, this does not mean that this a complex degree to study and understand. You do not need to be religious to study this subject, in fact it may be especially interesting to Atheists who are perhaps not very knowledgeable about religions across the world.

Equally, if you are religious, you may find that aspects of this course are very straightforward. You will be required to know about a variety of religions, however having detailed, in-depth knowledge of one is likely to be beneficial.

However, either way, you must be respectful of other beliefs, and willing to learn about other religions, as well as being able to deal with people potentially bringing some of your beliefs into question. This is perhaps the most difficult element of the subject, as the ability to discuss difficult and sensitive issues is something which takes skill and consideration.

Despite the straightforward nature of this course, you will acquire some valuable skills, such as communication skills, developments in writing abilities, understanding academic research, and crucially, in showing empathy and compassion.

2. Liberal Arts

A Liberal Arts degree combines a broad range of information in the main subject areas of the arts, humanities, and social sciences. There is no set format which a Liberal Arts degree has to follow, which is one of the things that makes it seem so appealing.

Liberal Arts degrees allow students to develop skills in communication and critical thinking, and because of their broad nature, can lead to a wide range of interesting careers. After this degree, you will have completed a range of modules in many different areas, and so you will have developed a variety of skills which make you employable.

This degree can be shaped around your interests, and it is one of the things that makes it easier than other degrees. For example, because of the layout of the degree, you don’t have to focus on subjects that don’t interest you, which makes the degree as a whole a lot easier to engage in successfully. Courses may also involve hands-on tasks such as involvement in sport, music and theatre activities, which makes the subject a lot easier to engage in.

You can also take this degree and move straight into sectors such as journalism, marketing, and roles in the public sector due to the wide range of skills that this degree will provide you with. Further training options are also available to Liberal Arts graduates.

One of the nice things about a Liberal Arts degree is that because subjects studied are so broad, your academic background can also be varied. There are very rarely subject requirements for this degree, though subjects such as History, Psychology and Art-related subjects at A-Level may be useful. Make sure you check entry requirements of different Universities though, as grade requirements may be higher than you think!

1. Make-Up

So, it has been made as the easiest degree to do at University. Makeup is a great subject if you are interested in working in the field directly, perhaps in TV or film (and in fact there are specific courses which are aimed at people interested in these professions!). If you would like to investigate the different courses available, this helpful website may be of use to you.

However, there is no denying that Make-up is one of the easiest subjects to do at degree level. This conclusion has been come to for a number of reasons.

Firstly, Make-up, although sometimes requiring great skill, often does not have a great academic basis. Individuals need to be able to learn and apply new techniques, and obviously the challenge of this does vary, depending on the type of make-up which is being used. This may be a learning curve at first, however, once you have mastered them, they are quite easy to replicate and adapt.

Another indicator that Make-up is an easy course is the fact that the entry requirements are often quite low. You will need 2-3 A-Levels to get on to an Undergraduate degree course, and the subjects that you have studied will not have much of an impact on the application. Though it is important to note that if this course is something that interests you, a background in Make-up would be useful. For example, if you have done a BTEC course in Hair and Beauty at Sixth Form.