Courses You Can Study Without Biology

Without Biology, you can still study a wide range of university courses — principally Arts, Commercial, Social Science, computing, engineering, and physical-science courses, plus selected sciences where the institution does not require Biology. What you cannot study without Biology, at most institutions, is medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and most biological sciences. The list below groups the main options, with the UTME subjects each typically requires. Check the JAMB brochure for your course and institution for the session, because Biology requirements vary by institution.

Lacking Biology closes the health and life sciences, but it leaves open most of the rest of the university system — including the courses with the strongest formal-sector demand.

Arts and humanities (no Biology required)

• Law (LLB) — English, Literature-in-English, and two other Arts or Social Science subjects.
• Mass Communication — English, Literature-in-English, and two other Arts or Social Science subjects.
• English Language, Linguistics, History, Philosophy, Religious Studies — English and three Arts subjects (as the brochure states).
• Theatre Arts, Fine Arts, Music — English, the relevant Arts subject, and two other Arts subjects (plus audition or portfolio where required).

Commercial and management (no Biology required)

• Accounting — English, Mathematics, Economics, and one other subject.
• Business Administration, Marketing, Human Resource Management — English, Mathematics, Economics, and one other subject.
• Banking and Finance, Insurance — English, Mathematics, Economics, and one other subject.
• Economics — English, Mathematics, Economics, and one other Social Science subject.

Social sciences (no Biology required)

• Political Science — English, Government, and two other Social Science or Arts subjects.
• Sociology, Geography — English and three Social Science or Arts subjects (as the brochure states).
• Public Administration — English, Mathematics, Economics or Government, and one other subject.
• Psychology (where Biology is not required) — English and three subjects (as the brochure states — some Psychology programmes require Biology; check per institution, as this is the most institution-dependent case in this guide).

Engineering, computing, and physical sciences (no Biology required)

• Engineering (all disciplines) — English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry.
• Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science — English, Mathematics, Physics, and a fourth subject as the brochure states.
• Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Chemistry — English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry (with variations by discipline).
• Architecture — English, Mathematics, Physics, and one of Chemistry, Geography, or Fine Art.
• Geology, Geophysics — English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry.

What you cannot study without Biology (at most institutions)

• Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Dentistry — Biology is a core UTME and O’Level requirement.
• Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biology, Botany, Zoology — Biology is a core requirement.
• Agriculture and related sciences — Biology is a core requirement at most institutions.

Related Guides & Next Steps

• Admission Requirements for Nigerian Universities
• How to Choose a Course After JAMB
• How University Admission Works in Nigeria
• Best Universities to Study Medicine in Nigeria
• Courses You Can Study Without Mathematics

Frequently asked questions

Can I study medicine without Biology? No, at most institutions — Biology is a core UTME and O’Level requirement for medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and related health sciences. Retaking Biology is the route if medicine is your goal.

Can I study engineering without Biology? Yes — engineering requires Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, not Biology. Biology is not a barrier to any engineering discipline.

Can I study psychology without Biology? At institutions that do not require Biology for psychology, yes; at institutions that do, no. Check the brochure for your target institution — this is the most institution-dependent case in this guide.

Should I retake Biology, or choose a course that does not require it? If your target course requires Biology, retaking is the only route — no workaround exists. If you are open to Arts, Commercial, Social Science, engineering, or computing courses, the lists above give you strong options without retaking. Decide by your goal, not by avoidance.

Does lacking Biology affect my O’Level requirements too? Yes — courses that require Biology at UTME generally require it at O’Level as well. Check both the O’Level and UTME requirements in the brochure for your course and institution.

Sources and last update

• Course groupings and Biology-requirement patterns from JAMB brochure patterns and the cluster’s course guides, with per-institution brochure confirmation directed throughout — Psychology’s Biology requirement is explicitly institution-dependent.
• Durations and professional routes from the respective course guides (Batches 13–16), summarised here — the course guides govern where they differ in detail.

Last updated: 24 October 2026. Guide — review every 3–6 months and on every JAMB brochure update.