KUCCPS Courses Where Chemistry Is Not Compulsory

Choosing university courses through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) can be daunting, especially for students who did not take or performed poorly in Chemistry at the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) level.

Chemistry is one of the cluster subjects that most of the competitive science, engineering, and medical courses require.

There are, however, many recognized KUCCPS courses that do not require Chemistry.

General university admission criteria under KUCCPS require a minimum mean KCSE grade (often C+ for degree entry) and certain cluster subjects depending on the programme selected.

Areas such as medicine, pharmacy, engineering, and most sciences are competitive fields that usually require Chemistry.

Conversely, many programmes in education, humanities, business, social sciences, and some applied fields do not require Chemistry specifically, expanding opportunities for students whose strengths lie elsewhere.

Students often assume that all degree programmes require Chemistry, but this is not the case.

For example, Bachelor of Education (Arts) and other arts-based or humanities courses do not list Chemistry as a subject requirement.

In fact, several degree programmes admit students without Chemistry, focusing instead on subjects like English, Kiswahili, history, geography, or mathematics combined with other electives.

Education, Humanities, & Social Sciences

The programme areas mentioned here often give more priority to Humanities and Communication Skills instead of science disciplines like Chemistry:

• Bachelor of Education (Arts
• Bachelor of Arts in Community Development
• Bachelor of Arts in International Relations
• Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration
• Bachelor of Arts in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Bachelor of Arts in Justice and Security Studies
• Bachelor of Counseling Psychology
• Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
• Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media and Communication
• Bachelor of Film & Animation
• Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Security Studies

The subjects taught in the Humanities course are language and the social sciences, rather than Chemistry, making the course open to candidates who lack a strong performance in Chemistry.

Also Read: KUCCPS Courses Where Physics Is Compulsory

Business, Commerce, and Management

Business-oriented degrees typically emphasize mathematics and languages but do not mandate Chemistry as an entry subject:

• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Business Management
• Bachelor of Economics
• Bachelor of Human Resource Management
• Bachelor of Procurement & Supply Chain Management
• Bachelor of Finance and Statistics
• Bachelor of Business Information Technology

Business and management-related courses draw on analytical and communication skills rather than laboratory sciences, creating opportunities for students who prefer commerce or economics tracks.

Technology and Information Systems

Although some IT and computing courses may list mathematics or physics, they do not universally require Chemistry:

• Bachelor of Science in Information Science
• Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
• Bachelor of Science in Computer and Electronic Systems
• Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Management
• Bachelor of Science in Travel and Tourism Management

Some institutions’ IT and tech programmes admit students based on computing or mathematics performance, without Chemistry prerequisites.

Also Read: KUCCPS Courses Where Chemistry is Compulsory

Additional Programmes Without Chemistry Entry

Beyond the list above, other recognised options that typically do not require Chemistry include:

• Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Studies
• Bachelor of Education in Special Needs Education
• Bachelor of Science in Health Records & Information Technology
• Bachelor of Social Work and Administration
• Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management

Programmes that integrate applied skills, care systems, or organisational management often prioritise other subject combinations.

While many science and health disciplines require Chemistry as a prerequisite, a significant number of degree programmes do not.

Always consult the official KUCCPS programme database during selections to confirm current entry criteria before submitting your choices, as requirements can change annually.

Follow our WhatsApp channel for instant news updates

KUCCPS CEO Dr Agnes Wahome. PHOTO/ File