For years, experts have been touting the benefits of studying the arts, including music and theatre. For example, arts education has been linked to academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement and equitable opportunities. These benefits are exactly what most parents hope to cultivate in their school aged children. By studying arts related topics, students can improve their grades, mature and become generally well-rounded while also learning. Experts also claim that students who are involved in some form of arts education make significant gains in other areas like mathematics, reading, cognitive abilities, critical thinking and verbal skills. It can also improve their motivation, concentration, confidence and teamwork. With so many benefits, it’s a wonder why more students don’t enroll in art, music or theatre classes in college.

With the introduction of the No Child Left Behind Act, primary and secondary schools are becoming more focused on raising their standardized test scores in subjects like reading and math than they are in promoting arts education. Because of this, fewer and fewer students are aware of their profound benefits. If your school did not provide you with a wide selection of arts related programs or classes to participate in, you should consider including several of those classes in your college degree plan. Many majors in college require students to successfully complete several elective classes. These are classes separate from the specific field of study and are chosen by the student. Arts education at the college level can traditionally be broken down into several fields. Studio Art includes classes in drawing, painting, sculpting, pottery and photography. As the name implies, they are traditionally held inside an arts studio rather than a classroom and are highly hands-on. Theatre is another arts field and can include classes in costume design, improvisation and ensemble acting. These classes may be held in an auditorium or a regular classroom depending on your college. Music classes include learning a particular instrument and studying the history of popular musical genres and musicians. If you choose a Fine Arts class, you could study great artistic masters, their works and important artistic movements.

The benefits of arts education are numerous and well documented. If you have the opportunity to reap those benefits by enrolling in an arts related course in college, don’t hesitate. That one class could enrich and change your life forever.