Although the University of Utah is best known for its business and science programs, it also offers an extensive and diverse range of liberal arts programs.
The art, dance, film, music and theater departments all offer students unique learning opportunities – regardless of whether they explicitly match their major or not.
The Faculty of Fine Arts offers assistance in finding internships and offers students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in first-class concert halls.
While artistic creation may not be an option for every student, immersing yourself in a variety of experiences as a student can improve life skills. Freshmen can make the most of their college experience by prioritizing a well-rounded education that includes the arts.
Advantages of general education
Whether or not students plan to major in the humanities, it is important to have varied curricula. General education requirements are often viewed as a means to an end.
According to Herzing University, completing general education requirements, especially arts electives, can allow students to develop into well-rounded individuals who can make holistic contributions to the workforce. According to Nadia Ibrahim-Taney, assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati, taking arts-related courses during college encourages creative and flexible thinking, which benefits all students well beyond higher education.
For art students, the courses offer important benefits for their future. Avi Pilato, a dance student, knows that what he learns will improve his future.
“Catharsis, grounding and movement are (elements of dance) that will help me,” Pilato said.
Interface between STEM and art
For students who want to pursue a career unrelated to the arts, or for students with many different interests, the university offers a path to success. Students interested in health, for example, have access to a wide range of educational pathways that will support their future. Pilato proves this through his own pursuit of dance and science.
“When looking for a program, I wanted to make sure I had both a strong dance and a strong academic focus,” Pilato said. “I find it easy to incorporate both. There are even some (scientific) courses in the dance program, such as anatomy for dancers.”
Many graduate schools value and give preference to applicants with unique backgrounds. An arts education, or at least a well-rounded education, can be beneficial for those with a variety of long-term goals.
In a US News article, Dr. Lloyd Minor, Dean of the Stanford School of Medicine, spoke about the arts and their crucial role in medicine.
“Science helps us understand the basic workings of the human body and mind, but we must look beyond science to understand things like suffering, love, hate and hope,” he said. “I believe the arts offer a unique window into ourselves and the human condition. This understanding offers profound benefits to us as individuals and to those we serve.”
There are ways that medical students can incorporate art into their scientific endeavors. One example is exploring how music can improve recovery time. Art therapy has also become a method that people can use to process trauma. The American Art Therapy Association defines it as a therapy that “engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that differ from purely verbal articulation. Kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic possibilities invite alternative forms of receptive and expressive communication that can circumvent the limitations of language.”
Dancing is another art form that can be used to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Harini Sridhar, a dancer, conducted research that showed how dancing “can improve the social, cognitive and motor outcomes of people with disabilities.”
“Qualitative research that combines art and medicine reflects the critical thinking that doctors use when taking a patient’s medical history: asking unbiased questions, connecting different parts of the story, and identifying themes in the data,” she said in her research.
Where the U leaves you behind
Whatever students are looking for during their time at university, an arts-integrated education is always beneficial.
Not only can gaining unique experiences reinforce a person’s strengths in their future career field, but this type of intensive learning is valuable in itself. All college students should prioritize an environment where they have access to these opportunities. University is the perfect place to do this.
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