Music and Intelligence: Can Music Make You Smarter? (FutureLearn)

Examine the relationship between music and intelligence, debunking common myths, and exploring amazing facts. Explore how music affects human psychology. It’s long been thought that music has the power to affect cognition – but can music really improve intelligence? On this course, you’ll explore the truth behind the connection between music and intelligence, learning whether music treatment (such as music training or music-related activity) can actually improve cognition.

Enroll in course

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Get to grips with the key principles of intelligence

In order to truly understand how music relates to intelligence, it’s important to get to grips with what we mean by intelligence and how it is measured and impacted.

You’ll be introduced to the fundamentals of human intelligence, examining its complexity and delving into the things that can change it.

You’ll separate facts from myth as you evaluate ideas on the benefits of music playing to our cognition and learn how to differentiate between false claims and evidence-based facts.

Explore the psychology of music and if music makes you smarter

Alongside expert psychology educators, you’ll explore concepts and ideas which highlight the connection between music and intelligence, including examining the famous ‘Mozart effect’ under the microscope.

The final section of the course is dedicated to the idea that we can improve our intelligence by listening to music.

You’ll explore if and how music affects learning, and whether playing an instrument can make you smarter, coming away able to conclusively answer if music affects learning or not.

Syllabus

Week 1: What is intelligence?

Week 2: Can listening to music improve your intelligence?

Week 3: Can playing music improve your intelligence?

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Describe what intelligence is, the complexity behind it, how it is measured, and the factors that change it.

- Explain the relationship between music and intelligence

- Investigate information on cognition to differentiate between claims that are too good to be true and those that might be substantial and evidence-based

- Apply what they have learned to research studies that investigate whether a treatment of any kind (e.g. a short music training or music-related activity) may improve one’s cognition.
Who is the course for?

This course would benefit musicians, music therapists, educators, and music and psychology students. There is no need for a specific background, as it is easy to follow for those interested and curious in music.