Many college students don’t realize this, but public speaking is one of the most important courses you can take in college. Even if public speaking doesn’t fall into your major or minor requirements, you still can still reap the benefits of learning how to speak in front of a large amount of people. Indeed, speaking to crowds can be daunting, and sometimes downright terrifying, but it doesn’t have to be.
When you are working a job that requires you to speak to a lot of people – a board, coworkers, bosses – you will want that confidence and ability to wow a crowd. When it comes down to it, public speaking requires the ability to hold people’s attention and move them. Here are five benefits of taking public speaking courses in college.
 
- It Will Help You Build Confidence
One of the first and maybe most important benefits of taking a public speaking course in college is that it will help you become braver and more confident in the face of crowds, and people in general. If you have social anxieties, learning how to speak in front of people is a huge boon and can get you very far in life.
- It Will Prepare You for Big Meetings
When you are in the swing of your career, you may be in a position to speak in front of crowds – either bosses, other coworkers or perhaps even investors. Each crowd will have more riding on your ability to knock out a speech. By taking public speaking in college, you will gain the courage and the skills to really deliver a speech that will impress.
- It Will Help You Annunciate and Speak More Clearly
Of course, learning public speaking in college will also make you a better speaker, and even a better conversationalist. If you have trouble speaking clearly, a public speaking course will give you the lessons you need to round out your vowels, to move your mouth more and to make eye contact when you speak. All of these things will make your voice be heard more clearly and succinctly.
- It Will Attract Employers
If you are going to Ohio University, or another great college, you will want to see if there are public speaking courses, because later in life employers will take notice. Indeed, employers want employees that know how to speak. This is especially the case in executive branches. If you really want to make it to the top and be desired by various companies, public speaking may be your key. Some of the greatest public speakers have also been responsible for a lot of money for certain companies.
- It Will Help You Become a More Well-rounded and Versatile Individual
At the end of the day, there will always be a time when your public speaking skills will come in hand. You can think of public speaking as the ultimate utility knife, because it can cut through anything: a wedding toast, battling a speeding ticket in court or even when you are leading your own business one day.