Are you preparing for class 10th board exams? Surrounded by questions like which stream you should choose? Exploring career options in the field of arts? Do you know what arts subjects in class 11 you can opt for?
After the recent introduction of the NEP (National Education Policy) in India, we have seen massive revolutionary changes in the structure of school education. Although we do not have streams anymore, you will still have to choose your subjects accordingly.
No wonder, after completing the first phase of your high school in class 10th, you must have all such questions while selecting the stream for the next phase. But to answer all these queries you need to self-interrogate and unlock the question box!
But before you explore this post further– Pause. Reflect. Understand.
Topics covered
What all is covered in this post?
To make it easier for you, we have created a quick guide to everything you need to know about Arts Subjects in Class 11.

What is Art?
Art is a very diverse range of human works engaged in the creation of visual, audible, or artistic works — works of art — that express the author’s imaginary or technical ability, and are intended to be admired for their beauty or captivating power. Art is often tested by the interaction of principles and elements of art.
Art’s key principles are movement, harmony, unity, diversity, balance, contrast, proportion and pattern. Its elements are texture, space, shape, location, color, value and line. The various interactions between elements and artistic principles help artists to organize emotionally pleasing artworks while providing viewers with a framework to analyze and discuss ideas for beauty.
Why study Arts stream?
The arts stream is one of the few majors where students can choose the area, they are most interested in. It is difficult to describe everything in a few words. Most major art courses revolved around history. History teaches the evolution of human civilization. Economics, History, Political Science, Geography, Sociology, Philosophy, Psychology, Computer Science, Hindi, Regional Language, and others are some of the main subjects of Art Stream. Careers after art range from law and literary studies to journalism and hotel management. Also, the arts and humanities stream provides a wider range of subjects than the science and commerce stream.
Teachers are often asked why students should get an art degree. Creative thinking, developing the intellect, and feeding the soul is frequent answers, but none of them touch on concerns about soft subjects, university admissions, careers, or long-term financial well-being. An advantage in any profession is the one who knows how to design, present and display material in an aesthetically beautiful way.
The following may be the reasons to study arts. However, perceptions vary among individuals, very subjective.

List of arts subjects in 11th class
Here are the main subjects of the Arts stream in the 11th:
- Computer Science
- Economics
- English
- Entrepreneurship
- Fashion Studies
- Fine Arts
- Geography
- Hindi
- History
- Home Science
- Human Rights and Gender Studies
- Informatics Practices
- Legal Studies
- Mass Media Studies
- Music
- Philosophy
- Physical Education
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sanskrit
- Sociology
Additional Subjects
- Folk Music
- Western Music
- Carnatic Music
- Dance
- Creative Writing
- Foreign Languages such as Japanese, Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, etc.
Explanation of Arts stream subjects
Here is the explanation of some of the arts stream subjects that are mentioned above:
History
One of the traditional subjects of the art stream, history studies the evolution of human civilization from primitive times to the present. It also covers major historical events, emphasizes art and architecture, such as the history of Indian art, and imparts knowledge of the works of world greats. The subject curriculum takes you on a journey of humanity and develops your understanding of the future of development.
Economy
Economics studies the processes or systems by which goods and services are produced, sold, and bought at a larger level (macroeconomics) and a smaller individual level (microeconomics). The subject examines the behavior and interactions of economic agents and how different economies work.
Geography
Geography, which deals with the study of the relationship between people and the environment, the physical properties of the Earth, people and the economy, etc., is one of the most sought-after art subjects. The geography curriculum builds a solid foundation in concepts related to landforms, flora and fauna, the world, population, economics, transportation, and more.
Political science
Political science is one of the main subjects of the stream of arts that deals with the state and systems of governance and the scientific analysis of various political actions and their behavior. The domain’s administrative theories and concepts span numerous subfields, including political economy, international relations, comparative politics, public policy, and political methodology.
English
English, being one of the compulsory subjects in the Arts stream, offers a well-structured curriculum that covers various aspects of the subject. In addition to the emphasis on improving writing and speaking skills, the curriculum also focuses on reading skills in English literature.
Psychology
Psychology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and behavior that includes human development, sports, clinical practice, health, social behavior, and cognitive processes. This is one of the most interesting art subjects in the 12th grade, related to the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, feelings, and thoughts.
Sociology
If you’re researching what an undergraduate subject is, Sociology might be at the top of your list. Sociology is a branch of social science that deals with the study of the evolution of human society, social relations, interactions, and cultures around the world. In addition, the sociology curriculum involves the use of empirical research and critical analysis to develop an understanding of social order, acceptance, and social evolution.
Philosophy
Philosophy involves the study of general and fundamental questions about the existence, knowledge, causes, values, mind, language, and nature of humans and the surrounding world. Students who pursue a career in philosophy develop a foundation for creative thinking and logical thinking that further helps them contribute to the common good of society.
Read About: Explore Fine Arts Subjects for Inspiration and Creativity
Arts subjects in class 11th CBSE?
Arts stream, also known as Humanities, is one of the most popular streams among students because of the wide scope of opportunities it offers. Following are the subjects you will be studying in the arts stream in class 11th CBSE:

Note: This is to give you an overview of arts subjects in class 11th. For an in-depth syllabus or subject details, do check with your school. Also, please confirm in advance, if any combination of the additional or optional subjects is offered by your school or not. This may be slightly different as per the availability.
For more details about arts subjects in class 11th, you may refer to the CBSE Senior School Curriculum.
Compulsory subjects in art class 11th
Following are the core subjects in arts in class 11th:
- History: Who survived and who didn’t? Why didn’t they? What are the planet’s greatest secrets? One of the most traditional subjects, History teaches about the emergence of human civilization from the past to the present. It also covers major historical events, and emphasizes art and architecture such as the history of Indian Art.
- Geography: Why is our planet structured the way it is? What is wrong with the decisions we are making at the moment? Will they affect the future of our planet? If yes, how? It is about learning the relationships between people and the environment, the physical structures of the Earth, people and the economy, etc. Geography is one of the most sought-after subjects. The syllabus forms a solid foundation on flora and fauna, land, population, economy, transportation, etc.
- Political Science: Political Science discusses about the governance systems in different countries, their constitutions and how they are upheld. Administrative theory and other such concepts cover a wide range of sub-sectors including Political Economics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, Public Policy, and Political Process.
- English: English is a compulsory subject taught to students of class 11th no matter what other subjects they choose. It is one of the official languages of India and the most widely spoken language in the world.
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It’s a wrap!
Through this post, we have tried to give you an understanding of various arts subjects in class 11th. Choosing the right subject combination is a very challenging job as there are numerous choices to make. We recommend you carefully evaluate each option keeping your interests in mind. However, career planning is a very intense job. So, it’s better to seek expert opinion from unbiased counselors and we at iDreamCareer always believe in helping young minds discover their true mettle. We try to help young confused minds from 9th class, 10th class, class 11, and class 12 to select their most-suited career choices.
Also, read:
- Career Options in Arts
- Art and Design Careers for Creative Students
- Courses After 12th Arts
- National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (I), 2021
- Humanities, Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Most Popular 12th Pass Job Options
- SSC Exam Annual Calendar
- Coolest High Paying Arts Stream Jobs
- Career in Performing Arts
- Career in Culinary Arts
- Become The No. 1 Radio Jockey: Your Best How-To Guide
- 20 Most Beneficial Government Exams after 12th
- 13 Best Jobs for Women
- High Salary Courses After 12th Arts
- Career in Sociology
- Career in Philosophy
- Liberal Arts Subjects
- Humanities Subjects: Your Full-on Details Manual
- Career in Political Science
FAQs
The compulsory subjects in arts class 11 are: English, History, Geography and Political Science.
The main subjects of the CBSE Arts program, apart from compulsory English and Hindi, are —History, Political Science, Sociology, Economics, Geography, and Psychology. The board also offers a list of core/optional subjects. Schools are allowed to choose from these subjects for Groups I and II.
Arts is a huge stream consisting of a wide range of subjects like history, political science, economics, psychology, geography, etc. They are generally classified into two categories: core and electives, which include geography, history, political science, and English. core subjects and the rest of the subjects come under electives. With this diversity of arts subjects, students can choose from a variety of employment opportunities in a wide range of career fields such as media and mass communication, academia and teaching, and counseling to name a few.

Anushree has 4+ years of experience in the career counseling industry as a Senior Content Writer. She has also worked as a Social Media Marketing Expert for a startup and Content Quality Analyst for Publishing and E-learning Industry. She has done her Master’s in Commerce and PGDM in Finance & Trade and Marketing & HR, but she is currently following her passion for writing.
I love how arts subjects are being introduced in class 11! It’s so important to have a diverse range of interests and arts subjects are a great way to do that.
Thanks for the information