Rudolf Steiner College students are anywhere from 20 to 80 years old and beyond. They come seeking meaning in life, inspiration for creativity, ways to serve high ideals in a troubled world, and sometimes to earn an academic degree. They have come to study meditation, gardening, Waldorf education, and/or various arts.

Rudolf Steiner understood the human being as a being of body, soul, and spirit. He emphasized that to realize our destiny we must cultivate to the fullest each of these aspects. His approach to an integrated understanding of the nature of human beings and our relationship to the entire world is known as Anthroposophy, which combines knowledge of the spirit and a path of inner development.

The Foundation Year in Anthroposophical Studies is meant for anyone interested in self-development and is the required first year for those wishing to become Waldorf teachers. It includes the study of Steiner’s thought; work in the various arts–singing, instrumental music, eurythmy, painting, drawing, handcrafts, speech and drama; and instruction in meditative techniques for personal development.

Waldorf Education is an holistic approach that seeks to help the child develop as a physical, emotional, artistic, intellectual, moral, and spiritual being. The Waldorf curriculum includes all the standard academic subjects–English, math, history, and science–and also various arts and handcrafts. Each child in a Waldorf school learns to sing, play a musical instrument, draw, paint, model clay, work with wood, knit, sew, recite poetry, and act in a play. The development of social skills, of moral awareness, and awareness of the earth is also an important part of life in a Waldorf school.