Pursue your authentic creative self at Columbia College Chicago. Columbia is known for its one-of-a-kind community of passionate students from all walks of life, and faculty members who bring real-life experience to their classrooms. We proudly offer over 100 majors and programs in communication, business, liberal arts and sciences, and the performing, media, and visual arts that cultivate immersive, hands-on learning from your first year. Columbia’s home is in the South Loop, an eclectic, art-splashed neighborhood in downtown Chicago. And learning in the heart of the city comes with its perks — we’re next-door neighbors with world-class cultural institutions, global industry headquarters, jaw-dropping architecture, and, of course, beautiful Lake Michigan. So what’re you waiting for? Keep flipping these pages for more of the good stuff.
OUR CAMPUS
From Columbia, you can explore it all. Start at our home base in the South Loop, and discover the Wabash Arts Corridor, launched by Columbia and lined with murals and assorted art galleries. The top-notch facilities and buildings that line our campus streets are designed to help students explore their ideas, work on projects and collaborate with each other. You could be here: Reporting in The Columbia Chronicle newsroom. Testing equipment in the reverberation chamber. Editing b-roll at the Media Production Center. Practicing a monologue on the Getz main stage. Printmaking in the makerspace. Chilling out in the airy Student Center lounges. Anything you’d need to do in between traversing the rest of the city, you can do on our campus.
OUR CAMPUS
The Student Center — aka the centerpiece of Columbia’s campus — is our hub for lounging in between classes, hitting the gym, stopping by the Career Center, grabbing a coffee, and collaborating with your fellow creatives.
From Van Buren Street to Roosevelt Road, and Michigan Avenue to State Street, stroll the Wabash Arts Corridor, founded by Columbia in 2013. You’ll spot murals, galleries, and performance spaces.
SABRINA SCHOENBERG She/Her/Hers
ACTING; CLASS OF ’23 It doesn’t feel like you’re at school — it feels like I’m in the real world. I live in Chicago next to so many real-life things. I’m not just in a school bubble.
OUR CHICAGO
Chicago is in our name for a reason. The South Loop is home to Columbia’s campus, located right in the heart of downtown Chicago. You’ll have access to renowned museums, theaters, concert venues, boutiques, and galleries right outside your door. Want to go beyond the Loop? Take the L train with your Chicago Transit Authority U-Pass and get to know every corner of the city — because after all, Chicago is your campus. Whatever your ambition — artist, entrepreneur, game designer, writer, actor — Chicago is the place for you to start building a network of collaborators and dive into your career before you even graduate. We’re home to The Second City, known for launching the careers of comedians who become household names (like Aidy Bryant ’09!), museums that draw visitors from all over the world, and lush parks that host both impromptu performances and large-scale festivals like Lollapalooza. Here, there’s something for everyone, and a place for every passion.
OUR CHICAGO
These could be your everyday sights — stunning murals, gorgeous public parks, bustling city streets, hidden local gems, and timeless historical architecture. Any Chicagoan will proudly let you know how much we love our city.
Columbia isn’t Columbia without the heartbeat of Chicago running through it. Grab your student U-Pass and hop on the L train — there’s lots to discover in any of the city’s neighborhoods (like Hyde Park, Pilsen, Logan Square, and the West Loop, to name a few).
Aidy Bryant ’09 spent her days taking Comedy Studies classes at Columbia and her nights performing on improv stages across Chicago. Today, her credits include actor-writer-producer for Shrill and cast member on Saturday Night Live.
SAMUEL ATTIAS ’20 He/Him/His
FILM AND TELEVISION The Windy City always intrigued me. It is such a beautiful place to learn and develop your art skills. The Midwest was something that I’ve never experienced. I was looking for a new adventure and a new experience.
OUR CULTURE
Columbia College Chicago celebrates and affirms all ways of being. Creators — writers, performers, communicators, storytellers — have always played a vital role in shaping cultural change. At Columbia, we expect that our students will approach their developing creative practice with a view toward achieving a more diverse and equitable world. We expect them to critically examine our nation’s history of oppression and privilege, and to understand that silence in the face of discrimination and inequality is no longer a viable option for any of us. Regardless of the creative career path you choose, we believe in your inherent value and what you contribute to the world. We also believe that because of who we are, we are uniquely positioned to support, encourage, and challenge you in transforming your creative vision into real-world success.
OUR CULTURE
KAT KAMARULZAMAN She/Her/Hers
MUSIC TECHNOLOGY; CLASS OF ’23 Just having that friend group you can be chaotic and artistic with, and go around the city with — it makes all the difference in college. And those are the kinds of friends you’ll find at Columbia. We have a different kind of people here.
MONIQUE HARVEY She/Her/Hers
TELEVISION; CLASS OF ’21 Columbia has awakened a part of my soul that I didn’t know I abandoned. They have shown me what improvements I need to make as a creator, person, entrepreneur, woman, and team player. They have helped me see the world as one. We literally have representation of the whole world on our campus.
OUR COMMITMENT
Columbia is committed to being an actively anti-racist institution. Our faculty, staff, and students — especially those who claim Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, or other historically marginalized identities — deserve to teach, work, and study at an institution that is engaged in examining and correcting systemic discrimination. We recognize this commitment is an ongoing process that will include both mistakes and learning opportunities for all of us, but our participation is essential. If we’re going to be a college that’s capable of truly supporting our students’ education, we believe that we must do this work. That’s why we want prospective students to know they’re invited to join us — the student voice will help us become the place we’re aspiring to be.
OUR COMMITMENT
KAITLYN VENTURINA
She/Her/Hers
MUSIC BUSINESS; CLASS OF ’22 VICE PRESIDENT, ASIAN STUDENT ORGANIZATION Columbia isn’t perfect. There’s so much more work to be done to further that message of diversity and inclusion. You can express that freely in this space. This is a place where you are able to express yourself and be passionate about it.
CURTIS LAWRENCE He/Him/His
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR; JOURNALISM REPORTER; CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1997-2004 Columbia is a community of continuous learners and I especially admire Columbia’s willingness to take on tough and messy issues as we work to create an anti-racist society and to develop a microcosm of that society on our campus. A large part of my work is with the Columbia Chronicle (student-run newspaper), and we’ve been working hard in recent years to recruit a staff that is diverse and reflective of the campus community.
OUR CLASSROOMS
With more than 100 majors and programs to choose from, you’ll follow the path you know is meant for you — or, discover it when you get here. Columbia College Chicago offers a diverse array of classrooms, studios, labs and social spaces, all created with our students and their limitless creative capabilities in mind. Our programs are consistently ranked and receive accolades. And your professors? They’re Hollywood producers, MacArthur Fellows, published authors, legendary photographers — active experts in their fields who will show you the resources to start building your own professional network.
OUR CLASSROOMS
You’ll be taking classes and producing portfolioworthy work at the same time as a Columbia student. And sometimes, your classes might even be at City Hall, on a professional dance floor, in a sculpting studio, or at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart.
Your Columbia professors are active professionals in their industries. They can offer you ample resources and connections along your creative journey.
CM BURROUGHS She/Her/Hers
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR; ENGLISH AND CREATIVE WRITING The emotional tenor of an arts college, in terms of the passion that one is given permission to carry each day, is an astounding way of being in the world. Everyone from the president to the staff gives the students permission to express themselves fully. Columbia students have a certain amount of self-awareness to say that they are artists. This self-awareness is gained by the students’ practice of art and the rigorous study of their particular field.
OUR COMMUNITY
We want you to know how important it is to us that every Columbia student can access the support they need while they’re here. Whether it’s academic needs, mental health, career guidance, or accommodations for a more accessible learning environment, we offer resources to help students succeed. And that support extends into our residence halls, which are home bases for our students in between going to class and exploring Chicago. Our dorms are not only extremely convenient for accessing campus, but they also provide contemporary design, stylish amenities, and engaging gathering spaces.
OUR COMMUNITY
Manifest is Columbia’s annual student-run arts celebration showcasing the many works of our graduating seniors. The whole college joins in the festivities — even Columbia’s president rocks his Manifest blazer!
Living in Columbia’s apartment-style dorms in downtown Chicago is pretty dang sweet. And, all our dorms are located steps from main campus buildings and public transportation.
JIAYUE XIONG She/Her/Hers
ARTS MANAGEMENT; CLASS OF ’21 I’m grateful for the incredible campus resources the college brings to the students, which are crucial for academic studies, career development, and interpersonal communication. I also appreciate how caring and knowledgeable our professors are. They are always willing to go the extra mile to help and support us.
OUR CREATIVES
At Columbia, we know we wouldn’t be who we are without our people — the students, faculty, and staff who show up every day. But, you don’t have to take our word for it. We’ll let them tell you in their own words just how special this place is.
OUR CREATIVES
JORY HOLMES He/Him/His
ACTING BFA; CLASS OF ’24 Columbia has allowed me to be me in my fullest capacity — to spread my wings and tell the stories that I want to tell, period. Don’t be afraid to be the only person who believes in your art. Still go out there and produce it, because somebody’s going to listen, somebody’s going to relate, and somebody needs to hear that story.
TANGIE HAWKINS She/Her/Hers
MUSIC BUSINESS; CLASS OF ’22 Columbia taught me how to balance a lot of the things I was doing — not only being a student and having classes, but also working on campus and still trying to find time for creativity. It taught me how to balance all the different sides of me.
JUSTICE LEWIS She/Her/Hers
MUSICAL THEATRE AND CREATIVE WRITING; CLASS OF ’23 The end of high school can be a really difficult time to find yourself. You’re moving out for the first time, and you’re meeting all new people. It’s normal to feel lonely or that you’re struggling with your mental health. Here at Columbia, everyone is really accepting of that.
DANIELA MAULEON She/Her/Hers
COMEDY WRITING AND PERFORMANCE; CLASS OF ’22 I work with a theatre company whose mission is to use theatre for social justice. I like creating theatre and comedy with purpose, and what better way to do it than giving a voice to those who may not have one? I’m working on a program for DACA and undocumented students to tell their stories and explore the trauma of what being undocumented means.
UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS AND MINORS Majors
With concentrations Acoustics (BS) Acting (BA | BFA) Advertising (BA) Art Direction Copywriting Strategy American Sign LanguageEnglish Interpretation (BA) Animation (BA) Computer Animation Traditional Animation Art History (BA) Arts Management (BA) Creative Industries Film Business Performing Arts Visual Arts
Contemporary, Urban, and Popular Music (BMus) Cultural Studies (BA)
Combined Degree Program (BA | MA)* Comedy Writing and Performance (BA)
Illustration (BA | BFA) Immersive Media (BA)
Photography (BFA)
Interaction Design (BA) Graphic Design User Experience Web and Mobile Development
Photojournalism (BA)
English (BA)
Interior Architecture (BFA)
Public Relations (BA)
Environmental and Sustainability Studies (BA)
Journalism (BA) Broadcast Journalism: Radio Broadcast Journalism: Television Magazine News and Features
Radio (BA) Narrative Production Voiceover
Creative Writing (BA) Fiction Nonfiction Poetry Dance (BA | BFA) Deaf Studies (BA) Design Management (BA) Documentary (BA)
Fashion Design (BFA) Fashion Studies (BA) Merchandising Product Development
Film and Television (BFA) Cinema Visual Effects Cinematography Directing Editing and Post-Production Production Design Producing Screenwriting Sound for Cinema Fine Arts (BA | BFA) Game Art (BA)
Communication (BA) Computer Animation (BFA)
Musical Theatre Performance (BFA) Photography (BA) Commercial Fashion Photography Fine Art Integrated Photography
Film and Television (BA) Audio Arts (BA) Audio and Sound Design Audiovisual Systems Integration General Audio Arts Live Sound Reinforcement Music Recording
Graphic Design (BA) Graphic Design: General Publication Design Web Design
Game Design (BA) Game Development Sound Design
Graphic Design (BFA)
Marketing (BA) Digital Media Entertainment Industry Sports Management Music (BA) Music Business (BA) Artist Management Live and Touring Recorded Music and Publishing Music Composition (BMus) Music Technology (BS) Interactive Music Design Sonic Arts Sound and Music Computing Musical Theatre (BA)
Programming (BA | BS) Application Programming Game Programming
Social Media and Digital Strategy (BA) Television Writing and Business (BFA) Theatre (BA) Directing Playwriting Stage Management Theatre Studies Theatre Design and Technology (BA) Traditional Animation (BFA)
Minors Acting Advertising Animation Art History
Education Entrepreneurship Environmental Studies Fashion Communication Fashion Studies Fashion Styling
Arts in Healthcare
Fine Arts
Arts Management
Game Art
ASL Studies
Game Design
Biology
Latino and Latin American Studies Literature Marketing Mathematics Motion Graphics Music Business Nonprofit and Public Affairs Communication
Sports Communication Sports Management Stage Combat Sustainable Fashion Talent Management Television Studio Production and Directing Theatre Directing User Experience
Graphic Design
Performing Arts Management
Video Production
Health and Wellness
Philosophy and Religion
Visual Arts Management
Black World Studies
Hip-Hop Studies
Photography
Voiceover
Cinema and Television Studies
Illustration
Playwriting
Web Development
Immersive Media
Professional Writing
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Intellectual Property Management
Programming
Interactive Media Development and Entrepreneurship
Radio
Creative Writing Cultural Studies Dance Design Management Devising Collaborative Performance
Journalism
Writing for Television
Public Relations
Social Media and Digital Strategy
In Fall 2020, 19% of Columbia's undergraduates were officially enrolled in a minor field of study.
Application materials, requirements, and deadlines can vary based on your intended major — specifically, BFA and BMus applicants should be prepared to submit additional materials and meet earlier deadlines than BA and BS applicants. *The combined degree program allows students to earn graduate credits while enrolled in any undergraduate major. Students following the prescribed pathway can finish a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in five years. See colum.edu/combined for more info.
OUR COLUMBIA ~6,800 students. 100+ majors and programs. Faculty with industry expertise. State-of-the-art facilities. A location in the heart of Chicago’s downtown. You’ll find all this and more at Columbia College Chicago, where you’ll not only learn the skills you need to make it in your industry, but to thrive in the larger world. Now it’s time to discover Columbia for yourself, and we offer so many ways to do it. From tours to on-campus events to virtual appointments and classroom visits, you can customize your experience and see all the things that make this place our Columbia. And soon, you can make it yours too.
Questions? We’re here to help. admissions@colum.edu 312-369-7130 @ColumAdmit /ColumAdmit /ColumbiaCollegeChi colum.edu/discover colum.edu/virtual colum.edu/students
SHAPE WHAT’S NEXT 42460_8/21