University Attributes

Columbia College Chicago is the nation's largest and most diverse private arts college. Located in downtown Chicago's vibrant South Loop neighborhood, Columbia is a non-profit creative and academic community that takes a practical approach to arts education. Columbia's programs in the visual, performing, media, and communication arts are firmly rooted in a rigorous liberal arts and sciences curriculum, which provides students with the essential context and inspiration in which to practice their craft, develop their voice, and launch a rewarding career.

With more than 120 academic programs and nearly 12,000 students, Columbia College Chicago is the largest and most diverse private arts and media college in the nation. We nurture the largest concentration of young creative talent in the United States. Because of our size, we can offer an unparalleled array of programs of study with exceptional facilities in the heart of one of America's most dynamic and vibrant cities.

The city is our laboratory. We occupy 22 buildings that sit in the heart of Chicago's South Loop -- near the lake and Grant Park, the Chicago Symphony, the Art Institute, and the Museum Campus. Chicago inspires and instructs: Students gain real-world experience through internships and part-time jobs in the city.

Degrees Available

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Fine Arts

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

Experience Required

no

Application Process Involves

• Essay
• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Transcript
• Written Application

Columbia College Chicago's Mission Statement

We are an undergraduate and graduate institution whose principal commitment is to provide a comprehensive educational opportunity in the arts, communications, and public information within a context of enlightened liberal education. Columbia's intent is to educate students who will communicate creatively and shape the public perceptions of issues and events and who will author the culture of their times. Columbia is an urban institution whose students reflect the economic, racial, cultural, and educational diversity of contemporary America. Columbia conducts education in close relationship to a vital urban reality and serves an important civic purpose by active engagement in the life and culture of the city of Chicago.

Year Founded

1890