Graduate

General graduate application requirements

Regardless of program, each graduate application requires the following:

• Application fee: $60
• Resume
• Transcript(s) from all colleges/universities attended
• Interview
  • Your admissions director or graduate program director will contact you directly about a potential interview after initial review of application materials

Additional requirements, by program

• Arts, Entertainment and Media Management (MAM)

  Priority Application Deadline: February 14, 2025

  • Personal Statement
    
    • Your personal statement should be approximately 750 words and include the following: career goals; reasons for pursuing a Masters of Arts Management; examples that demonstrate your level of understanding of arts management; examples of leadership potential, interpersonal and communication skills, analytical and reasoning capabilities, and personal qualities such as maturity, judgment, and individual initiative; and knowledge and experience with electronic spreadsheets and other business-related software and technologies.

  Optional materials:

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Portfolio
    • We encourage you to upload a portfolio that demonstrates your professional and creative work related to the arts and arts management field.  This work may include a link to your professional website, links to organizations you have collaborated with, and examples of creative and professional practice e.g., performances, designs, photographs, compositions, business or marketing plans, audio recordings, and videos.
• Cinema and Television Directing (MFA)

  Priority Application Deadline: January 10, 2025

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Personal Statement
    
    • Your personal statement should include the following: a concise but in-depth investigation of your need to work in a personal medium, focusing on particular motives, attitudes, thematic material, and perspectives that lie behind your urge to create; and a description of special interests, experience and strengths you would bring to the program.
  • Portfolio
    • Your portfolio should contain each of the following:
      • Creative Portfolio: Strong work samples containing visual or written material that demonstrate the potential for successful creative work. Work samples should exhibit your creativity, talent, visual storytelling ability, personal themes, and depth of content. These may include, but are not limited to, films, videos, sculptures, paintings, drawings, graphic art, photographs, scripts, treatments, poetry, short stories, and/or expository writing.
      • Visualization Project: Construct a narrative in 8-12 frames. You can draw pictures, shoot them with a still camera, or use existing shots. If you use existing frames, from a video or from the internet, you must not simply duplicate a scene from an existing film, but must tell an original story, using material from more than one source. What is important is that the pictures you use tell a clear, cohesive, original story with a beginning, middle, and end. Do not use text, titles, shot descriptions, or captions. This is strictly visual. Do not use more than two frames per page.
      • Case Study Exercise: Select one of the two short films provided. In 500 words or fewer, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of our short film sample. If you were able to remake the film, what would you do to improve it?
        • SEE ME: https://vimeo.com/showcase/10726601/video/718414932
        • IN SILK: https://vimeo.com/showcase/10726601/video/727097967
      • Short Film Thesis Statement: This is a brief description of an idea you have for a short cinema project that might eventually serve as your short film thesis. Briefly tell us the story – what is the beginning, middle and end? The statement should also include your feelings about why you are compelled to tell this story. It should display your potential for developing personal subject matter in the medium and is used by the admissions committee to assess your maturity and ability to communicate your ideas. This document should be between 250 – 500 words, typed, double-spaced, and labeled: "Cinema and Television Arts Short Film Thesis Statement." You will need to upload this within the application under your "Work Sample Upload" in addition to your Creative Portfolio and Visualization Project documents.
      • If you wish to be considered for a Teaching Assistant position, please include an optional one-page statement of teaching experience and teaching philosophy.
• Creative Writing (MFA)

  Priority Application Deadline: February 14, 2025

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Personal Statement
    
    • Your personal statement should include the following: a description of your background especially as it relates to your interests in writing; the kinds of work you see yourself pursuing; why an MFA in Creative Writing is the best course of action for you right now.
  • Portfolio
    • Your portfolio should include a 10-12 page writing sample of writing in any genre (poetry, fiction, or nonfiction), combination of genres (for example, 5 poems and a short story or essay), or hybrid writing. On a separate document, please state whether your writing sample is:
      • a single genre (state which genre)
      • a combination of genres (state which genres)
      • hybrid writing
    • When your writing sample is fully prose (i.e., fiction or nonfiction), it should all be double-spaced. If your writing sample is poems, it may be single-spaced. If your writing sample is hybrid writing with some prose elements, the choice is yours; just know that significant quantities of prose are easier to read if double-spaced.
• Combined Degree (BA|MA)

  The application for the Combined Degree program is for current Columbia College Chicago juniors only. The application is separate from our other degree programs. More information about this program is available on the Combined Degree website.

• Entrepreneurship for Creatives (MA)

  Priority Application Deadline: March 7, 2025

  • Personal Statement
    
    • Your personal statement should be 750 words and use specific examples to answer the following questions:
      • Why are you interested in the MA program, and why at this point in your life?
      • What entrepreneurial goals are you pursuing now or hope to pursue?
      • What have you done that demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively, solve problems, engage in purposeful research, and lead people?
      • What have you done that reveals your individual initiative, judgment, and maturity?
      • In what ways have you used business-related software and technologies effectively?
      • What else would you like the committee to consider when reviewing your application?

  Optional Materials
  

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Portfolio

    • We encourage you to also upload a portfolio that demonstrates your professional or creative accomplishments. These may include: a link to your professional website; links to creative work, e.g., photographs, designs, performances, compositions; a business or marketing plan; a video of a pitch-session you conducted; a proof of concept demo or illustration.

      •  
• Media for Social Impact (MA) (online)

  Priority Application Deadline: March 7, 2025

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Personal Statement
    
    • Your personal statement should address the following questions in an essay format (between 700-1,000 words):
      • Describe your background and one major influence to be socially conscious.
      • How does your personal and professional experience align with the program’s values?
      • Why do you feel you are a good fit for the program?
      • What inspired you to pursue an MA in Media for Social Impact?
      • What do you hope to learn from the program?
      • What social issues interest you and how would you like to use media to address them?
      • Anything else you think the review committee should know.
  • Portfolio
    • Your portfolio should consist of 2-3 curated materials. Make sure to include an explanation of how each one of the materials relates to media for social impact. The materials should represent your experience and skills in one of the following areas:
      • Media Production, Artwork and/or User Experience: These portfolio pieces should represent your design and/or production skills that demonstrate your ability to create an effective message to a specific target audience using digital media.
      • Leadership, Community Organizing and/or Entrepreneurial Work: These portfolio pieces can vary from documentation (video, audio, visual print, or written text) of an event you organized for an initiative, or a project that showcases your ability to inspire and collaborate with others.
    • If you feel that you have work that does not fit into these categories but will enhance your application, feel free to submit it for consideration as part of the 2-3 portfolio materials.
• Music Composition for the Screen (MFA)

  Application Deadline: January 7, 2025

  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Personal Statement
    
    • Your personal statement should include: Why are you interested in composing music for film, TV, games, AR/VR and other visual media? What do you expect from our MFA program? What are your future plans and career goals, and how do you see our program fitting into those? What kinds of creative collaborations have you been a part of in the past, what have you liked about them, and what have you disliked? How do you rate yourself as a collaborator, and why? Please also describe your musical background and qualifications, discuss your strengths as a creator of original music (and perhaps also your weaknesses), and include any other information you feel is important to give us an idea of who you are, as a composer, as a creative artist, and as a member of a team. The essay should be 500-800 words.
  • Portfolio
    • Your portfolio should include video or audio files of EXACTLY FOUR original pieces of music composed within the last two years, TOTALING NO MORE THAN 12 MINUTES. At least one of these four pieces should be music written to picture (or video game play, or dance, or a stage play), and be submitted as a video.
      • At minimum, some familiarity with music notation and instrumental composition is expected, so at least TWO of the pieces should feature an ensemble of acoustic instruments (i.e. orchestra, chamber ensemble, big band, or similar; this can also be hybrid acoustic/electronic), and those should be accompanied by a full concert score in PDF format. Live recordings by professional or student ensembles are acceptable; however, digital mockups showcasing your ability to use a DAW and samples are preferred.Your portfolio should include video or audio files of EXACTLY FOUR original pieces of music composed within the last two years, TOTALING NO MORE THAN 12 MINUTES. At least one of these four pieces should be music written to picture (or video game play, or dance, or a stage play), and be submitted as a video.
    • Your portfolio should be a true, thorough representation of your voice as a music creator. Be sure to include a wide variety of those musical styles that are important to you and that you excel at.
      • When selecting pieces to include in your portfolio, please give preference to instrumental pieces created for storytelling media (film, games, theater, dance), and if you are submitting pieces that are not created for film or other media, choose those with an obvious dramatic character: Music that tells a story without words, or represents emotional arcs, or imitates actions.
        • If a submitted video has the music is mixed low (i.e. under dialog or other noises in the soundtrack), please also submit a music-only video in addition to the original video. (This additional music-only video does NOT count toward the total time or total number of pieces.)
        • At least TWO of the pieces should feature an ensemble of acoustic instruments (i.e. orchestra, chamber ensemble, big band, or similar; this can also be hybrid acoustic/electronic), and include a full concert score in PDF format. Live recordings by professional or student ensembles are acceptable; however, digital mockups showcasing your ability to use a DAW and samples are preferred.
        • At least TWO of the pieces should highlight your capabilities of creating music using a Digital Audio Workstation as a production tool, including use of electronic/digital sounds; and at least ONE of the pieces should be produced and mixed entirely by you.
        • With your portfolio submission, you MUST include a credit sheet listing for each piece submitted:
          The composer
          • The arranger (if applicable)
          • The MIDI programmer (if applicable)
          • The recording engineer (if there was live recording involved)
          • The mixing engineer (if applicable)
          • The score preparer (who created the score PDF, if applicable)
          • The main software(s) or other tools used in the production (i.e. the DAW, and/or any featured sound design tools or synths, or sound design processes, if applicable)
  • Additional Information
    • Incoming MFA students will be required to bring a recent Mac computer with recent OS, a recent version of a professional Digital Audio Workstation (Logic, Digital Performer, Cubase, Reaper, Ableton Live, or ProTools), a recent version of a professional notation program (Sibelius, Finale or Dorico), a MIDI keyboard, a pair of headphones, and a pair of powered speakers. We will provide support and tips regarding these items to admitted students well in advance of their arrival.
• Strategic Communication (MA)

  Priority Application Deadline: March 7, 2025

  • Personal Statement
    
    • Your personal statement should address the following questions in an essay format (750 words max.):
      • Why are you interested in the MA in Strategic Communication at this point
        in your life?
      • How do you think this degree will augment your current skills and expertise,
        both short and long term?
      • What special skills and perspectives do you bring to the field of Strategic
        Communication?
      • What do you think are the biggest challenges facing communication professionals today working for businesses, organizations, and/or associations?
      • Anything else you think the review committee should know?
  • Portfolio
    • We encourage you to also upload a portfolio that demonstrates your accomplishments. This may include a portfolio link or materials from the areas outlined below:
      • Professional Writing Examples (e.g., research paper, white paper, point of view letter, journalistic writing, creative brief, backgrounder, pitch, data analysis and interpretation, speeches, media alerts, etc.). If the work was collaborative, please indicate what role/s you played in the communication development.
      • Creative Communication Materials (e.g., photography, illustration, performance, design, poetry, short fiction or non-fiction, social media, advertising, event promotion materials, etc.). If the work was collaborative, please indicate what role/s you played in the communication development.

  Optional materials:

  • Two letters of recommendation

Submit Transcripts

In addition to your online application and other materials, you'll need to submit transcripts for application review. The preferred method for submitting transcripts is via email to gradstudy@colum.edu. We accept both unofficial and official transcripts to begin the application review process.

You may receive a conditional offer of admission based on unofficial transcripts from the institution that issued your bachelor's degree. If an admissions offer is made, official transcripts must be received before you can enroll. Official copies must be emailed directly from your institution. 

If you are an international student who received their bachelor’s degree outside of the United States, you will need to submit an international transcript evaluation that states you have earned the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree to enroll. More information on this requirement can be found here.

We also accept transcripts by mail to the address below. All transcripts received by mail must be in the original sealed envelope from the school to be considered official.

Columbia College Chicago 
Graduate Admissions
618 S. Michigan Ave
Chicago, IL 60605

Letters of Recommendation 

Letters of recommendation should be written by people with whom you’ve had a professional, collaborative, or academic relationship. Former supervisors, colleagues, or professors all make good letter writers.

We understand that our applicants might not have access to faculty from their undergraduate institution, so anyone who can speak to your potential for success as a professional, student, or artist makes a good candidate to write your letter of recommendation. We do not accept letters from family members.

Letters should be one page. We recommend letter writers explain their relationship with the applicant and speak to the applicant’s potential to succeed in a graduate program.