Columbia Core Curriculum

Columbia Core Curriculum

At Columbia, we believe a solid foundational education is essential to any creative career. That’s where the Columbia Core Curriculum—our general education requirements for all undergraduate students, and courses that are generally outside of your major—comes in. 

The courses you take in the Columbia Core help you develop transferable skills that will set you up for long-term success. These courses blend the best of what Columbia has to offer: arts and media training; entrepreneurial, marketing, and business skills; technological literacy; and a broad foundation in critical and analytical thinking.

And for those students seeking additional challenge in their Core classes, there is the Honors Program.

You’ll take a total of 30 credits in the Columbia Core, including courses in Aesthetics and Creative Expression, Communication, Quantitative Reasoning, Scientific Discovery, and Historical and Cultural Understanding. You'll also explore Chicago's creative landscape through one of our distinctive offerings in the Columbia Experience.

  • The Columbia Experience: (3 credits minimum)

    The Columbia Experience section of the Columbia Core highlights the city of Chicago, and the creativity that drives the communities you’ll be a part of after graduation. 

    "Big Chicago" (First-semester Experience)

    Connect with the city of Chicago in fundamental ways while working with a cohort of student peers—led by some of Columbia's top scholars and professionals.

    All first-semester freshmen take a "Big Chicago" course. 

    Creative Communities

    Explore the creative ecosystem of a community, with a spotlight on Chicago as a socially and artistically relevant location in a global world, with an intentional focus on strategies and skills for working with interdisciplinary collaborators.

    Transfer students, please consult with your college advisor on this requirement.

    Innovation and Impact

    Learn how focused innovation can drive sustained social, economic, and cultural impact. These courses teach you how to work with an idea from concept to pitch, connecting business, technology, and communications.

You can speak with your academic advisor for more specific information about fulfilling the Columbia Core requirements.

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