School of Business and EntrepreneurshipAdvertising Bachelor's Degree
- BA
Understanding advertising theory is good; designing award-winning campaigns for real businesses and clients is better. You’ll do both in Columbia College Chicago’s Advertising BA program. While earning your Advertising degree, you’ll work with real clients—from local nonprofits to national brands—and finish an internship (or two) in one of the major advertising centers in the country. And you’ll work closely with industry-leading professors to analyze consumer behavior through creative research techniques, develop amazing concepts, execute award-winning campaigns with cutting-edge art direction and copywriting, and master the art of a perfectly timed post or Snapchat story.
Examples of Advertising Careers
The Student Experience
Advertising students at Columbia College Chicago jump right into developing ad campaigns their first year and leave with a body of work to impress employers. With opportunities to work with actual clients, see advertising pros at work in the field, participate in national competitions, engage with professional clubs, and travel to New York City, Columbia offers Ad majors launching pads to rewarding careers.
Our faculty has worked with companies such as Apple, Nike, Calvin Klein, Samsung, McDonald's, Motorola, Kraft, and Amazon.
Our students participate in internships with companies ranging from globally known ad agencies and media outlets to dynamic startups and creative boutiques. Students have interned at Leo Burnett, FCB, Energy BBDO, Digitas, Havas Worldwide, Chicago Fire, Ogilvy & Mather, Univision, Viacom, CNN, Turner, Chicago magazine, CBS, NBC, and ESPN.
Introduction to Advertising gives you the chance to create a hypothetical mini-ad campaign for brands such as Starbucks or the Red Cross. In Consumer Behavior, you’ll learn about the ways people consume products and the practical value of shopper observation, in-home interviewing, creative focus groups, and more.
Capstone courses, taken senior year, are the signature experiences of your major. Working on a team with actual clients, you’ll generate reports, conduct research, develop strategies, write media plans, design and pitch concepts, produce integrated 360 campaigns, and participate in client meetings.
Our capstone courses teach you how to thrive in an advertising agency, an in-house marketing department, or a specialty consultancy as both a team member and a specialist in account management, strategy, creative, media, project management, or production.
Use the campaign elements from your capstone courses as samples for your professional portfolio. Since you’ve already worked with clients, you can interview for the job you want with the examples and experience employers look for.
Visit the top agencies in the world, meet with leading executives, network with alumni and other peers, and enjoy some of NYC’s finest cultural attractions, all while traveling as a native on bus, subway, and foot.
Competitions take students to places like New York City, San Diego, and possibly even Paris. Our students have won top awards in competitions, including the National Retail Federation’s Student Challenge, the Collegiate Effies, the Young Globals, and L’Oreal Brandstorm.
Career Readiness
From internships with companies ranging from globally known ad agencies and media outlets to dynamic startups and creative boutiques to classwork that builds door-opening portfolios to networking opportunities galore, Columbia helps students launch their careers.
Columbia students benefit from classroom projects that mirror how actual companies work; visits to top-notch ad, media, and consulting companies; and a wealth of internship opportunities. Additionally, our full-time internship coordinators and faculty connections with the Chicago advertising industry can help you find opportunities and professional environments that complement your coursework—you won’t be getting coffee or making copies all day.
Connect with established creative professionals through workshops, events, and internships facilitated by Columbia's alumni network. You can join student organizations and clubs. The American Advertising Federation Collegiate Chapter participates in industry conferences, visits agencies, leads speaker panels, and consults with clients, producing multimedia campaigns and entering award competitions. In the One Club Creative Boot Camp, students work with leading industry professionals on a real client brief, presenting to senior agency executives in just four days’ time.
ALumni Spotlight
24 in 2024
"24 in 2024" recognizes alumni from Columbia College Chicago for their professional achievements beyond their academic journeys. Learn more.
of 2023 grads are employed, enrolled in continued education, or pursuing their creative practice.