Interactive Arts and Media - Columbia College Chicago

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Studying disciplines that integrate creativity and technology presents challenges with continuous rapid change that demands visual, critical, and technical proficiency. In the Interactive Arts and Media Department, all students complete a shared core curriculum before focusing on a chosen major, culminating in a senior-level capstone course in which students complete work at a professional level. Majors develop a unique balanced individual identity, incorporating roles of designer, artist, and technologist.

Our rigorous curriculum and accomplished faculty help our students emerge with strong foundations in arts, humanities, and technology. Studies include a mix of cutting edge applied techniques, critical thinking, and creative problem solving. The Interactive Arts and Media (IAM) program prepares students for careers in interactive and electronic arts; online, mobile, and embedded media, digital fabrication; web design; virtual worlds; interface and experience design; game design; and emerging technological media. The principles taught in IAM confer a breadth and depth that give a competitive edge in growing job markets.

Interactive Arts and Media offers students a rich and vibrant culture, encouraging student involvement in student organizations, internships, and student showcases, while providing mentoring, tutoring, workshops, a game study facility, and guest speakers and artists.

Our students exemplify and extend Columbia College Chicago’s mission: not only will they author the culture of their times, but they will be at the forefront of inventing compelling and engaging new media cultures.

Annette Barbier
Chairperson, Interactive Arts and Media

About Columbia

Columbia College Chicago is the largest and most diverse private non-profit arts and media college in the nation with more than 120 academic programs and nearly 12,500 students. Because of our size, we offer an unparalleled array of courses with exceptional technological resources in the heart of one of America's greatest cities.

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

Columbia is an eclectic, urban community located in the city’s Education Corridor. Close by are several other colleges and universities, the Art Institute, Navy Pier, the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum, the Chicago Symphony, the main branch of the Chicago Public Library, Lake Michigan, and the Goodman Theatre. Convenient public transportation allows Columbia’s faculty and students to use the entire city as a social, cultural, educational, and professional resource, effectively turning all of Chicago into our campus.

Just about every corner of Chicago speaks of our involvement in the community. Competitions, awards, and professional forums are sponsored by Columbia College Chicago. Current students, faculty, and alumni broadcast over the local television and radio airwaves, perform in our city venues, and publish writing available in our city bookstores. Every student at Columbia is a part of Chicago’s vibrant and inspiring urban life—as well as a critical player in the burgeoning growth of its world-class social and cultural scene.

Columbia College Chicago believes in the power of your creativity. Join our community of outstanding faculty and alumni by applying to become a fellow Columbia student today.

Notable Alumni

We pioneered the concept of developing a faculty of working professionals, believing that no one can teach better than those who have been there and done that and are still doing it. As a result, our programs stress the career outcomes of a higher education, and our staff of award-winning professionals produces alumni who, in turn, become award-winning professionals themselves.

Scholarships

In 2011, nearly half of new freshmen received scholarship support from Columbia College with awards averaging $5,000–$10,000 per student. Scholarship awards were based on the student’s admission application date, high school GPA, and receipt of the student’s FAFSA. The earlier you apply, the better.

Columbia also awarded Presidential Scholarships—competitive merit-based programs based on academic achievement and demonstration of talent, ability of accomplishment in the student’s intended major.

Learn more about scholarships at Columbia College Chicago.

Facilities

Courses in Interactive Arts and Media take place in state-of-the-art classrooms that provide maximum access to the latest hardware, software, and emerging technologies. Students receive space on a web server where they can access their work and projects from any location. IAM also offers a wealth of resources for the student. These include, printers, scanners, digital still and video cameras, sound and video editing, animation and 3-D modeling workstations, portable video audio equipment, and electronics and laser fabrication equipment. Open-access studios and labs provide comfortable and inviting environments that are conducive to work, collaboration, and socializing.

"You chose your major because you had to. It was your passion: a strong and genuine desire to make the arts and media your life's work. That passion will serve you well." - Warrick L. Carter, President of Columbia College Chicago

Our students come from all walks of life, from a variety of backgrounds and from a multitude of experiences, but however different they may appear, a common ground exists: our students are passionate.

Columbia College Chicago offers an academically rigorous creative learning environment for students eager to study the visual, performing, media, and communication arts. At Columbia we wed theory and practice. Throughout their studies, students are firmly rooted in coursework in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, as well as the fundamental theories and histories that shape their chosen disciplines. Equally important, they get their hands dirty by creating work of their own, collaborating with students from other disciplines, making industry contacts, and working alongside faculty who provide the context and expertise to guide their work.

By their final year Columbia students have developed a Body of Work that gives voice to their talent and personal vision. The countless hours logged at consoles, the late hours spent in practice rooms, the miles ran across stages, and the dog-eared pages of their notebooks demonstrate a unique passion not found on any other campus in the nation.

Student Profile: Blair Mishleau

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Blair Mishleau Portfolio Interdisciplinary: Interactive Arts and Media/Journalism Graduation Year 2012 Janesville, WI
What made Columbia College Chicago the school for you?		I still clearly remember when I and my family were sold on Columbia. It was during the spring open house, and my family was here for a weekend in part to see the St. Patrick's day parade. My mom and I went to the open house and sat in on an IAM [Interactive Arts and Media] session. They pushed the fact that the curriculum required real-world experience, and they mentioned that during the most recent Industry Night, an overwhelming number of recent graduates were either offered interviews or jobs. I was sold on the real-world experience. My mother was sold on the fact that Columbia held great value on finding work before getting your diploma.
What's the best thing about being a Columbia student?		Columbia talks a big game about the massive pool of young creatives it houses. And it's entirely true. I'm housed in three departments that are traditionally thought of as more professional and less artsy: Journalism, IAM and ASL [American Sign Language]. The thing I love about Columbia is that I am challenged to express myself creatively, and I have a massive resource of true creatives: Dance, Art and Design, Photography, Marketing, and Poetry, just to name a few. Having these zealous artists so close at hand helps me find inspiration for an article I'm writing, or gives me access to an award-winning photographer for a website I'm creating. It's amazing.
Tell us about your first semester here.		My first semester was filled with trips to the different neighborhoods of Chicago, as well as trips to my advisor and SFS [Student Financial Services]. It was really when I found out what my hopeful career path would consist of, adjusting my major/minor (adding Journalism and ASL, respectively), that I also made the most diverse group of friends I've ever had, or my "creative posse," as Columbia calls it.
What are three things every Columbia student needs in their dorm room?		An ice cream maker A nice comfy couch A big ol' creative posse
Finish this sentence: It's 9:30 on a Tuesday night and I'm...		Finishing class, and IMing my friend to see if she wants to study for my ASL IV quiz on Wednesday.
What was the biggest surprise about being a Columbia student?		Until I started at Columbia, my experience with most colleges was a general disassociation between school and play. Most other schools, I think, bore you in the classroom so that by the time the weekend rolls around, school is the last thing you want to think about. Coming to Columbia was awesome because I, unlike my state-schooled peers, intermix what I do for class and what I do for fun. It's not uncommon for me to start using American Sign Language while at a party or to talk about the future of print journalism on my weekends.
Tell us about someone here at Columbia who has really helped push you and your work.		My Online Journalism professor, Barb Iverson, really made me go the extra mile. She pushed me to create a great final project, which eventually led to an entire independent project—The Art of ASL—which I completed over the summer.
Chicago is the best place in the world to go to school because...		Second City. Boystown. Oprah. The Chicago Tribune. Wendella Tourboats. The House of Blues. Navy Pier. Seriously. How do I even answer that?
What should every student know about your major?		Journalists are probably going to help students get famous in one way or another, particularly if they are in a performance field. Online Journalism isn't just "blogging and stuff." It encompasses everything such as real-time updates of life-altering events, but also allows a user-centered experience. Today when something big happens in a third-world country, we typically hear about it via social networking [directly from the source, directly to the audience].
What happens at Columbia that doesn't happen at any other college in the world?		The massive amount of cross-departmental collaboration. It's everywhere!

Student Organizations

With nearly 100 student organizations, Columbia College Chicago offers students myriad opportunities to independently organize events, clubs, and initiatives that give voice to their passions, politics, and creative interests. Whether you have a passion for writing (Fictionary Magazine) or anime (Japanese Anime and Manga) or softball (Columbia Renegades), each one of the clubs, groups, and organizations on our campus is proudly student-created, student-run, and student-promoted. We happily give you the venues and the resources you need to organize and execute.

Official student organizations relevant to this program

Regen

Housing

Columbia’s urban campus is home to some of the most innovative student housing available. Our four residence centers are centrally located on campus, each with their own unique vibe, and provide ideal settings for creative students. Each building features its own unique set of amenities (from music practice rooms, fitness centers, bicycle storage, to a graffiti room), and each uniquely embodies the innovative mindset of the College. Columbia’s residence centers are a hub of social activity—actively building strong communities by providing the events, social support, and resources that truly make it their home-away-from-home.

Those interested in an immersive residential environment are encouraged to explore the Big Screen/Small Screen Living Learning Community, which brings together students with a passion for consuming and creating moving images of all kinds, in film, television, video games, or new media.

Of note, Columbia’s on-campus housing is situated in the heart of the “South Loop Education Corridor” of Chicago, among the safest neighborhoods in the third largest city in the United States with steps-away access to mass transit. The adventurous will appreciate the numerous cultural, career and social opportunities awaiting them at the nearby clubs, theatre companies, and media agencies; the homesick will take comfort in experiencing that a short walk or brief ride will take them to a meal as good as mom made, be it a classic American diner in the Loop or a beloved pho restaurant in Little Vietnam.

How to Apply for Housing

Students who apply for Admission using Columbia’s Online Application should complete the On-Campus Housing section of the application. Students who apply for Admission using the Common Application will be asked to complete an On-Campus Housing application separately.

Important Note: Housing is assigned on a first-come first-served basis, and we do our best to match students with the “room-type” and/or roommate preference they indicate on the application. Housing assignments are made exclusively by room-type, and not by building. More information about residence life and housing are available here.

Thank you for your interest in applying to Columbia College Chicago. We welcome applications from all students interested in becoming part of our diverse and uniquely creative community. We look forward to reviewing your application!

Ready to apply?
Visit our Apply page to begin.

For all domestic students, there are three key parts to Columbia’s application:

1 of 3		Application, including housing portion, essay and application fee
2 of 3		Letter of recommendation
3 of 3		Official transcript(s)

Regarding test scores: If you have taken the ACT or SAT, and your scores are not on your transcript, please arrange to have your test results forwarded separately to the Admissions Office. Although the ACT or SAT is not required for admission to Columbia College Chicago, these tests are valuable tools for advising new students. In many cases ACT scores may be used as an alternative to the college's assessment test. All students are strongly urged to complete one of these tests while they are in high school.

Detailed information about the application process is available on the Apply page.

International applicants are welcome: please view special instructions to ensure your application is completed properly.

Transferring Credits

An interactive portfolio is not required to receive an admissions decision from the college. However, portfolios will be reviewed at orientation for students seeking to transfer credits from another institution. During the review process at orientation students should be prepared to demonstrate both theoretical and practical proficiency in the subject matter.

Portfolios are also required for students seeking some institutional scholarships.

Tuition and Fees

Full-time tuition for the 2011-2012 academic year is $20,094. For a comprehensive list of fees and costs, as well as information about financial aid and scholarship opportunities, please visit Student Financial Services.

Application fee for domestic students: $35.00
Application fee for international students: $100.00

Critical Dates and Deadlines

Spring 2012 Applicants
November 15, 2011		General deadline for Spring 2012 applications
December 15, 2011		Final decision date for Spring 2012 applications
Fall 2012 Applicants
January 1, 2012		FAFSA Application process opens
May 1, 2012		General deadline for Fall 2012
July 31, 2012		Final decision date for Fall 2012

Admissions Decisions

Columbia’s Admissions Review Committee evaluates all completed applications for admission to the College. Students will be notified of their admissions decisions by mail or email within three to four weeks of the completion of their admissions file.

Students whose application materials suggest they are likely to be under prepared to meet the College’s standards will be required to participate in the College’s Summer Bridge Program. Students who are required to participate in the Bridge Program must successfully complete the program before they can be admitted to the College. Students whose application materials suggest that they would be inordinately challenged by the College’s curriculum and/or students who, in the College’s sole determination, do not demonstrate the maturity and commitment necessary to be successful in our rigorous programs will be denied admission.

Admission to Columbia College Chicago is offered for a specified term of entry. Students who are offered admission to Columbia but are unable to enroll in the specified term of entry may request to defer their admission for one year by contacting the Undergraduate Admissions Office in writing. Application materials for students who are granted deferred admission are retained for one year.