Semester in LA

One Week Workshops

Each year, we also offer our Summer and J-Term Career Exploration workshops. Outside the main SiLA program, these short, intense 1-credit workshops are intended for small groups (no more than 12) who have a targeted interest. They offer valuable insight into a specific field and provide useful information on how your skill set can be applied to a profession.

Led by seasoned industry professionals, you’ll tour creative workspaces, gain hands-on experience, explore resources available to newcomers, learn about emerging career paths–and get course credit for it. Come prepared with a resume and creative materials appropriate to your field. Disciplines rotate each year. 

• J-Term 2022

  Explorations in Career Development – An Actor's Guide to Hollywood
  THEA 389 – 2 credits
  J-Term 2022, January 3-14

  Get the lay of the land of the business from people in the business....

  Offered during J-Term, students travel to Los Angeles for 10 days to get the low-down on the business of acting in the City of Angels. The agenda for the course is packed with experience, information and industry connections. Watch a live taping of a show. Tour Universal Studios. This intensive 2-credit course led by Actor Behzad Dabu will give you an immersive Hollywood experience–and get you out of Chicago for 10 days in January. For more information, please contact Brian Shaw at bshaw@colum.edu as this program has a separate application process.

   

• Summer 2022 

  Apply for the Summer Workshop

   

  DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS EXTENDED TO MAY 1

  Explorations in Career Development – Music City: Los Angeles
  BUSE 348 – 1 credit
  Dates: August 7-13, 2022

  Meet the movers and shakers who work on the business side of the recording and music scene in Los Angeles.

  Join BUSE faculty Jerry Brindisi as he explores the business side of the recording and music scene in Los Angeles. Visit creative spaces, talent agencies, record labels, and marketing firms. Meet industry professionals and artists. How do you get your start? What are the skills needed for professional survival? This career development workshop is intended for those seeking a career in music management and is limited to 12 students. 

  Explorations in Career Development – Inside the Writers' Room
  CINE 435 – 1 credit
  Dates: August 14-20, 2022
  

  What really happens inside the writers’ room? How do you get a seat at the table?

  What does it really mean to be a writer? How is writing for television different from feature film? Where are the entry-level jobs? How do you get an agent? Explore the business side of writing with CTVA faculty Dan Rybicky. You’ll travel across Los Angeles meeting working professionals in a wide variety of fields, including network, streaming, features, docs, and reality. You’ll tour creative workspaces and hear not only from writers, but those who help orchestrate their careers, including development executives, agents, managers, and union reps. Learn how one moves from the outside to the inside of the entertainment industry. This career development class is intended for serious film/tv writers and is limited to 12 students. 

  Please note: The deadlines for applications have been extended to May 1.

Program fee

We charge one credit of tuition (see Columbia Central for current credit hour costs) + a Study Away fee of $1,420 for our Summer Career Exploration workshops.

This fee includes:

• 6 Nights double room
• Transportation to program activities
• Admission and entrance fees
• Welcome dinner, alumni reception and some meals

Airfare is NOT included in program fee.