Columbia College Chicago and Illinois Tech Course Exchange Program

Diversify your experience.

Columbia College Chicago and Illinois Tech have partnered to provide students with unmatched access to courses that are innovative, entrepreneurial, and relevant.

Columbia College Chicago and Illinois Institute of Technology offer a course exchange between both institutions. Undergraduate students at Columbia College Chicago and Illinois Tech may enroll in for-credit courses at the partner institution to pursue comprehensive educational opportunities in the fields of computing and machine learning, entrepreneurship, sports psychology, media communication, media arts, and public information.

Currently, Interactive Arts and Media and Cinema and Television Arts students at Columbia can participate in the program.

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  • Eligibility

    This Course Exchange Program is competitive and merit-based which means that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program. Eligibility requirements include:

    Columbia Students

    • Enrolled in an Interactive Arts and Media or Cinema and Television Arts major
    • Being in good academic standing and not on academic probation
    • Having no financial and/or disciplinary holds
    • Having fewer than 75 credit hours accepted in transfer credit (inclusive of AP, IB, Military Credit, and college credit)

    Illinois Tech Students

    • Being in good academic standing and not on academic probation
    • Having no financial and/or disciplinary holds
    • Meeting any and all published Illinois Tech requirements
  • Application Steps
    Applying to the Course Exchange Program is simple. Please follow the instructions and adhere to the deadlines listed on the relevant application linked below.

     

    Columbia Students

    • Complete the Illinois Tech application here
    • Include a PDF of your Unofficial Academic Record (downloaded from my.colum.edu). Do not include your Undergraduate Degree Audit.

    Illinois Tech Students

    • Complete the Columbia College Chicago non-degree application here
      • Indicate that you are participating in a special concurrent enrollment program and select Illinois Tech as your current institution from the options,
      • List all courses you are interested in taking at Columbia, and
      • Include a PDF of your unofficial transcript (steps are here).
  • Admitted Students

    If admitted, you will receive an email with next steps, including registration information.

    Columbia Students

    • Follow the registration instructions in your Illinois Tech admissions notification.
    • Illinois Tech requires all students enrolled in one or more hours to have comprehensive health insurance. If your health insurance meets the requirements, you can apply to waive the student health insurance fee by the posted deadline here.
      • If a student's health insurance plan is found to not meet waiver requirements, the insurance fee will be charged and will not be waived or revoked.
      • If a student does not complete the waiver form by the stated deadline, the insurance fee will be charged and will not be waived or revoked.

    Illinois Tech Students

    • Follow the registration instructions in your Columbia admissions notification.
    • Submit your full immunization record, including required COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters to MedProctor.
    • Complete the Third-Party Billing Form.
  • Courses

    The courses offered to Course Exchange Program participants were carefully selected to add to your current college experiences and will build on your creative, entrepreneurial, and technological skillsets. These courses are subject to availability and please refer to the Course Schedule links for the most current offerings.

    ANIMATION
    ANIM 150 Computer Animation: Keyframing I
    ANIM 240 Computer Animation
    ANIM 351 Environmental Design and Modeling
    ANIM 352 Character Design and Modeling
    CINEMA AND TELEVISION ARTS
    CINE 142 Idea Development for Cinema
    CINE 216 Image Design for Cinema
    GAME
    GAME 201 Computer Animation Modeling
    GAME 205 2D Art for Games
    GAME 210 2D Motion for Games
    GAME 215 Character Visualization for Games
    GAME 220 Simulation and Serious Games
    GAME 330 Advanced 3D for Games
    GAME 371 Game Level Production
    INTERACTIVE MEDIA DESIGN
    INMD 120 Digital Image Design
    INMD 130 Immersive Environments I 
    INMD 215 Conversational Interfaces
    INMD 235 Immersive Environments II
    INMD 260 Intro to IAM Team Development
    INMD 263 Physical Computing I
    INMD 320 Wearable Interfaces
    INMD 440 Immersive Environments III
    INMD 441 Immersive Environments IV
    INMD 460 IAM Team
    MEDIA
    MEDI 101 Cinematic Storytelling
    MEDI 102 Cinema and Television Production
    PROGRAMMING
    PROG 310 Game Programming I
    PROG 410 Game Programming II
  • Tuition and Fees

    The Concurrent Enrollment program is a true exchange, so all participants will be registered in placeholder credits that add up to the same credit hours they will be taking at the exchange institution. That means that Illinois Tech students will be registered up to 6 placeholder credits and Columbia students will be registered for up to 9 placeholder credits. By doing this, participants will have access to financial aid and scholarships! Once final grades are published, Columbia will bill Illinois Tech for credits completed and vice versa.

    Columbia Tuition

    For the 2023-2024 academic year, the tuition for part-time, undergraduate enrollment is:

    Tuition rate, per credit hour

    $1,062

    Columbia Fees

    Both Columbia and Illinois Tech have required fees to support student learning and engagement through access to facilities, student services, and some activities. The fees for the 2023-2024 are as follows:

    Columbia fees (flat, per semester)

    $444

    Please note that these fees do not include those that are charged to some students, i.e. laboratory fees or student insurance fees. Please see the Illinois Tech site for their tuition and fees.

  • Blended Calendar and Important Dates

    Columbia and Illinois Tech have different academic schedules. Please take note of the schedules below.

    Spring 2025

    Illinois Tech

     

    Spring 2025 Important Dates and Deadlines

     

    Columbia College Chicago

    January 12

     

    Student Health Insurance Waiver Deadline

     

    N/A

    January 13

     

    Spring Courses Begin

     

    January 27

    January 20

     

    Martin Luther King, Jr. Day—No Classes

     

    January 20

    January 25

     

    Add Deadline for Full Semester Courses

     

    February 3

    January 25

     

    Drop Deadline for Full Semester Courses

     

    February 10

    March 17—22

     

    Spring Break

     

    March 24—29

    March 31

     

    Last Day to Withdraw for Full Semester Courses

     

    April 11

    May 3

     

    Last Day of Spring Courses

     

    May 16

    May 5—10

     

    Final Exam Week/Final Grading Begins

     

    N/A

    FALL 2025

    Illinois Tech

     

    Fall 2025 Important Dates and Deadlines

     

    Columbia College Chicago

    August 18

     

    Fall Courses Begin

     

    September 2

    August 30

     

    Add Deadline for Full Semester Courses

     

    September 8

    August 30

     

    Drop Deadline for Full Semester Courses

     

    September 15

    TBD

     

    Student Health Insurance Waiver Deadline

     

    N/A

    September 1

     

    Labor Day—No Classes

     

    September 1

    October 6

     

    Fall Break Day—No Classes

     

    N/A

    October 27

     

    Last Day to Withdraw for Full Semester Courses

     

    November 7

    N/A

     

    Election Day—No Classes

     

    November 5

    November 26—30

     

    Thanksgiving Break—No Classes

     

    November 26—30

    November 29

     

    Last Day of Fall Courses

     

    December 13

    December 1—6 

     

    Final Exam Week/Final Grading Begins

     

    N/A
  • FAQs

    The FAQs below provide more information about the Columbia College Chicago and Illinois Tech Exchange Program.

    Where are these schools located and what are their overall missions? 

    Illinois Institute of Technology, also known as Illinois Tech, has a main campus south of Columbia in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood with other campus locations in the Loop, Wheaton, Ill., and Bedford, Ill. The school’s mission is “to provide distinctive and relevant education in an environment of scientific, technological, and professional knowledge creation and innovation.” It was founded based “to lift up people from all backgrounds with education that would help them meet the needs of the age.”

    Columbia College Chicago is located in the South Loop. You can learn more about Columbia here.

     

    What courses at Illinois Tech will be available to Columbia students?

    Eligible Columbia students can take select courses in business, computer science, information technology, and more. A complete list of courses is available here.

     

    What Columbia students are eligible for this program?

    Current Columbia students majoring in Cinema and Television Arts (CTVA) or Interactive Arts and Media (IAM) may apply for the Course Exchange Program. Additionally, Columbia and Illinois Tech students must be in good academic standing with their “home institutions” and free from any financial and disciplinary holds. Students must also submit an application to participate to the program and receive permission from their home school to participate. Participants will need to submit a new application each term they hope to take classes.

     

    When will the program begin and when are applications due?

    In order to have better course availability, Illinois Tech students should apply to Columbia by November 30 and before the application closes on January 17. Columbia students have until January 9 to apply to Illinois Tech.

     

    How do I apply?

    Apply Now

     

    Is there a maximum of credits Columbia students can take?

    Course Exchange Students from Columbia may take a maximum of nine credit hours per term/semester from Illinois Tech’s list of eligible courses. Illinois Tech students can take a maximum of six credit hours.

     

    How much will Illinois Tech courses cost Columbia students?

    All participants are charged the established Columbia tuition and fees.

     

    What services at Illinois Tech will be available to Columbia Course Exchange students?

    Columbia students will have access to Illinois Tech’s student support services, including, academic advising, library and learning support, services for students with disabilities, student resources, student activities, and computer labs. Students may be invited to participate in lectures, cultural events, and other opportunities at Illinois Tech as well.

     

    Where will Illinois Tech courses take place?

    Course Exchange Students from Columbia can take courses at the following:

    • Illinois Tech’s main campus
    • Rice Campus in Wheaton, Illinois
    • Illinois Tech’s online platforms

     

    Stay tuned for more information about this program.

  • Contact Us

    Office of Academic Partnerships, partnerships@colum.edu

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