Communication Careers Start at Columbia
Launch Your Career in Journalism and Communication in Chicago
Step into the dynamic world of media with the BA in Journalism and Communication from Columbia College Chicago. With the journalism concentration, you'll learn feature writing, news reporting, and editing through real-world assignments. And with the communication concentration, you'll focus on media literacy, AI production and ethics, and podcasting to build skills as a well-rounded communication professional. With both concentrations, you'll be connected with top internships in a media rich city, building connections from the start.
As a journalism and communication major, you can expect to:
- Customize your path with a concentration. Specialize in either Communication or Journalism to deepen your expertise and sharpen your skills in your preferred niche.
- Build a portfolio. Student-run media like “The Columbia Chronicle” (our news publication) and WCRX-FM (our college station) allow you to build a body of work to share with employers.
- Learn from published faculty. Our faculty are published and practicing writers, having written for publications like “The Washington Post” and the “Chicago Tribune.”
At our college for communication and journalism, you'll gain hands-on experience in reporting and storytelling that will enable you to contribute a meaningful perspective to real-world challenges. Connect with Columbia today and get started on your creative future.
Learn More About Columbia College Chicago
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Live in a City at the Forefront of Media and Culture
At Columbia, your campus is the city. Chicago is home to numerous local and national news organizations, as well as consumer and business-to-business magazines, broadcast outlets, and nonprofit news sources, meaning inspiration and opportunity are never far away. The city is a living lab where you'll test ideas, build meaningful connections, and gain real-world experience.
Plus, as a full-time student, you'll have a Ventra U-Pass, giving you unlimited access to the city's transit system so you can explore every area of Chicago with ease. From grabbing food with friends to walking through exhibits at the Art Institute, the city is part of everyday life.
A High-Level Look at the Journalism and Communication Degree
“The Columbia Chronicle” Recognized by the Illinois College Press Association, 2026
Start Building a Professional Portfolio in Your First Semester
Graduates Employed or Pursuing Their Creative Practice Within One Year
Creative Careers Start at Columbia
Columbia grads launch creative careers across industries—from design and media to performance, business, and tech. 96% of recent graduates reported being employed, continuing their education, or achieving success in their creative practice within a year.
Graduates with the communication and journalism degree are prepared for a wide range of creative careers, including corporate communication director, broadcast news editor or producer, editor, photojournalist, podcast producer, reporter and social media manager.
"I treasure the friends I've made during my time at Columbia and feel better equipped to connect to the world through my work."
— Spencer Brauch '23, Communication BA
Columbia Makes a Creative Education More Affordable
A Columbia degree is an investment in your creativity—and we're committed to making it accessible. With 99 percent of first-year students receiving financial aid, you'll find the support you need to focus on what matters most: creating.
Ways Columbia helps you save:
- Merit-Based Scholarships: You're automatically considered for these when you apply to Columbia.
- Talent-Based Scholarships: You can choose to apply by submitting a portfolio or completing an audition.
- Visit and FAFSA Awards: Up to $8,000 over four years for visiting campus, plus $1,000 just for filing the FAFSA.
Faculty Spotlight: Jackie Spinner
Associate Professor Jackie Spinner helps shape aspiring storytellers into journalists as faculty advisor of the award-winning “Columbia Chronicle.” Spinner was a staff writer for “The Washington Post” for 14 years and covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A U.S. Fulbright Scholar, Spinner received a grant from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting. She is also the author of "Tell Them I Didn't Cry: A Young Journalist's Story of Joy, Loss and Survival in Iraq.”
“As a media arts college, Columbia prepares students to tell stories across formats ... Even as students, they produce high-level journalism, and that's something we are very proud of at the 'Chronicle'.”