Columbia offers opportunities both on stage and behind the scenes where students can showcase their talent and hone their audio skills.
Creative careers start here. Expand and refine your talent—whether it’s creating sound for film and games, writing and performing songs, or running a mixing console—and earn a degree at the School of Audio and Music. At Columbia, you’ll gain the skills and connections to pursue careers in sound engineering, live and recorded music production, performance, music composition, sound design, and audio system installation. Learn from professional musicians and visiting artists-in-residence, and explore the science and tech behind sound in our audio programs. No matter your path, you’ll tap into Chicago’s vibrant music and entertainment scene, with countless opportunities to perform, produce, create, and collaborate.
CAREER READINESS
MAJORS
From connecting you to internships to helping you develop door-opening bodies of work to making an important professional connection, Columbia helps students launch their careers.
Audio Arts (BA)
Music Composition for Media (BA)
CAREER EXAMPLES Foley artist/mixer
96
%
Music producer Recording artist and live performer
Sound editor
Music Production (BA) Music Technology (BS) Performance and Songwriting (BMus)
Songwriter/Composer Sound designer for film, TV, and gaming media
Creative Professional Studies (BA)
of recent graduates reported being employed, continuing their education, or achieving success in their creative practice within a year.*
Sound engineer
ALUM SPOTLIGHT
Sound Design for Media and Stage (BA)
POPULAR MINORS Marketing Music Business
Jayme Mattler ’05 GRAMMY-nominated and Audie Award-winning recording engineer, director, and narrator, known for producing audio books for authors such as Michelle Obama, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Margaret Atwood.
Vocal Performance Voiceover
Jonathan McReynolds ’11 GRAMMY-winning gospel artist and six-time GRAMMY nominee who performed with Common at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
LEARN MORE
colum.edu/audio *Rates are based on institutional surveys. Learn more: colum.edu/effectiveness
Music Center
Immersive Audio Lab
Practice Spaces
Recording Studios
Columbia College Chicago offers a wide range of professional spaces for music practice, performance, recording, and audio production. Highlights include two concert halls and more than 50 rooms for rehearsing, composing, and performing, along with specialized facilities like the Advanced Digital Audio Production Lab, a 22.2-channel Immersive Audio Lab, an Anechoic and Reverb Chamber, and Audio Post-Production Studios and Mini-Suites, with Dolby Atmos mixing and playback capabilities.
Questions? Contact Admissions: 312-369-7130 | admissions@colum.edu colum.edu/admissions
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FACILITIES