The Bachelor of Arts in Creative Professional Studies provides students with flexibility to pursue cross-disciplinary pathways in multiple areas of study, cutting across existing programs offered at Columbia College Chicago. The BA in Creative Professional Studies is designed to support students with broad professional interests, as well as serving as a pathway to completion for students with substantial credits previously earned. Students successfully completing this program will develop foundational skills in professional practices and ethics as well as developing the essential skills and knowledge associated with a specific creative professional practice. To ensure coherence and consistency in this flexible program, students must complete a course addressing business fundamentals. Students must complete a second foundational course, focusing either on human-centered design thinking or on storytelling and its vital role in human culture. In addition to these foundational requirements, each student earning a BA in Creative Professional Studies must complete the requirements for two minors currently offered by the college, chosen from a subset of the minors currently available in the catalog.

Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:

• Communicate effectively in the context of one or more creative disciplines, applying their skills and knowledge toward the pursuit of professional and career development;

• Demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving strategies in one or more creative disciplines, employing foundational skills and knowledge in the exploration of real-world challenges;

• Connect and integrate ideas and practices across multiple creative disciplines, adapting to shifting professional contexts and employment needs.