Program & Career Highlights

Located in Chicago, the nation's third-largest media market, CMAT offers direct access to internships with our industry partners, including Cinespace Studios, Leo Burnett Advertising, Zeno Group, Paramount/MTV's Storytellers Lab, WVON, V103, WGN, Coalescence Theatre Company, Perceptions Theatre Company, and more.

Through our partnership with CSU's Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing, students have access to writing workshops and conferences featuring luminaries in literature, journalism, and publishing. Internships and study abroad programs in France, Spain, and Taiwan offer real-world experience, preparing students to enter their chosen fields with confidence.

Partnerships

Cinespace Studios

For students interested in careers in the film industry, CSU and Cinespace have partnered to offer CMAT graduates paid 6-month internships at Cinespace Studios. For more information, CMAT students can contact Professor Derek Dow at ddow@csu.edu.

Leo Burnett Advertising

A group of seven people stands in a row posing together in front of a white wall featuring the Leo Burnett signature logo.

CSU has developed a unique partnership with Leo Burnett Advertising. CMAT students can enroll in an advertising bootcamp course taught by executives at Leo Burnett. Upon successful completion, students can then apply for a paid summer internship at Leo Burnett.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

Two men seated next to each other on a dimly lit stage illuminated with warm red and purple theatrical lighting during a CSU theatre performance.

CSU Theatre

CSU Theatre is the department's theatre-making component, producing plays on campus and collaborating with professional theatre companies. CSU Theatre has performed at venues like Chicago Dramatists and the Chicago Architecture Center. Productions are hosted in the fall and spring. For more information, contact us at 773-995-2280.

A CSU student film crew and cast film an outdoor scene on a campus sidewalk using a professional camera, boom microphone, and lighting gear.

CSU Cinema

Each year, students in the CSU Cinema practicum write, shoot, and edit original award-winning film productions.

CSU Cinerma films have screened at the Gene Siskel Film Center, Berlin Indie Film Festival, and other festivals.

WCSU Radio

The Department of Communication, Media Arts & Theatre established WCSU Radio in 1994 as a student-driven broadcast platform with a mission to provide engaging, multicultural programming across music, fine arts, public affairs, news, and sports. All WCSU Radio operations are led by Chicago State University students and alumni.

For more information, contact the radio station General Manager Troi Tyler at 773-995-2832 or stream WCSU globally on iHeart Radio.

A woman sitting in the WCSU radio station control room smiling from behind a desktop computer monitor and mixing console.

A student interviewer holding a microphone speaks with a man in a blazer standing in front of a green Chicago State athletics step-and-repeat backdrop.

CSU TV

CSU-TV gives students experience in sports broadcasting, sports media, and multicamera television production.

Through the CSU-TV Practicum, students film live athletic events, provide play-by-play and color commentary, and produce news and other programming both in front of and behind the camera.

Internships

Every student completes an internship, ensuring graduates leave with real-world experience and a strong professional network. Internship locations have included:

Cinespace Studios
Chicago Med
Chicago PD
BET
Fox and NBC
Big Ten Network
US Senator Dick Durban, Office of Communications, Illinois Film Office, Chicago Office of Cultural Affairs
WBEZ, WVON, WGN and V103 Radio
Leo Burnett, The Arc, Flowers and Publicis Groupe in Advertising and PR
Lily's Talent Agency, Perceptions Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre, Congo Square Theatre and Coalescence Theatre Project

For more information, please contact Professor Derek Dow at ddow@csu.edu.

Student Activities & Clubs

Explore your interests, connect with other students, and experience new cultures through our foreign language clubs and organizations.

Le Cercle Francophone offers opportunities to practice French, explore Francophone cultures and participate in activities such as cultural outings, film screenings, conversation groups and community service. The Foreign Languages Organization (F.L.O.) brings students together through cultural programming, educational activities, and opportunities to learn about the languages and cultures studied at CSU.

Students can also pursue academic recognition through Phi Sigma Iota, the international honor society for outstanding achievement in foreign language study and teaching. Members celebrate linguistic and cultural diversity while supporting continued learning and research.