Which has stronger media industry connections for undergraduates: Northwestern or Columbia?

For a student seeking day-to-day access to media internships during the academic year, Columbia has a real location advantage: Manhattan puts undergraduates near television networks, studios, publishers, agencies, streaming-related companies, and digital-media startups. Columbia suits students who are proactive about building their own network in New York. Its Film and Media Studies major is primarily academic and analytical rather than a standalone professional production school, so students often need to seek out internships, student productions, campus media, and faculty connections independently. Part-time internships, screenings, panels, and informational meetings can be more accessible during a semester than they would be from Evanston.

For a student who wants a more structured undergraduate pathway into film, television, radio, and entertainment production, Northwestern’s Radio/Television/Film department is often the more directly aligned program. RTVF offers a well-established home for writing, directing, producing, sound, television, and media study, while Medill adds strong options for journalism, audience-focused media, and digital storytelling. Northwestern also has substantial alumni representation in entertainment.

For film and television specifically, Northwestern may provide the clearer built-in undergraduate community and training pipeline. For digital media, journalism-adjacent work, publishing, and internships across many kinds of New York media organizations, Columbia’s location can be exceptionally valuable. Neither school guarantees industry access, but their advantages are meaningfully different.