Columbia College Hollywood Closes after Decades of Film Education. CCH was a small private film and media college in Tarzana, Los Angeles, California. It was known for programs in Film Production in directing, Cinematography and related creative fields. From 1952 until recently, many students from around the world studied there to make movies and tell stories. In 2023, the school became part of Arizona State University and changed its name to California College of ASU. This partnership was meant to help the college stay open after years of struggle with finances and low enrollment, especially following the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the college could not continue. It officially closed on December 19, 2025, ending more than 70 years of teaching. Students are no longer able to enroll or study there. The closure reflects wider challenges for small private colleges in the U.S, many of which face financial problems and fewer students. Columbia College Hollywood’s story is one example of these changes in higher education.
Around the early 2010s, CCH even announced a proposed new building, the Center for Contemporary Cinema, next to the campus. Many students and alumni hoped this new building would help the school grow into a larger institution with more facilities. However, the project never fully materialized, and enrollment continued to decline. In 2018, Columbia College Hollywood acquired the former Tribeca Flashpoint College in Chicago, which became the Flashpoint Chicago campus. That campus also struggled with low enrollment and ultimately closed after the 2021–2022 academic year.
Although the internal reasons are not fully known, May be Columbia College Hollywood did not invest enough in marketing, publicity, or promotion during the mid-2010s. While other film schools were becoming more visible through strong branding, social media, and industry exposure, CCH appeared to rely on older methods and had very little public presence. Because of this, fewer new students may have discovered the school, which likely affected enrollment over time. This is especially surprising because CCH was once seen as innovative it was among the early film schools to purchase RED cameras and even offered a 3D cinematography course when such technology was still new.
Around the early 2010s, CCH even announced a proposed new building, the Center for Contemporary Cinema, next to the campus. Many students and alumni hoped this new building would help the school grow into a larger institution with more facilities. However, the project never fully materialized, and enrollment continued to decline. In 2018, Columbia College Hollywood acquired the former Tribeca Flashpoint College in Chicago, which became the Flashpoint Chicago campus. That campus also struggled with low enrollment and ultimately closed after the 2021–2022 academic year.
Although the internal reasons are not fully known, May be Columbia College Hollywood did not invest enough in marketing, publicity, or promotion during the mid-2010s. While other film schools were becoming more visible through strong branding, social media, and industry exposure, CCH appeared to rely on older methods and had very little public presence. Because of this, fewer new students may have discovered the school, which likely affected enrollment over time. This is especially surprising because CCH was once seen as innovative it was among the early film schools to purchase RED cameras and even offered a 3D cinematography course when such technology was still new.
