St. Columban's College no longer exists as such. When it did exist as an independent entity during the 1960s and 70s it was located in Wisconsin, halfway between the campuses of the University of Wisconsin at Madison and Milwaukee. A small liberal arts college it was a preparatory institute for the religious seminary of the Columban order, a Catholic institution.

The college offered a unique program. All students at the college majored in Philosophy and minored in English. The curriculum in philosophy was primarily scholastic, with emphasis on the history of philosophy, but with a variety of courses offered in existentialism and philosophical psychology. Between the 2nd and 3rd year of study, each class of students (which averaged about 15-20) spent a year of spiritual development that included a variety of teaching and social justice activities, in Bristol, Rhode Island.

In the early 1970's the college moved its operations and became part of the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minnesota.