Question: I have text in two columns. I have the `\maketitle` command. It produces the title and date together. But I want the title, the column and then the date. How do I do it?

```
\documentclass[12pt]{beamer}
\usetheme{Berkeley}
\usecolortheme{default}
\title{Test}
\date{\today}
\author{}
\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
  \begin{columns}[c]
\column{1.5in}
Practical \TeX\ 2005\\
Practical \TeX\ 2005\\
Practical \TeX\ 2005
\column{1.5in}
Hello
\end{columns}
\maketitle
\end{frame}
\end{document} 

```

Answer: 
The usual title structure sets the following content in sequence:

1. Title
2. Subtitle (if it exists)
3. Author
4. Institute
5. Date
6. Title graphic

If you're not using the Institution, you could place your columns there (with suitable adjustments, if necessary):

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/qho75.png)

```
\documentclass[12pt]{beamer}
\usetheme{Berkeley}
\usecolortheme{default}
\title{Test}
\date{\today}
\author{}
\institute{% Fake institute
\vspace{-2\baselineskip}% Possible vertical adjustment
\normalsize% Possible font adjustment
\begin{columns}[c]
  \column{1.5in}
  Practical \TeX\ 2005\\
  Practical \TeX\ 2005\\
  Practical \TeX\ 2005
  \column{1.5in}
  Hello
\end{columns}
}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\maketitle
\end{frame}
\end{document}

```
You can do this by not using the `\maketitle` command but to insert the components yourself:

```
\documentclass[12pt]{beamer}
\usetheme{Berkeley}
\usecolortheme{default}
\title{Test}
\date{\today}
\author{}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}

    \vspace*{1cm}

    \begin{beamercolorbox}[colsep=-4bp,rounded=false,shadow=false,ht=0.5cm,dp=0.5cm,center]{title}
        \usebeamerfont{title} \usebeamercolor*[fg]{title} \inserttitle
    \end{beamercolorbox}

    \vspace*{0.5cm}

    \begin{columns}[c]
        \column{1.5in}
            Practical \TeX\ 2005\\
            Practical \TeX\ 2005\\
            Practical \TeX\ 2005
        \column{1.5in}
            Hello
    \end{columns}

    \vspace*{0.5cm}

    \begin{center}
        \insertdate
    \end{center}

\end{frame}
\end{document} 

```

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/l2cIj.png)