Skip to Main Content
You are now in the main content area

Media Production

The Creative School

Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Administered by: RTA School of Media
Program Format: Full-time, four-year program.

Ryerson's Media Production program is designed to prepare students to engage audiences in an increasingly multi-platform media landscape.  The program provides an integrated series of courses to equip students with practical skills through experiential learning built on a solid foundation of theoretical knowledge.

O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses including Grade 12 U English (ENG4U)/Anglais (EAE4U).

Notes:

  1. A grade of 70 percent or higher will be required in ENG4U/EAE4U. 
  2. Final admission selection will be based on grades and non-academic criteria, including an interview. 
  3. As part of the admission selection process, applicants must visit the Program page for details about the non-academic requirements.
  4. A non-academic assessment fee of $50 CDN (non-refundable and subject to change) is required and will be requested by Ryerson as applicable.
  5. Students must be able to keyboard, as hand written assignments will not be accepted.
  6. Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.

 

Media Communications in Canada is a rapidly changing environment which requires motivated individuals who possess discipline, flexibility and creativity. The information age is open to those with analytical and conceptual skills and the flair to recognize and act on new opportunities.

An appropriate academic background for this program would include the foundation skills developed in the traditional secondary/post-secondary courses which stress research, information synthesis and application of process to achieve results. Performance, arts and media courses should be chosen sparingly to develop and indicate career interest.

The Media Production program centres on content creation/storytelling, media production, critical theory, the law and business of media in radio, television, music and new media industries. The BA in Media Production will offer seven Concentrations: Radio and Sound, TV and Video, Digital Media, Media Business, Screenwriting, Social Media, and Critical Media Theory.

Creative Practice Hours

To graduate from any of the RTA School of Media Undergraduate Programs, each student must complete a minimum of 60 hours of Creative Practice unpaid volunteer work in a qualifying RTA institution or project. This can be done at any time over the four years of the program. This will be considered one requirement of successful completion of RTA 711, RTA 82A/B or RTA 431.

Liberal Studies

Students must take three lower level liberal studies courses and three upper level liberal studies courses to graduate. Students must not choose courses that are restricted for their program or major.

Please refer to the liberal studies chapter of this calendar for more information on the Liberal Studies Policy. Further information on liberal studies can also be found at the Faculty of Arts' Liberal Studies website (opens in new window) .

Table A - Lower Level Restrictions

Formerly 'Radio and Television'.

Fall 2013 and prior admits: English courses are not available for credit.  

Table B - Upper Level Restrictions

Formerly 'Radio and Television'.

Fall 2013 and prior admits: English courses are not available for credit.

Minors

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Ryerson (with some exceptions). Please refer to the Minors chapter of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and exclusions.

The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education Certificates

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible program exclusions. Please refer to the Certificate Registration section of the Curriculum Advising website (opens in new window)  for complete details.

1st & 2nd Semester

1st Semester

REQUIRED:

  • RTA 101 Introduction to Media Theory and Practice
  • RTA 102 Media Message Design
  • RTA 103 Digital Media Production I
  • RTA 104 Introductory Audio Production

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

2nd Semester

REQUIRED:

 

3rd & 4th Semester

An optional Concentration may be selected from Core Elective Table I starting in 4th Semester.

3rd Semester

REQUIRED:

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Choose Option 1 or Option 2:

Option 1: One of the following:

  • RTA 311* Intermediate Audio Production
  • RTA 313* Production: Intermediate Multi-camera
  • RTA 314* Production: Intermediate Single-Camera

*RTA 311, RTA 313 and RTA 314 have a GPA Weight of 2.00 and a course count of 2.00.

Or

Option 2: Two of the following:

4th Semester

REQUIRED:

  • RTA 310 Media Aesthetics and Culture

CORE ELECTIVE: Two courses from Table I.

OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.

 

5th & 6th Semester

5th Semester

REQUIRED:

CORE ELECTIVE: Two courses from Table I.

OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

6th Semester

REQUIRED:

  • RTA 503 Project Development - Media Production

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.

OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

 

7th & 8th Semester

7th Semester

OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives

LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.

REQUIRED GROUP 1: Choose one of the following four options:

Option 1: Thesis Production Project

  • RTA 701* Thesis: Production Project

Option 2: Major Research Paper

Option 3: Media Writing Project

Option 4: 

* RTA 701 has a GPA Weight of 2.00 and a course count of 2.00.

8th Semester

REQUIRED:

REQUIRED GROUP 1:  Choose one of the following four options:

Option 1: Thesis Production Project

Option 2: Major Research Paper

Option 3: Media Writing Project

Option 4:

REQUIRED GROUP 2*: One option from the following:

Option 1:

Option 2:

Option 3:

*RTA 812 and RTA 813 have a GPA Weight of 2.00 and a Course Count of 2.00.   

A Concentration is a structured plan of study within a program (6 to 12 core or core electives) that provides an opportunity for advanced or in-depth study in a particular area of interest. Students must declare their concentration prior to applying to graduate. Courses used to fulfil the requirements of a concentration cannot also be used to fulfil the requirements of a minor.

The following optional Concentrations may be selected from within Core Elective Table I (opens in new window) . Concentrations are optional, but must be formally declared and completed before graduation to be noted on the academic transcript.

Concentration in Critical Media Theory

Students will complete RTA 101, plus five (5) of the following:

  • RTA 220 New Media Art History
  • RTA 323 Contemporary Strategies in New Media
  • RTA 903 News and Current Affairs Theory
  • RTA 938 Digital Popular Cultures
  • RTA 939 Indigenous Media
  • RTA 940 Canadian Televisual Studies
  • RTA 946 Issues in New Media Theory/History

Concentration in Digital Media

Students will complete six (6) of the following:

  • RTA 221 Experiential Media/Interdisciplinary Practice
  • RTA 222 Intro to Computational Arts or FCD 222 Coding for Creatives
  • RTA 223 Designing Material Experiences
  • RTA 317 Media For Participatory Audiences
  • RTA 320 Interactive Storytelling
  • RTA 321 Intro to Tangible Media
  • RTA 832 Cybernetics and Body Centric Technologies
  • RTA 838 Generative Processes
  • RTA 842 Data as Material
  • RTA 925 Making Objects
  • RTA 928 Introduction to Game Design
  • RTA 929 Multi-platform Narrative
  • RTA 930 Social Practices in Hybrid Media Spaces
  • RTA 933 Hacking, DIY and Open Source Studio
  • RTA 934 Virtual Identities and Communities
  • RTA 948 Interactive Spaces
  • RTA 953 Mobility and Mixed Reality
  • RTA 954 Empathy Machines
  • RTA 958 Networked Art
  • RTA 961 2-D and Object Animation
  • RTA 962 Interaction Design or FCD 962 Designing Interactions
  • RTA 963 Web Design
  • RTA 965 Advanced New Media Topics
  • RTA 967 Interactivity and Networking
  • RTA 968 Emerging New Media Practices
  • RTA 975 Video Compositing and Visual Effects
  • RTA 982 Advanced Digital Media Production

Concentration in Media Business

Students will complete six (6) of the following:


*RTA 960 is only available as a course for the Media Business Concentration for students admitted Fall 2021 and before. 

Concentration in Radio & Sound

Students will complete RTA 311, plus five (5) of the following:

Concentration in Screenwriting

Students will complete RTA 212 , plus five (5) of the following:

Concentration in Social Media

Students will complete six (6) of the following:

  • RTA 521 Media for Social Change
  • RTA 848 Esports and Online Streaming Production
  • RTA 902 Social Media
  • RTA 917 Public Relations
  • RTA 930 Social Practices in Hybrid Media Spaces
  • RTA 933 Hacking, DIY and Open Source Studio
  • RTA 934 Virtual Identities and Communities
  • RTA 967 Interactivity and Networking

Concentration in Television & Video

Students will complete either RTA 313 or RTA 314*, plus four (4) of the following:

* RTA 313 and RTA 314 have a GPA weight of 2.00 and a course count of 2.00.

 

Concentration in Video Game Design

Students must take 6 of the following courses:

A Program Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of volunteers that provides expert advice to a school or department on program related matters such as curriculum, program review, technology and trends in the industry, discipline or profession. For more information, see  (PDF file) Senate Policy #158 (Program Advisory Councils).

Chair: Nancy Chapelle
Executive Director, Bell Fund
TVO

Grant Buchanan
Partner, McCarthy Tétrault LLP

Jocelyn Hamilton
President, Canada
eOne Television

Michael Hirsh
Executive Chairman
DHX Media
Formerly CEO of Cookie Jar Entertainment, Founder of Nelvana

Matt Hornburg
Executive Producer/Partner
Marble Media

Tom Igoe
Associate Arts Professor
New York University

Raja Khanna
Co-CEO
Glassbox Television

Karen King
Speaker, Author, Inclusion Consultant

Bernie Lucht
Distinguished Visiting Professor
Toronto Metropolitan University

Mark Milliere
Senior VP, Production
TSN

Scott Moore
President of Broadcasting
Rogers Media Inc.

Jim Munroe
Executive Director
The Hand Eye Society

Linda Schuyler
President
Epitome Pictures Inc.

Justin Stockman
Vice President, Specialty Channels
Bell Media

Peter Sussman
President
Aver media
Former CEO Alliance Atlantis Entertainment Group.

Jay Switzer
Chair and Co-Founder
HollywoodSuite

Karen Thorne-Stone
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ontario Media Development Corporation

Madeline Ziniak
Chair
Canadian Ethic Media Association

David Zitzerman
Partner
Goodmans Entertainment Group