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New Media

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

O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses including Grade 12 U English.

Notes:

  1. ENG4U/EAE4U is the preferred English. 
  2. The grade required in the subject prerequisite (normally in the 65-70 percent range) will be determined subject to competition.
  3. Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.

 

Commensurate with the technological challenge it faces within an ever-evolving field, the program uses a variety of innovative teaching approaches to move students through an immersive, hands-on course of study.

Emphasizing creativity, New Media expands the idea of computing. It encourages risk taking and experimentation within a supportive, collaborative environment designed to address the emerging challenges of the communication age. To this end, students engage new technologies not only as a means of art production but as instruments of social, cultural, and artistic change.

The curriculum is unique both in its substance and in its structure, which emphasizes depth as well as breadth and flexibility. The remarkable learning environment offered by the Faculty of Communication and Design, combined with Toronto Met's proximity to Toronto's art community, as well as the media production, telecommunications, and cultural industries, provide unparalleled opportunities for developing not only the tools, but an understanding of the medium in a field that is continually in the process of self-invention.

The New Media BFA prepares fine art students to become creators of digital art, mobile media, interactive storytelling and virtual worlds.

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 or 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

IRL 100, NPF 188, and RTA 120 are not available for credit.  

Table B - Upper Level Restrictions

IRL 500, PSY 713 and PSY 813 are not available for credit.

Minors

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Toronto Met (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 111     Introduction to New Media
  • RTA 103     Intro to Digital Media
  • RTA 104     Introductory Audio Production
  • RTA 107     Creative Processes - New Media

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

2nd Semester

REQUIRED:

  • RTA 201     Video Art Production
  • RTA 221     Experiential Media/Interdisciplinary
                       Practice
  • RTA 222     Intro to Computational Arts
  • RTA 223     Designing Material Experiences
  • RTA 962     Interaction Design

  

3rd & 4th Semester

3rd Semester

REQUIRED:

  • RTA 321     Intro to Tangible Media
  • RTA 322    Technology, Identity and Creativity
  • RTA 867    Game Engines

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.

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

4th Semester

REQUIRED:

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.

OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective

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

  

5th & 6th Semester

Revised curriculum begins 2024-2025 for students admitted Fall 2022 and after.

5th Semester

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

Option 1: New Media Art:

  • RTA 520     Public Practice
     

Option 2: Interactive Design

  • RTA 807 Interactive Design Practice


Option 3: Video Games

  • RTA 928 Introduction to Game Design

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 GROUP 1: Students must continue with the options from 5th Semester:

Option 1: New Media Art

  • RTA 323     Contemporary Strategies in New Media
  • RTA 501     Studio Practice


Option 2: Interactive Design

  • RTA 814 Interactive Design Studio
  • RTA 856 Strategies in Interactive Design
     

Option 3: Video Games

  • RTA 997 Intermediate Game Design: Mechanics
  • RTA 891 Games Industry and Trends

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.

OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives

7th & 8th Semester

7th Semester

REQUIRED:

CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.

OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective

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

*RTA 82A/B has a GPA Weight of 3.00 and a Course Count of 2.00.

8th Semester

REQUIRED:

  • RTA 82A/B   New Media Thesis Project
  • RTA 821        New Media Master Class

OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective Table (opens in new window) .

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

*RTA 82A/B has a GPA Weight of 3.00 and a Course Count of 2.00.

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 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/Blue Ant

Tom Igoe
Associate Arts Professor
New York University

Raja Khanna
Co-CEO
Glassbox Television

Karen King
Speaker, Author, Inclusion Consultant

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

Karen Thorne-Stone
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ontario Creates

Madeline Ziniak
Chair
Canadian Ethic Media Association

David Zitzerman
Partner
Goodmans Entertainment Group