Ryerson Polytechnic University’s communications degrees, with their ‘integrated’ four-year programs that combine theory, production and liberal studies, are a choice scholastic destination for those wishing a career in media.

More specifically, Ryerson’s bachelor programs at the school of image arts and the school of radio and television arts are targeted at students just out of high school who have a clear idea of the career path they wish to take and want a focused course of study to guide them along that path.

With decades of success turning out undergraduate students into the ‘real world’ of the entertainment, communication and new media industries, Toronto’s Ryerson is currently undertaking major changes to its programs in these fields.

Several years ago, Ryerson began offering an accelerated baccalaureate program for degree holders in a concentrated two-year form. This year, the university launched a new program in communication and culture, which, in conjunction with York University, offers masters and doctoral degrees.

‘This is the first time Ryerson has offered graduate courses,’ says Ryerson’s dean of applied arts, Ira Levine. ‘We’ve been developing it for the last four years.’

Like the undergraduate degrees, the new graduate program allows students plenty of choice in their studies. After a common first year, they must select one of three fields of study as their focus.

‘One of them is cultural studies, which examines, in some depth, the relationship between forms of popular culture. [The second is a] field of policy – public policy – which is quite important, just regulatory policy. And the third area is much more related to technology and the impact of technology on various cultural sectors. But that is the area where our production orientation also goes,’ Levine says.

Although graduate programs, by their very nature, require ‘more scholarly depth’ – Ryerson, ‘being Ryerson, [has] retained a strong applied focus, as well,’ he says. Besides course-credit eligible industry placements, the new graduate program also allows students to ‘create their own individualized courses, working with an individual member of the faculty. And the masters thesis can be production oriented. It can be a video, a documentary or a cd-rom,’ Levine explains.

The masters program is a course of study that takes ‘three to four terms, full time.’ (A part-time program is also available for working professionals.) The doctorate will include two years of course work followed by another two years working on a thesis.

The new graduate programs were made possible by the recently established Edward S. Rogers graduate school for advanced communications. Founded on a $10-million donation in honor of the 100th anniversary of Ted Rogers’ father’s birth – the communications and culture program is ‘the first program of this graduate school.’ Keeping up the momentum, Levine says, they are ‘envisioning other programs in communication to be developed through this [new] school.’

The money will first go towards an international recruitment program for new faculty and two new research chairs for the institution.

As for the traditional bachelor programs of the school of radio and television arts and the school of image arts (formerly the school of film and photography), they too are undergoing change.

‘rta is well aware of the tremendous rate of change in the industry. [The program] is in the latter stages of redefining its curriculum with a view to ensuring the new interactive dimension is fully incorporated,’ Levine says, adding that rta is also considering a name change, ‘because radio and television doesn’t say it all anymore.’

The school of film and photography became the school of image arts ‘because there is a third program in there – the new media – and we wanted to give it equal weight,’ Levine says. The school has also changed its degree designation from a bachelor of applied arts to a bachelor of fine arts.

rta is also pondering a change in degree designations, although fine arts is not an option.

No matter the name, there are many graduates of Ryerson’s communications programs making waves in the industry both in Canada and abroad.

Frieder Hochheim was a film student at Ryerson in the mid-70s. He went on to win a 1995 Technical Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Oscar was presented to him (by Jamie Lee Curtis) for his role in the invention of Kino Flow (now referred to as Kinos), ‘the first color-correct fluorescent lighting system designed for portable lighting applications.’

Born in Winnipeg, Hochheim was educated at Ryerson in Toronto before moving to Los Angeles as a gaffer in 1983. He says Ryerson helped pave the way to his success.

‘While I was at Ryerson I was able to work part-time in various film-related activities. I felt that it gave me a solid enough basis that when I ventured forth into the real world I didn’t make any major missteps. Also, how to behave. The first day on set I didn’t ask ‘what was,’ I asked ‘where was,’ ‘ Hochheim says.

Other notable Ryerson film graduates include directors Bruce McDonald and Jeremy Podeswa. rta has produced such media luminaries as Keith Kocho of ExtendMedia and Justin Poy of Justin Poy Media. *

-www.ryerson.ca