Faculty of Communication & Design

Dean's Message of Welcome

Welcome to the Faculty of Communication & Design at Ryerson University.

As a leader in experiential education and creative research, the Faculty of Communication & Design is committed to the pursuit of artistic and academic excellence.  Our innovative undergraduate and graduate programs attract talented students from around the world, and we are constantly pushing new boundaries and strengthening our undergraduate and graduate programs.

Comprised of eight distinct schools and the Rogers Communications Centre, the Faculty of Communication & Design provides a unique learning environment that takes full advantage of its location in the downtown core of Toronto.  Our professionally-oriented programs work closely with a multitude of organizations within the city and the regions.  The resulting synergy produces an exceptional academic environment where both students and faculty can achieve their full potential.  Over the past several years, the Faculty has also grown to embrace five distince areas of graduate study in communication and culture, media production, photographic preservation and collections management, documentary media, and journalism.

Each year, the work of our students continues to garner public praise and recognition well beyond the boundaries of the classroom.  Among the many scholarly, research and creative achievements of our students this past year were:

- a partnership with The Stop Community Food Centre to design food implements which were auctioned off at The Stop's annual fundraising gala - raising funs for anti-hunger programs and services.

- a third year film student, the only student among a group of young professionals, winning the Fan Favourite Prize and 2nd place Judges Award at TIFF's Emerging Filmmaker competition

- students from the Schools of Journalism, Fashion, and Radio and Television Arts working together on a Twitter project as part of Social Media Week, a multi-city global conference connecting people around emerging trends in social and mobile media.

- a graduate student in Professional Communication being the Principal Investigator for a Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant supporing a symposium that profiles a range of mental health issues.

To be part of the Faculty of Communication & Design is an exquisite opportunity.  It is to be a member of a passionate, talented community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni - many of whom have had an extraordinary impact on their respective disciplines in Canada and across the world. 

Gerd Hauck
Dean, Faculty of Communication and Design