Radio and Television Arts

School of Radio and Television Arts

Your Voice

If you have a passion for telling stories, find your voice at Ryerson's School of Radio and Television Arts (RTA).

Canada's leading undergraduate university program for broadcast education and research, RTA is the place to make it happen.

Learn to create, pitch and broadcast productions in a creative, high energy environment.

Our Pitch

You'll learn to tell and sell your stories - be it for television, digital-based media (e.g. the web, podcasts), cable or radio. RTA delivers the freedom to explore, practice and create under the guidance of some of Canada's best storytellers.

Theory

Subjects covered include audio, television and interactive media production, broadcasting history and script writing. You analyze prevailing communication theories, industry trends, design concepts, research fundamentals (e.g. focus groups, audience ratings) and the roles of media practitioners.

You choose elective studies in audio production (e.g. radio, music, sound design), digital media production, multi-camera studio and single camera location video production. A wide selection of professional and professionally related electives include film studies, law, accounting, economics, communication, finance, marketing, media, human resources and management practices.

Throughout the program, you will foster business, entrepreneurial and content skills.

Practice

After learning the fundamentals of writing for media and developing basic technical skills in various broadcast environments, you begin learning about production planning and the critical role each crew member plays in productions.

A range of media projects are assigned - including live studio shows, commercials, documentaries and interactive DVDs. In every production, the goal is the same - to achieve high aesthetic and teamwork standards demanded by industry.

By your final year, you create, pitch and produce a professional-quality group production, designed to be marketed. To cap off your learning experience, you choose between an internship and a thesis project. Internships consist of six weeks of professional employment. Theses projects involve a research paper or audio, video or interactive media project.

Facilities

RTA is housed in the Rogers Communications Centre - an exceptional, unique learning facility dedicated to the study and research of communications and electronic media. There's a comprehensive, continuously updated array of facilities and equipment including high-definition cameras and editing equipment, fully equipped television studios, computer labs with the latest image-manipulation and creation software, multi-track audio production and post-production studios, fully equipped radio production control rooms, 5.1 surround sound mixing studio, camcorder production systems with lighting and audio equipment, portable on-location video production packages and facilities for broadband Internet multicasts. For a detailed list of facilities go to ryerson.ca/rta/facilities .

Connections

RTA regularly consults with senior media executives who represent a cross section of Canada?s broadcast industry. Their input helps ensure that what you learn in RTA reflects best practices.

Established and successful media practitioners appear as guest speakers, providing you with current and relevant industry information. Their presence will also help you to build a network of contacts while still in school.

RTA is ideally located in the heart of Canada?s communications community, putting you literally on the doorstep of countless internship, networking and career opportunities.

In addition to their on-going research, faculty are often actively involved in a wide range of communications projects and therefore able to provide practical advice and supervision as well as give you a 'heads up' on industry developments and trends.

Support

'An extended family,' is how faculty and students describe RTA. It is this sense of mutual support and collaboration that nurtures the high calibre of student work. RTA graduates are part of our extended family who, along with major media organizations, help support student scholarships and grants. The professors are really here to help - sharing their knowledge, experience, wisdom and contacts - something RTA students often stress as a major plus in their learning experiences at Ryerson.

Your Future

Whatever your career goals, as a graduate you will join the ranks of a long and distinguished list of broadcast media professionals who have built RTA's reputation as one of the finest broadcasting schools in North America.

Hundreds of RTA graduates are employed throughout the broadcasting, advertising, public relations, multimedia, education and communications industries. They include CEOs, anchors, producers, directors, script writers, radio and talk show hosts, production personnel such as camera operators, audio recordists and audio engineers, and marketing specialists.