Bachelor of Interior Design

at Toronto Metropolitan University Canada

Scientific findings in the last fifty years have caused a massive shift in our understanding of biology. We have accumulated an atlas of thousands of genomes. Now, in the post-genomic era, we aim to understand how these genes, and the proteins encoded by these genes, are regulated and integrated in space and time at the molecular and cellular levels. These processes are fundamentally linked to health, infection and the development of disease states.

Therefore, a deep understanding of biomedical sciences, such as molecular and cell biology, genetics and genomics, and microbiology, is important for medical research, and the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Biomedical Sciences undergraduates will follow a curriculum that emphasizes the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive health and development of disease-states in all living organisms. The curriculum will also provide opportunities to learn about biomedical technology and innovation and offer versatility between theoretical and applied education so that graduates are poised to enter the workforce directly or further their education in graduate school.

The Biomedical Sciences program aims to train students in the scientific concepts, models and theories in biomedical sciences, applying the knowledge to derive and test new hypotheses, and synthesize better models of knowledge. The Biomedical Sciences program is primarily hosted by the Department of Chemistry and Biology, with contributions from the Departments of Medical Physics and Psychology.

Students in science programs must enrol in SCI 180 in their first semester of studies.

Year 1 of the program primarily consists of science courses in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Math. Year 1 is designed to give all Biomedical Sciences students a foundational understanding in science to build upon in upper years.

Year 2 is comprised of cell biology, microbiology, biochemistry and biomedical science courses, which will provide foundational knowledge in cornerstone areas of the biomedical sciences as well as being necessary for specialization and development of expertise in Years 3 and 4.

In Year 3, students will begin developing depth of knowledge by acquiring and applying advanced knowledge in biomedical sciences. This will be implemented through specific core courses that include advanced biochemistry, molecular biology and immunology.

In Year 4, students will take specialized courses in biomedical science and select electives so they can gain either a greater depth of knowledge in one area and/or develop multi-disciplinary knowledge in several areas

Co-operative
An optional co-operative program is available which provides the graduating students with 20 months of work experience that enhances their organizational and technical abilities as well as their oral and written communication skills.

Although the Office of Co-operative Education cannot guarantee a placement, they provide assistance in locating suitable positions and counselling of students in their search for suitable jobs. This co-operative program enables students to earn competitive wages to offset the costs of university education.

Students who have completed the first year of the program must apply through their department for admission to the co-operative program in the beginning of the second year. Enrolment in the co-op program is limited. Admission will be based on the student's grade point average.

The Department offers a competitive co-operative program which provides top-performing students who have completed their third year in the architectural science program, with 16 months of work experience that enhances their acumen in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Although neither the Department nor the Co-operative Education Office can guarantee a placement, they provide major assistance in locating suitable positions and counselling of students in their search for suitable jobs. This co-operative program enables students to earn competitive wages to offset the costs of a university education. Students will work directly with architects, engineers and other skilled professionals from the AEC industry, gaining experience in several different settings.

The architectural science program promotes an integrated approach to architectural science, through studio and lecture courses. Students have the opportunity to apply theory learned in the lecture courses to studio projects which engage with real-life problems in design, construction, management, and the environment.

The Architecture Option/Concentration offers a focus on in depth exploration of architectural design principles in society today. Through lectures, seminars, and hands-on studio projects, students learn program planning, design, presentation techniques, research, planning and the role of architecture today.

The Building Science Option/Concentration offers a more detailed technical base of studies including the selection and design of building construction assemblies, the evaluation of their suitability and performance, and the development of construction and technical drawings.

The Project Management Option/Concentration examines the managerial and economic aspects of construction projects, including the planning, organization, management, supervision and control of the process.

Graduates of this program will find career opportunities in:

• the design, documentation, and management of projects in architectural, engineering, environmental management, and planning firms
• the production, marketing, sales, research, development, testing, and evaluation of building products or systems in material fabrication, product manufacturing, and construction firms
• office and field supervision in trade and general construction organizations
• development and management of real estate/planning/conservation feasibility studies; environmental and management strategy planning
• local, regional, provincial, federal, and international government agencies
• post graduate education and research

"This program is all about not only learning new languages, but learning about different cultures along with their similarities and differences when compared to others."

The focus of the four-year baccalaureate degree program in Language and Intercultural Relations is to give students both the linguistic and cultural competence needed to enter a global market, and the leadership skills particular to a global workforce.

Students will be prepared for a wide range of cultural encounters - from the known to the vastly unfamiliar. This requires a breadth of knowledge that stems from a humanities education. Based in language studies and anthropology, the degree also includes courses that focus on history, urban and gender studies, human development, political science and psychology.

Curriculum Information
Intercultural Relations constitute an interdisciplinary field of knowledge which draws on theories, practices and methods of enquiry that are related to a wide range of perspectives in the humanities and social sciences. One of the strengths of this BA (Hons) is that it rests on solid foundations: a first year of study that is common to several programs in the Faculty of Arts, with specialization in LIR beginning in Year 2.

Semesters One and Two: In the first year, which is shared with the programs in Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, History, Politics and Governance, Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology, students are introduced to Language and Intercultural Relations through courses that launch them on their path to getting better acquainted with the language they have chosen to study, and that provide an overview of intercultural relations as they are manifest around the world. Students also acquire skills and knowledge in Academic Writing and Research and Critical Thinking, and choose electives from a broad range of areas, such as Business, Law, and Natural Sciences.

Semesters Three and Four: In the second year, students study foundational practices in intercultural relations and negotiations through hands-on projects that help them learn how to navigate multicultural communicative events. They are also introduced to the quantitative and qualitative research methods that are necessary to study intercultural relations effectively. It is also in semester three that they choose their Concentration.

Semesters Five through Eight: In addition to becoming increasingly fluent in their language of study, students acquire a better sense of intercultural relations through the use of ethnographic tools and practices. In addition to their program courses, students choose from a broad range of subject areas that complement their professional studies and broaden their career preparation. These include courses in Business, Communication, Finance, Journalism, Law, Marketing, Economics, Geography, Politics, Fine Arts, Psychology, Sociology, and the sciences such as Chemistry and Biology. During that time, they can also work on the basics of a third language of study.

The Business Technology Management (BTM) program provides students with the analytical and problem solving capacities to develop business solutions that leverage Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Our graduates help drive business strategies using ICT solutions, making the program a leading contributor to Canada’s ICT economy. 

The School also offers an optional co-op program which provides graduates with 20 months of work experience integrated into their academic program. Students wishing to be considered for this program must apply for admission into the co-op option after the second semester of the program. Admission into the co-op program is based on the following three items:

• An expected CGPA of 2.80 (or higher), subject to competition
• Evidence of superior oral and written communication skills
• A Resume/CV and interview

Students begin work terms upon completion of second year of the program and the co-op program extends the BTM program to five years from four. The School cannot guarantee work term jobs, but the Business Career Hub (BCH) will prospect for employers and make every effort to locate suitable positions, as well as be available to advise students on their search for program-related jobs. The co-op program enables students to earn prevailing wages for the level of responsibility and contribution of the jobs they perform and thus finance at least part of their university education.

The curriculum in the School of Image Arts is designed to educate artists, storytellers and digital media practitioners. The programs lead to careers in film, photography, digital media, visual arts and the cultural industries.

Graduates are capable of performing responsibly in the relevant industries as professionals in both creative and managerial positions, ranging from the commercial to the artistic and experimental.

The curriculum provides students with the necessary grounding to pursue graduate studies in a variety of media-related academic and artistic disciplines. The Film and Photography Studies Programs and the Integrated Digital Option provide an experiential education with a foundation in design, art history, and cultural studies.

There is a strong link between theory and practice in each of these programs. The curriculum is enhanced by a broad offering of liberal studies courses, and professional and professionally related electives. In the third year of the Film and Photography Programs students can decide to pursue the Integrated Digital Option. The focus of this Option is on cross-disciplinarity, hybridity and digital fluency.

The School of Image Arts houses both analogue and digital resources and students are expected to develop a professional proficiency in these tools. Access to facilities is governed by School policies and curriculum. Students will be required to own certain items of equipment appropriate to the program they enter. Please refer to the sections on Special Department Charges and on the Cost of Attending Ryerson in the Student Services portion of this calendar.

Film Studies Program
The Film Studies Program offers a comprehensive academic framework for undergraduate studies in the theory and practice of analogue and digital storytelling leading to career choices in the Canadian screen industries and to further study at the graduate level. The program emphasizes experiential learning and is designed to nurture personal visions that will contribute to the growth and diversity of Canadian culture, as well as enhancing Canada’s presence in international film and video. In addition, the program aims to create flexible, quick-thinking, highly adaptable film/video makers capable of working effectively in a variety of circumstances and roles. Graduates are equipped to take advantage of many different artistic and commercial opportunities in the world of visual communication.

Integrated Digital Option
The Integrated Digital (ID) Option is available to film and photography majors starting in third year. The Option is comprised of studio and lecture courses in image-based media and visual studies. The Option is designed to expand creative and analytical skills beyond the borders of film and photography. Areas such as multi-channel, titling, web-based image book design are among the many cross-platform, interactive art practices offered within the Integrated Digital Option.

Professional and Professionally-Related Courses
From second year, students choose electives from the professional and professionally related offerings. These courses are designed to enhance and deepen a student’s professional practice and critical-theoretical knowledge. For example, professional courses include studio and location lighting, sound design, art direction, screenwriting. Professionally related courses include advanced courses in photo and film history, visual culture, national cinemas, history of animation and gaming, curatorial practices and advanced topics in film and photo criticism.

First Year: The BSc (Hons) in Chemistry shares a point of entry with the programs in Biology and Medical Physics. This allows students to explore various science-based routes to degree completion before they commit to the Chemistry program. In addition to foundation courses, the first year of studies will include an introduction to the use of computers as scientific tools, and an orientation course that will support students in making a successful transition to university and planning their steps to degree completion. All students in Science programs must enroll in SCI 180 in their first semester of studies.

Upper Years: Because this is a strongly applications-oriented program, a large proportion of student learning will take place in the laboratory. Lab hours account for a significant amount of learning time in every semester, supported by a solid grounding in the theory and principles of chemical science. In the upper years of the curriculum, students will focus on developing their technological expertise and exploring the research and industrial applications of chemical science. Depending on the course sequence selected they may pursue a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry, Chemistry with a Biology Minor, Chemistry with an option in Applied Physics.

Students are introduced to journalism as practised across all forms of media within the first two years, after which they may choose courses to concentrate in specific media (online, newspaper, magazine and broadcast) or gain expertise in a cross-media skill such as editing, or in a specific beat in journalism (including sports, business or international reporting).

After taking courses building skills and evaluating theories associated with journalism, students may finish their program with an internship at a professional news organization and/or with the chance to work on the School of Journalism's print, broadcast and online products (see the School's website for details).

Students are coached and assisted by instructors drawn from major newspapers, magazines, online news, and television and radio networks. Students also take a variety of liberal studies and professionally-related subjects.

Information & Communication Technology (ICT) is crucial to the innovation and productivity of every industry, including energy, health care, life sciences, media and culture, publishing, advertising, natural resources, financial services, construction, retail or education. It is a critical tool for every level of government. It impacts the daily lives of every Canadian. ICT is an essential contributor to the creativity, innovation, customer satisfaction, productivity, safety, and competitive advantage of Canadian businesses.

For these reasons, demand for ICT-based solutions are projected to continue outpacing overall economic growth. This means a continued above-average demand for workers. However the nature of these jobs is changing. The popular image of an ICT worker as some sort of "nerdy" technologist is outdated and does not reflect today's reality. Canadian ICT industry leaders project that almost half of the future jobs demands in ICT will be for people who combine two sets of competencies such that they are:

• Business professionals who have the knowledge, skills and personal qualities to lead and support the effective, competitive use of information technologies; and
• Specialized technologists - IT-focused and/or multidisciplinary - who operate at the leading edge of innovation in every field.

The Ted Rogers School of Information Technology Management is a leader in providing a degree that meets this need and, in 2010, it began offering Canada's newest and world-leading ICT degree - The Bachelor of Commerce in Business Technology Management. This degree has been developed with the close participation of Canada's leading employers and provides students with the education - the knowledge, skills and experience - that sets them up for success in their careers in this exciting field.

Students build their knowledge and skills on two foundations. They study the core business disciplines, such as marketing, operations, accounting, finance, human resources, and law. They receive a solid grounding in the world of ICT in subjects such as systems analysis and design, ICT architecture and infrastructure, and privacy and security. In their senior years, students integrate the knowledge from these two foundations to learn how ICT can make a difference in every business studying the strategic application of ICT, the role of ICT in activities such as supply chain, sales and customer relations. They learn about project management and the integration of ICT into business.

In addition to providing a broad and deep understanding of both business and ICT, the program also has an emphasis on building personal and interpersonal skills and on providing students with real-life work experience, with case competitions, in-depth consulting projects with real clients and employment opportunities in the field, including internships, part-time work practica and an optional Co-op program. In addition, students have access to a wide range of Minors, including Marketing, Accounting, Finance, Law, and Human Resources.

BTM graduates will learn how to analyze business needs, design appropriate technology-based processes and solutions, and communicate these effectively. They will learn to lead work-based teams, participate effectively in projects and understand best practices of organizational change. They will develop skills in interpersonal communications, collaboration, and leadership. Graduates will be ready for high demand jobs in business analysis, project management, sales, consulting, customer and supplier management, and marketing support.

Through the student International exchange program, opportunities are available for students to spend a semester studying abroad. International experience gained in this way gives undergraduates a significant advantage in the competitive global economy. The school's international partners include universities in England, Holland, Italy, Scotland, France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Australia.

The graduate of this program is a hybrid business and ICT specialist who can define business objectives clearly, identify technology options to meet those needs, develop appropriate systems, implement and manage them.

Typical employment areas include both profit and nonprofit organizations, which use information systems as well as large and small information technology, telecommunications, and multimedia product and service providers. Some typical job titles of the graduates of the program include:

• Business Analyst
• Marketing Specialist
• Systems Architect
• ICT Product & Service Sales
• Project Leader/Manager
• eBusiness Analyst
• Information Systems Consultant
• Telecommunications Analyst
• Management Consultant
• Systems Integrator
• Database Analyst/Administrator
• User Support Specialist
• Network Administrator
• Business & ICT Educator/Trainer

Studying History will develop students’ proficiency in critical thinking, and enhance their ability to question, research, argue, understand, and communicate. All of these skills are vital in enabling them to succeed in a wide range of careers and participate in the life of the world around them as informed citizens.

History students take courses in the subject to pursue their interests (along with foundational, elective, and liberal studies offerings). They might wish to explore the formation of societies in the ancient world, or contemporary problems in historical perspective, or the great diversity of themes in the centuries between. Beyond examining significant issues that fascinate historians, Ryerson’s program has distinctive career-focused components. Students take a progression of specially designed foundational, historian’s craft, and senior seminar courses to develop their research, analytical, and communications skills in ways that will help them succeed in today’s knowledge-based world. They also may wish to explore distinctive options: heritage management courses for those thinking of museums, historic sites, and related fields as potential career choices; experiential learning opportunities to perform real-world work in History; and a thesis course for students considering graduate school or wishing to conduct in-depth investigations on historical topics that have captured their imaginations.

Curriculum Information
History draws on the theories, methods, and practices of a broad range of humanities and social sciences. Therefore, the History program builds on a common first-year platform shared with other programs in the Faculty of Arts, with specialization in History occurring in years two through four of the degree.

Semesters One and Two: In the first year, which is shared with the BA programs in Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, Language and Intercultural Relations, Philosophy, Politics and Governance, Psychology, and Sociology, students take their first two university-level History courses from a number of choices that explore the subject across a range of themes, time periods, and geographical contexts. Students also acquire skills and knowledge in two foundational courses, Academic Writing and Research, and Critical Thinking, and they choose electives from a broad range of areas.

Semesters Three through Six: In second year, students take their third foundational course, Research Design and Qualitative Methods, and the first of the Department of History’s signature Historian’s Craft (or H-Craft) offerings, Reading, Writing and Using History as well as Hearing, Seeing and Speaking History, followed by another two H-Craft courses in third year. Additionally, students select from a range of focused courses in History and other subjects during this two-year period, applying the skills developed in their foundational and H-Craft studies to their broader educational endeavours as they develop their intellectual and professional prowess.

Semesters Seven and Eight: In the last year of the program, as students consider the opportunities they will pursue after graduation, they solidify their historical expertise and sharpen their professional competence by taking two senior seminars (or a senior seminar and a thesis course), as well as other offerings to complete the 40 courses of the degree (of which 20 are in History).

Students will learn to evaluate and analyze political decisions, administrative practice, and policies that emerge from a variety of sources, and to evaluate them on a range of criteria, including empirical, theoretical and ethical bases. The program offers a number of professional electives drawn from five traditional sub fields of Political Science: Canadian, Comparative, Global, Policy, and Theory. Students may choose depth in a small number of thematic categories, or choose breadth by sampling in several such categories.

Curriculum Information
Politics and Governance draws on the theories, methods and practices of a broad range of Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines. The Politics and Governance program thus builds on a first year that is common to eight other programs in the Faculty of Arts (i.e., Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, History, Language and Intercultural Relations, Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology), with specialized study in Politics and Governance in the following years.

Semesters One and Two: Students are introduced to Politics and Governance through a 'survey course' which provides a broad overview of what might be expected in the subject area. Students also take one additional core course that explores Canada's political landscape through the lens of political culture and citizen participation. In addition to these two Politics and Governance courses, students must complete two courses teaching key skills in Critical Thinking and Academic Writing and Research. Finally, students select two or three courses from other social science disciplines (course prefixes CRM, ECN, EUS, GEO, PSY, SOC, SSH); two or three courses from humanities disciplines (course prefixes ACS, ENG, FRE, PHL, SPN); and one course from outside the Faculty of Arts.

Semesters Three and Four: In second year, students are required to complete the introductory course in each of five sub-fields, exploring the actors and institutions of Canadian government, the emerging institutions and practices of global governance, controversial policy topics, western political thought, and comparative politics. In addition, students will delve into the qualitative and quantitative research methods necessary to study politics and governance effectively.

Semesters Five through Eight: In the upper years, students complete the remaining two introductory courses (Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector, Social Identity and Citizenship), and then pursue the study of political and governance issues in greater depth. Students may choose to focus upon courses within one or two of the thematic categories subfields or to sample broadly from several such categories. Either way, it will be possible to explore such topics as provincial politics; race and ethnicity; human rights (both within Canada and in a Global context); economic, education, environmental, foreign, and social policy; the governance of urban areas (both in Canada and elsewhere); political thought; voters, elections, and parties; and Indigenous Governance and Justice. In addition to program courses, students choose courses from a broad range of disciplines that complement their professional studies and broaden their career preparation. These include courses in Accounting, Child and Youth Care, Communication, Criminology, Disability Studies, Economics, English, Entrepreneurship and Strategy, Finance, Food Security, French, Geography, Human Resource Management, Business Technology Management, Law, nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Management, Organizational Leadership, Sociology, Spanish, Psychology, Urban Planning, and sciences such as Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.