Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning

at Toronto Metropolitan University Canada

The computer revolution has created vast industries and countless jobs that employ professionals educated in electrical and computer engineering, computer science and information technology- all closely related disciplines involving the understanding and design of computers and computational processes. Computer profession specialties constitute a continuum. At one pole is computer science, which is primarily concerned with theory, design and implementation of software- the product being a computer program. At the other pole is computer engineering, primarily concerned with firmware (the micro-code that controls processors), hardware (the processors themselves, as well as entire computers), software (system-level and user/application-level) and interfacing systems (both at hardware and software level) that will allow computer systems to communicate with the outside world as well as with each other. It is not possible, however, to draw a clear line between the two disciplines; many practitioners function to at least some extent as both computer engineers and computer scientists. Computer Engineers distinguish themselves with their versatile set of skills: they can design and build computers, interface them with the outside world and make them talk to each other, develop firmware and also create system-level and user/application-level software.

The Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering offers highly structured programs that emphasize not only the theoretical fundamentals but also the practical aspects of the engineering profession. The first-year courses will provide the students with grounding in engineering science fundamentals such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science and the theory of electric circuits. The second year of the program introduces discrete mathematics, data structures and engineering algorithms, and electrical engineering core subjects such as analog and digital electronic circuits and systems. In the third year, students will further study computer architecture, microcomputer systems, object-oriented analysis and design, digital electronics, communication systems and control theory.

In the final year of the program, students will take courses in data communications, digital systems engineering, real-time operating systems, VLSI design and numerical techniques. The fourth year curriculum also allows students further specialization in a variety of subject areas through an extensive technical electives list. During this final year of the program all students must complete a mandatory group design project. The key objective of the Design Project is to encourage students to plan, design and implement their project while developing the skills to make key decisions independently.

Software Engineering Option
Students entering the 5th semester will have a choice as to whether they would like to continue on the regular Computer Engineering curriculum or to enroll in the Software Engineering option. Students in this option will gain training in software engineering concepts through a set of seven software focused and intensive courses spread over 3rd and 4th year.

The Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering also offers graduate degree programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering. These graduate degree programs allow students to pursue advanced studies and independent research in the areas of signal processing and communications, computer systems engineering, and power engineering.

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 Ryerson'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.

The Business Management program provides students with a specialization in their chosen vocation, a practical and comprehensive knowledge of all basic functions of business, an awareness of social, political, and economic issues facing contemporary society, a questioning attitude to encourage and assist change, an ability to employ analytical skills for decision-making, and a desire to continue to learn and develop. It is considered important that all students in the Business Management program demonstrate an ability to write in clear and correct English. A lack of competence in written work submitted may be reflected in the final grade. Further development of writing and communication skills can be obtained through the elective English and Communication courses.

The first two semesters are common to all students. The curriculum provides students with a general overview of business in society, introduces them to all the basic business functions, and develops their awareness of social, human and economic issues through the introduction of the liberal studies.

In third-semester students enter their major in one of: Economics and Management Science, Entrepreneurship, Global Management, Human Resources Management, Law and Business, Marketing Management or Real Estate Management. The Marketing Management Major has a specific entrance requirement which is outlined within the curriculum. In addition, students continue studies in general business courses and the liberal studies area to broaden their perspective. The major started in the third semester is continued throughout the program.

The Marketing Department in the Ted Rogers School of Business Management co-ordinates an interdisciplinary Minor in Sales Management and Service Quality. This Minor provides students with the knowledge, skills and tools to manage customer relationships and to work effectively as a member of a sales team.

A limited number of students who have completed a three-year Business Administration diploma program with a minimum 'B' average from a recognized Community College, are admitted each year. These students are usually approved directly into the third year of the program. This opportunity is available on either a full- or part-time basis.

Experience has shown that our graduates are well-equipped to offer valuable services to the business community. Many graduates will go into the business world and will find complete satisfaction in their progress to greater responsibilities. The students are not simply learning to react to business pressures. They are prepared to operate pro-actively. Students work in the classroom and on real-life projects, learning how the process of solving problems works. The professors immerse the students thoroughly in their disciplines and then add the dimension of experience making Business education at Ryerson more relevant in the business world.

Psychology is of fundamental relevance to our society. The discipline addresses important questions about the nature of human thought, emotion and behaviour, such as: How do we perceive, remember and process information? How do these processes change over our lifespan? How are addictions and brain chemistry related? How are psychological disorders and traumatic brain injury diagnosed and treated? How do we cope with stress in a changing world? The core goals of the Ryerson's Psychology program are to:

• Educate students in the science of psychology and its application to real-life situations;
• Prepare students for careers in which they will confront, elucidate, and solve problems that have psychological components;
• Provide the foundation for students who wish to pursue post-graduate studies in a variety of areas including Psychology.

Curriculum Information
Semesters one and two: The first year of the Psychology program is shared with the Criminology, English, Environment and Urban Sustainability, Politics and Governance, Geographic Analysis, History, Language and Intercultural Relations, Philosophy and Sociology programs. Students choose courses from these related programs, to gain exposure to different perspectives, in addition to their required Introduction to Psychology I and II courses, which reveal and explore the wide range of areas within their chosen field.

Semesters three through eight: In the final three years of the program, psychology students delve into experimental and clinical research methods and explore the programs core areas - cognition and neuroscience, development and social psychology, clinical and health psychology and the advanced research specializations. Students complete a combination of required and elective psychology courses that encompass topics from the many areas within the discipline.

In addition, students choose courses from a wide variety of other disciplines (including business, community services, the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences) that complement their psychology courses and broaden their career preparation. And, through a range of courses in all four years, students also develop core competencies necessary to succeed at the university level and in the modern workforce.

Students develop skills in basic quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, critical and analytical thinking, effective communication and strategies for life-long learning. Students interested in pursuing graduate studies in Psychology will have the option of taking advanced courses from the Advanced Methods and Independent Study Group and will conduct supervised research with a faculty member.

The International Economics and Finance program combines the theoretical aspects of economics and quantitative methods with the practical skills and social awareness needed to apply this knowledge in an effective manner. It is the only Economics degree of its kind in Canada - combining a mandatory internship/co-op as a degree requirement, helping students build careers in the public sector, financial markets, international organizations, healthcare, big data and much more.

Internship
Integral to the degree is an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and skills in a practical context. All students in the program are required to participate in a three-month internship between the programs third and fourth years*. The benefits of this work placement are considerable. Students gain a valuable employment record while forging vital professional contacts for their future careers. They also deepen their understanding of real world opportunities and challenges as they refine their career goals. Moreover, the internship’s position between the third and fourth years of the program means it will help enrich each student’s final year of study.

* Students may be offered the opportunity by some employers to extend their internship to 16 months.

Internship courses are graded on a pass/fail basis. Participation and successful completion of an internship course, however, appears on the student’s academic transcript.

The four-year baccalaureate degree program in Criminology has as its major focus a critical understanding of the structural, administrative, political and professional context of the criminal justice system and broader agencies associated with social and legal regulation.

Students will learn to question the assumptions behind both administrative practice and policies that emerge from a variety of sources, and to evaluate them on a range of criteria, including the empirical, theoretical, and ethical bases. This will also include an analysis of the influence of race, class, gender, and other forms of social inequality on the administration of criminal justice and broader institutions. The tools to engage constructively with both state and non-state/community responses to crime will be a theme throughout. This will include analyses of events that initiate the criminal process, the various paths through which the criminal cases proceed, the professional roles and responsibilities of workers within that process, prospects of reform and the policies that provide the professional context in which decisions are made.

Media Communications in Canada is a rapidly changing environment which requires motivated individuals who possess discipline, flexibility and creativity. The information age is open to those with analytical and conceptual skills and the flair to recognize and act on new opportunities.

An appropriate academic background for this program would include the foundation skills developed in the traditional secondary/post-secondary courses which stress research, information synthesis and application of process to achieve results. Performance, arts and media courses should be chosen sparingly to develop and indicate career interest.

The Media Production program centres on content creation/storytelling, media production, critical theory, the law and business of media in radio, television, music and new media industries. The BA in Media Production will offer seven Concentrations: Radio and Sound, TV and Video, Digital Media, Media Business, Screenwriting, Social Media, and Critical Media Theory.

The Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science (FEAS) through the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering offers the BEng in Biomedical Engineering four-year degree program. The Bachelor of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering program is accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). Our Biomedical Engineering program aims to take advantage of the strategic location of Ryerson University in proximity to Toronto's Discovery District and seven world-class hospitals.

The Department of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering in collaboration with the Departments of Aerospace Engineering, Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Industrial and Mechanical Engineering, and Mathematics at Ryerson University will deliver the curriculum.

According to the working definition of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), biomedical engineering integrates physical, chemical, mathematical and computational sciences and engineering principles to study biology, medicine, behaviour, and health. It advances fundamental concepts, creates knowledge from the molecular to the organ system levels, and develops innovative biologics, materials, processes, implants, devices and informatics approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease; for patient rehabilitation; and for improving health.

The Biomedical Engineering program has been developed to benefit from, enhance and expand the multidisciplinary collaboration among the various engineering and science programs at Ryerson; to attract more students of higher quality to the university and retain them, as well as enhance the reputation of engineering education at Ryerson. It will offer students excellent opportunities to build strong backgrounds in biomedical engineering and benefit from the collaborative interdisciplinary relationships between engineering and life sciences, being key strategic areas of strength at FEAS, Ryerson. The Faculty has expertise in almost all of the areas of biomedical engineering. At this point the expertise is primarily devoted to the research activities of the faculty members.

This program is run within the framework of engineering programs at Ryerson. In the first year, all engineering students are enrolled in common courses, followed by a more program-specific second term. During the second year, Biomedical Engineering students will study fundamental courses in electronic circuits, biomaterials, cell biology, physiology, engineering algorithms, digital systems, statics and mechanics of materials. In third year the students will focus in microprocessor systems, fluid mechanics, biomedical transducers, bioinformatics, biomechanics, biostatistics, signals and systems, control systems, and biomedical instrumentation. In the fourth year, the students will study a range of state-of-the-art topics in biomedical engineering, and will also be involved in a capstone design project.

Optional Co-operative Internship
Third-year full-time students may be eligible to enroll in the optional Co-operative Internship Program. Upon successful enrolment in the program and securing an approved co-op job, students are required to spend a period of 8-16 consecutive months in a work placement. After completing the requirements of the co-operative internship work placement, students return to the academic program to complete their final year of studies. Enrolment in the Co-operative Internship extends the program length to five years.

First Year: The BSc (Hons) in Biology shares a point of entry with the programs in Chemistry and Medical Physics, through which new science students at Ryerson complete a common first year. This allows students to explore various science-based routes to degree completion before they commit to the Biology program. In addition to science 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. Students in Science programs must enroll in SCI 180 in their first semester of studies.

Upper Years: In the upper years of the curriculum, students will focus on developing their technological expertise and exploring the research and industrial applications of biological science. Depending on the course sequence selected, students may pursue a BSc (Hons) in Biology, with a Minor, and with an Option in Biophysics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology or Environmental Biology. In the final year, they will consolidate their learning by undertaking an independent, faculty-supervised thesis project in their field of academic focus.

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