Media Studies Courses: Where Creative and Technical Meet
“This media education in Toronto program is designed to train media professionals for the new world of ubiquitous computing,” say Michael O’Farrell and Jostein Algroy — co-authors of Mobile Internet For Dummies — about the Entertainment and Media Systems Design offering at Centennial College. “You don’t have to be tied to a workstation or even a laptop. You are free to move around, travelling through your daily affairs and interacting with “clouds” of information wherever you go. The data is already there and the networks are letting you access it from a mobile phone, PDA or even an embedded chip. The possibilities are endless for untethered and anytime-access to entertainment, education, business and social networks. Students will explore these possibilities in both live and laboratory situations, where technology creators and media experts will collaborate to create innovative solutions.”
This detailed description offers great insight into the media education students receive at Centennial College. But here are more essential details that demonstrate how this three-semester program prepares students for career opportunities such as: project coordinator, digital media production, interactive technical produce, exhibit designer, producer of digital signage networks content, user experience designer and software programmer of embedded systems.
•The media studies courses are a first-of-their-kind collaboration between the School of Communications, Media and Design, and The School of Engineering, Technology and Applied Sciences.
•Professionals with engineering and software skills who may lack media production and content skills and professionals with media production and content skills who lack engineering and software skills are cross-trained to lead teams containing both types of professionals.
•Media studies courses emphasize design, production and management of innovative media products.
•Among specific products explored are: interactive museum and retail installations, application development and content creation for wireless devices, digital signage systems and networks and more.
•Many of the media studies courses are facilitated in laboratory situations, where technology creators and media experts will collaborate.
•A project-based approach gives students the chance to practice with PLCs, robotics, sensors, electronics and network technology.
•Among the specific media studies courses are: Visual Design, Video Production and Sound Design, Media Electronics, The Marketing Cycle, Media System Engineering, Web Programming and more.
•Once they are comfortable with the media education they have received, students attend a 15-week, three-days-a-week media education field placement.
•Classroom and project work is coordinated with the field placement at advanced meetings, as the placement relationship with employers begins during the second term. This ensures that students are able to make a positive contribution during their placement.
•Students end their media education with a Portfolio Production course, during which they assemble their project work from the program and independent work in a digital media package.
•To complete their media education, students must achieve a minimum C-grade in all media studies courses.
Parties who wish to attend media studies courses are required to present an official transcript that demonstrates proof of successful completion of a university degree or college diploma in a field related to engineering, technology or media. The school will also consider applicants with partial post-secondary education (minimum of two years in university) and relevant work experience. Applicants must also attend an information session to undergo a portfolio review, present a resume and write a letter of intent.
