New Media
| Degree Awarded: | Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) |
| Program Website: | New Media |
| Administered by: | New Media Department |
| Program Format: | Full-time, four-year program. |
O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses including Grade 12 U English.
Notes:
- ENG4U/EAE4U is the preferred English.
- The grade required in the subject prerequisite (normally in the 65-70 percent range) will be determined subject to competition.
- Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.
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 Creative School, combined with Toronto Met'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.
Creative Practice Hours
To graduate from the New Media program, each student must complete a minimum of 60 hours of Creative Practice unpaid volunteer work in a qualifying institution or project. This can be done at any time over the four years of the program. This is a mandatory condition for the successful completion of NMA 82A/B.
Liberal Studies
Students must take three lower level liberal studies courses and three upper level liberal studies courses to graduate. Students must not choose courses that are restricted for their program or major.
Please refer to the liberal studies chapter of this calendar for more information on the Liberal Studies Policy. Further information on liberal studies can also be found at the Faculty of Arts' Liberal Studies website (opens in new window) .
Table A - Lower Level Restrictions
NMA 120 is not available for credit.
Table B - Upper Level Restrictions
Minors
Students may pursue any Minor offered by Toronto Met (with some exceptions). Please refer to the Minors chapter of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and exclusions.
The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education Certificates
Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible program exclusions. Please refer to the Certificate Registration section of the Curriculum Advising website (opens in new window) for complete details.
Some course codes in this program have changed. See RTA-NMA Course Code Conversion Chart for further information.
3rd & 4th Semester
Last offered 2026-2027 to students admitted Fall 2025 and before.
3rd Semester
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.
4th Semester
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.
5th & 6th Semester
Last offered 2026-2027 to students admitted Fall 2024. Students admitted Fall 2025 see revised curriculum below.
5th Semester
REQUIRED GROUP 1: Choose one of the following three options:
CORE ELECTIVE: Two courses from Table I.
OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.
6th Semester
REQUIRED GROUP 1: Students must continue with the options from 5th Semester:
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives
5th & 6th Semester
Revised curriculum begins and last offered 2027-2028 to students admitted Fall 2025.
5th Semester
REQUIRED GROUP 1: Choose one of the following three options:
CORE ELECTIVE: Two courses from Table I.
OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.
6th Semester
REQUIRED GROUP 1: Students must continue with the options from 5th Semester:
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives
7th & 8th Semester
Last offered 2028-2029 to students admitted Fall 2025 and before.
7th Semester
REQUIRED:
- NMA 82A/B New Media Thesis Project
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.
*NMA 82A/B has a GPA Weight of 3.00 and a Course Count of 2.00.
8th Semester
OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective.
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.
*NMA 82A/B has a GPA Weight of 3.00 and a Course Count of 2.00.
1st & 2nd Semester
First offered 2026-2027 to students admitted Fall 2026 and after.
3rd & 4th Semester
First offered 2027-2028 to students admitted Fall 2026 and after.
3rd Semester
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.
4th Semester
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table A - Lower Level Liberal Studies.
5th & 6th Semester
First offered 2028-2029 to students admitted Fall 2026 and after.
5th Semester
REQUIRED GROUP 1: Choose one of the following three options:
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.
6th Semester
REQUIRED GROUP 1: Students must continue with the options from 5th Semester:
CORE ELECTIVE: One course from Table I.
OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective
7th & 8th Semester
First offered 2029-2030 to students admitted Fall 2026 and after.
7th Semester
REQUIRED:
- NMA 82A/B New Media Thesis Project
OPEN ELECTIVE: Two Open Electives
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.
*NMA 82A/B has a GPA Weight of 3.00 and a Course Count of 2.00.
8th Semester
OPEN ELECTIVE: One Open Elective.
LIBERAL STUDIES:
One course from Table B - Upper Level Liberal Studies.
*NMA 82A/B has a GPA Weight of 3.00 and a Course Count of 2.00.
A Program Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of volunteers that provides expert advice to a school or department on program related matters such as curriculum, program review, technology and trends in the industry, discipline or profession. For more information, see Senate Policy #158 (Program Advisory Councils).
Jason French
AVP Project Management, Exhibitions & Galleries
Royal Ontario Museum
Cindy Poremba
Associate Professor and Co-Director of the game:play Lab
OCAD University
David Rokeby
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Director of the BMO Lab
University of Toronto
Tristan Sauer
New Media Artist and Curator
Program Alumni