Address: 350 Victoria Street, M5B 2K3 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Media and Communications, Entrepreneurship, Engineering
A public university in downtown Toronto (formerly Ryerson University), known for its career-focused programs, entrepreneurial spirit, and strengths in media, design, and engineering.
Toronto Metropolitan University was founded in 1948 as the Ryerson Institute of Technology, a school for trades and technology created to train veterans and workers after the Second World War. It became Ryerson Polytechnic University in 1993 and Ryerson University in 2002. In 2022 it adopted the name Toronto Metropolitan University, after a review of the legacy of Egerton Ryerson, an architect of the residential school system for Indigenous children. The campus lies in the centre of Toronto, next to the Eaton Centre and Yonge-Dundas Square, with buildings integrated into the street. It has about 48,000 students and 4,000 staff.
The university is known for career-oriented, practical programmes. Its faculties include arts, communication and design, community services, engineering and architectural science, science, and the Ted Rogers School of Management. Programmes in journalism, fashion, film, media production, nursing, engineering and business are well regarded. A law school, the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, opened in 2020, and a medical school in Brampton is planned in partnership with local health services.
TMU has a strong entrepreneurial culture. The Zone Learning network of incubators, including the DMZ, a technology start-up incubator that is among the best-known university incubators in the world, supports hundreds of student and alumni companies. The Student Learning Centre, a glass building opened in 2015 with a prominent staircase, is a landmark. The campus has been shaped by the rule that the city is the campus, so buildings are spread among shops and offices.
Many programmes include co-operative education, which places students in paid work terms. Admission is based on high-school grades or prior studies, and some programmes require a portfolio or test. Tuition differs for Canadian residents and international students, with higher fees for the latter. Check the current tariff. Teaching is in English.
The subway and streetcars serve the campus, and Toronto is a large multicultural city. Housing is expensive, and the university has residences close to the campus.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Engineering, Industrial Design, Manufacturing, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Certificate, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong links with industry in Toronto, particularly in media, technology, and business. Home to The DMZ, a leading university-based tech incubator.
Research:
Applied research and innovation in areas such as media and digital culture, smart cities, cybersecurity, health and wellness, and creative industries.
Famous Alumnis:
Nina Dobrev, Shay Mitchell, Eric McCormack, Hannah Simone
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4000
Current students***:
48000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
220000
Pros
Career-oriented programs with practical experience, strong entrepreneurial focus (The DMZ), located in downtown Toronto, diverse student body.
Cons
Large commuter population, some programs are highly competitive, campus is very urban with limited green space.
Best For
Students seeking career-focused education with strong industry connections and entrepreneurial opportunities in the heart of Toronto, particularly in media, design, business, and engineering.
In terms of fields, Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is the nearest neighbour, with industrial design, manufacturing and data analytics again at the core; it is also a public institution and also offers diploma and graduate certificate programmes.
Concordia University offers a comparable education in aerospace, industrial design and data analytics: it also offers diploma and mba programmes and covers life sciences as well.
Also strong in data analytics, AI and machine learning and software engineering, University of Waterloo makes a sensible second look at home; it covers nanotechnologies and robotics as well, and has almost the same size, at about 42,500 students.
In terms of fields, York University is the nearest neighbour, with industrial design, data analytics and AI and machine learning again at the core; it is also a public institution and also offers mba programmes.
University of Ottawa overlaps with this institution on data analytics, AI and machine learning and software engineering, so the two are easy to compare, and it is also a public institution and also offers diploma and mba programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Manchester Metropolitan University (the United Kingdom) works on the same fields as this institution, chiefly industrial design, manufacturing and data analytics; it does not run the certificate programmes found here and covers life sciences as well.
In the United States, Georgia Institute of Technology teaches much the same core subjects, aerospace, manufacturing and data analytics, and it also offers mba programmes and covers robotics as well.
Abroad, University of South Wales (the United Kingdom) covers aerospace, industrial design and manufacturing in a comparable way, and it covers life sciences as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 23,000 students against roughly 48,000 here.
In Australia, Queensland University of Technology teaches much the same core subjects, industrial design, data analytics and software engineering, and it also offers mba programmes and covers finance and civil engineering as well.
Seen from abroad, University of Cincinnati (the United States) is a close relative on subject matter, since industrial design, manufacturing and data analytics are central to both, and it is also a public institution and also offers mba programmes.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Toronto Metropolitan University?
In downtown Toronto, Ontario, next to the Eaton Centre and Yonge-Dundas Square.
When was it founded?
In 1948, as the Ryerson Institute of Technology.
Why was it renamed?
In 2022 it dropped the name Ryerson after a review of the legacy of Egerton Ryerson, an architect of the residential school system.
How large is it?
About 48,000 students and 4,000 staff.
What is it known for?
Career-oriented programmes in media, design, engineering, business, nursing and journalism.
What is the DMZ?
A technology start-up incubator that is among the best-known university incubators in the world.
What is the Student Learning Centre?
A glass building opened in 2015, which is a landmark of the campus.
Does it have a law school?
Yes, the Lincoln Alexander School of Law opened in 2020.
Is co-operative education available?
Yes, many programmes include paid work terms.
What does it cost?
Tuition differs for Canadian residents and international students. Check the current tariff.
Creative Design Strategies, Cybersecurity, Design Thinking, Digital Marketing, Innovation, User experience (UX), User-Centered Design
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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