Game Design and Development Students
All of the housing, cost, transportation and excursion information for the Transmedia Storytelling and Entertainment in LA program applies to you. However, there are some program differences for GDD majors:
- You will NOT complete an internship.
- In order to be eligible, you must be Juniors and seniors in Game Design and Development. You must have taken all IGM core courses by the time of participation as none are offered online during the program. You must also havea minimum 3.0 GPA.
- Your required anchor course will be IGME 580 - Production Studio (3 credits) - (online synchronous course) required course for Game Design and Development participants where you will complete a capstone project with students from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, CA.
- In addition to the Production Studio course, you will need to select several other courses to bring you to a minimum of 12 semester credits. You can choose from any of the courses listed for Transmedia Storytelling AND you could take these:
- IGME 529 - Foundations of Interactive Narrative (online asynchronous course)
- IGME 451 - Systems Concepts for Games and Media (online asynchronous course)
Transmedia Storytelling and the Entertainment Industry
The most compelling stories are created by interdisciplinary teams that use their experiences in art, technology, and media to create narratives that span many entertainment platforms for a multi-dimensional audience experience.
Emerging technology and interactive storytelling platforms have taken storytelling beyond traditional mediums like books, movies, and TV shows. Storytelling now spans multiple media platforms to tell deeper, more complex narratives, build interconnected worlds, and invite your audience to participate actively in a story. A notable example is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which has created an interconnected world across films, TV, comic books, video games, theme parks and more. This requires people with unique skill sets such as engineers to build sets; computing professionals to create software or work on special effects; designers/illustrators to develop concepts and characters; business professionals to oversee operations/finances; communications/advertising/PR to promote messaging; lawyers to oversee contracts.
The Transmedia Storytelling and Entertainment in Los Angeles program allows RIT students from all majors to spend a semester in L.A. learning about the power of multi-dimensional storytelling while immersed in the entertainment industry. You will take a minimum of 12 credits, participate in a professional experience, and engage in the entertainment industry in weekly excursions.
Los Angeles is the hub of entertainment industry jobs in the United States and attracts professionals from all over the world. It is one of the world's leading centers for creative industries, including film and television, special effects, theme parks, video games, music, and emerging media.
Highlights
- Get inspired in an immersive and hands-on study away experience exploring the Los Angeles entertainment industry.
- Connect with RIT's extensive network of alumni in L.A. who are working professionals in the entertainment industry at companies like Disney, Universal Paramount, Warner Bros, etc.
- Take tailored RIT courses taught by industry professionals.
- Gain substantial experience through an industry internship or other professional experience (except for GDD majors)
- Hear from guest lecturers, take studio tours, and participate in other activities that give you insight into working in the entertainment industry in L.A.
- Participate in excursions and activities in the dynamic city of L.A., including visits to museums, beaches, landmarks, and more.
- Complete an entire immersion in Transmedia Storytelling and Entertainment in one semester.
Program Details
- Term: Fall Semester
- Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Program dates (2024 program): Aug. 21 - Dec. 11, 2024. Dates for the 2025 program will be added soon.
(Travel dates are subject to change. Do not make travel plans until you are accepted to the program and receive instructions to make travel arrangements from the professor).
Study Away in L.A. is an excellent fit for RIT students interested in working in any sector of the entertainment industry in a variety of roles, including (but not limited to):
- Interactive design/graphic design/experience design
- Digital media/new media
- Communication/advertising/journalism/marketing/public relations
- Computing/gaming/virtual reality/CGI
- Illustration
- Creative writing
- Engineering
- Structural design
- Data analytics/data science
- Economics/finance
- Entertainment law
- Business/management/entrepreneurship
Program Eligibility
• Must be in good academic standing
• Have a minimum 2.5 GPA (students under the minimum GPA may be considered on case-by-case basis) (GDD majors must have 3.0 GPA or higher)
Course Details (all majors except GDD)
- Total Credits: Minimum 12
- Term credits earned: Fall
Required anchor courses: All students will be required to take these courses.
- ITDL 500 - Transmedia Storytelling (3 credits)* - required course for all participants
- VISL 387 - Imag(in)ing the City (3 credits)* - required course for all participants
Optional courses:
- VISL 320: Contemporary Cinema (3 credits) (online asynchronous course at RIT main campus)
Taking this course in addition to the two anchor courses would allow you to complete a full immersion in Transmedia Storytelling and Entertainment. This class (and the two anchor courses) may also count towards a minor or certificate in Transmedia Storytelling, Production and Engagement.
- SOFA 557: Chasing Rainbows: Business & Innovation in Entertainment (3 credits)
- You may also take any online synchronous or asynchronous courses offered at the RIT main campus in the fall.
Course Descriptions - note: you cannot register for these courses in SIS. The RIT Global office of College of Liberal Arts will register you for classes.
Required Internship/Professional Experience (all majors except GDD)
- ITDL 497 Liberal Arts Internship
- 8-10 hours a week of work/professional experience - 3 credits
- 16-20 hours a week of work/professional experience - 6 credits
• Pre-requisites: None
• Course meeting days/times: Mondays/Tuesdays are typically reserved for in-person classes. Wednesdays/Thursdays are typically reserved for internships and Fridays are typically reserved for excursions.
• Credits may count towards: Applicants should discuss with their academic advisor how credits will count towards their degree program.
Internship/Professional Experience (all majors except GDD)
By interning with L.A.-based companies, you'll gain new skills, meaningful industry contacts, and an insider's perspective on the entertainment industry. A wide range of L.A.-based companies hire interns from diverse majors including major studios, production companies, post production houses, theme parks, management companies, PR firms, advertising agencies, journalism outlets, web-based media channels, industry organizations, and more.
It is your responsibility to acquire an internship/professional experience. The RIT Office of Co-op and Career Services and College of Liberal Arts will help you identify potential companies and positions, offer guidance as you prepare your application documents, and provide coaching on strategic networking and other successful job search strategies. The internship component of the program incorporates working either 8-10 hours per week 3 credits or 16-20 hours per week for 6 credits during the semester in L.A.
Potential companies for internship experience
Housing & Living in L.A.
You will live in furnished apartments with other RIT students or students from other universities while in L.A. Two students to a bedroom, two bedrooms per apartment (4 students per apartment total.) The living space is located at the Kapi housing (https://www.kapiresidences.com/rit) in Burbank near many attractions. You will arrange all your own meals (using your apartment kitchen, buying groceries, or eating out). Parking at the apartment complex is an additional $100/per month; 2 parking spots per apartment are available.
Transportation
Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis with long commute times, which you should take into consideration for commuting to your internship. Transportation options include:
- Los Angeles' public transportation, called LA Metro, includes buses, subways and trains. The Metro bus system is extensive and provides access throughout Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and the communities east and south of L.A. The Metro's subway and surface rail system is reliable and clean and provides access to many points throughout the greater L.A. metropolitan area. Resource: https://www.thereallosangelestours.com/la-info/how-to-use-public-transport-in-la/
- Ride-share services like Lyft and Uber - budget costs into your personal expenses for the duration of the program.
- Bringing a car or renting a car - you should be comfortable with freeway driving in congested traffic and also keep in mind the availability and cost of parking.
Excursions/Activities in L.A.
Planned activities will take place through the program (usually on Fridays) and may include:
• Tour of downtown L.A. and City Hall
• Warner Brothers Studio Tour
• The Academy Museum
• Griffith Park Observatory
• American Film Institute Tour
• The Hollywood Museum
• Universal Studios Tour
• Panavision Tour
• Santa Monica Pier
• Nascent Studios and Apartment D Studio Tours
• Broad Museum
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Company
To Apply:
1) Click the Apply button below to begin your application (starting or completing an application does not commit you to the program).
You must have a pending application in the Compass no later than the final application deadline. After the application deadline and review process is completed, you will receive an email regarding your acceptance. You will then be required to confirm your participation by a confirmation deadline outlined in your acceptance email. Once you confirm your participation, the RIT Global office will bill a non-refundable program deposit to your eServices account.
Program Cost & Financial Aid:
You will be billed regular RIT tuition for the semester you're in L.A., a program fee to cover housing and program excursions, and you will be responsible for additional out-of-pocket expenses such as your flight, food, and spending money.
Student budget worksheet (OUTDATED): Transmedia Storytelling in LA, Fall 2024 - Note: costs are for Fall 2024 program and can be used as estimates only for Fall 2025). You will pay your regular RIT tuition, a program fee (housing, excursions, etc) and out-of-pocket costs (travel to LA, meals, etc.)
As you review the budget worksheet, please remember that it does not include your RIT financial aid or scholarships, which may cover some of the program costs. The purpose of the budget worksheet is to show all the costs associated with the program, which will help your RIT Financial Aid Assistant Director determine how your aid and scholarships may be applied.
To understand how your financial aid and scholarships may apply to your program costs:
- Make an appointment with your financial aid assistant director (call Financial Aid at 585-475-2186) and mention that you are calling for a study away appointment.
- Upload a copy of your budget worksheet(s) via the Financial Aid upload portal at https://join.rit.edu/register/FA_upload (at least 48 hours before your scheduled meeting so they have time to prepare).
- Please rename the file name of your budget worksheet before uploading it to the Financial Aid portal based on the instructions provided in the portal (adding your name and student ID)
To find out the name of your financial aid assistant director for your degree program visit:
https://www.rit.edu/admissions/aid/contact#counseling-team
You should meet with Financial Aid before the application deadline to understand how your aid will apply.
General Eligibility - All students participating in study away programs must:
• Have a clear conduct record with RIT
• Be an RIT matriculated student at the time of the program
• Have no financial holds on your RIT eServices account at the time of your program acceptance/confirmation
Please note that you cannot audit study away courses.
Additional considerations when applying to this program:
• If you require Access Services support for this program, please contact Anglea Hauser (abhdis@ntid.rit.edu) as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
• If you are on tuition waiver or exchange (parents are RIT employees, etc.) let the Education Abroad office know because it may affect your tuition costs.
