By Sheldon Spackman

RDC announces new applied degree in School of Creative Arts

Sep 26, 2018 | 2:03 PM

Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education stopped by RDC on Wednesday to announce the launch of a new four-year degree program.

Marlin Schmidt says the Bachelor of Applied Arts in Film, Theatre and Live Entertainment degree has been approved to start in September of 2019 with the application process to begin on October 1 of this year.

“I think it marks a significant transition to becoming a university here in Red Deer and we’re really excited about the progress Red Deer College is making in that transition,” says Schmidt. “We want every Albertan to have access to a high quality, affordable education regardless of where they live. Making university degrees available here in Red Deer is a significant part of that platform.”

Schmidt says this announcement, which follows one in May that RDC would offer a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Animation and Visual Effects degree starting this fall, speaks to the willingness of the college to respond to the demands of industry and the community.

“In order for the film industry to be successful in Alberta, we’re going to need people that are ready to go to work in that industry,” Schmidt explains. “They’ve got excellent faculty and administration here and we have full confidence in their ability to deliver a world-class degree in this area and that’s why we’re pleased to support this kind of education here at Red Deer College.”

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College officials say the new degree will provide students opportunities to develop foundational skills in communication, storytelling, directing and business skills, offering learners the choice of three majors, including Acting, Film Production or Live Entertainment Production.

RDC Students’ Association President Chaise Combs says students are very pleased with the work done to help make this program happen.

“I think it fits in line with the College’s vision of offering unique and quality education for students,” he exclaims. “The aspect we’re most excited about is the work integrated learning aspect. I think giving students the ability to develop practical skills while in school will make them more employable when they leave.”

Jason Frizzell, Dean, RDC School of Creative Arts, says this program is a logical step for them to grow, integrate and expand upon what they’ve already been offering in these areas.

“When we spoke with our industry partners, they were very clear,” states Frizzell. “When we’re putting out actors into the workforce, they need to know how to act on stage, they need to know how to act in front of the camera, they need to know how to act in front of a green screen, they need to understand motion capture and voice acting and so that’s why we’ve decided to take this integrated approach with this degree.”

Frizzell says the Bachelor of Applied Arts in Film, Theatre and Live Entertainment degree is a uniquely integrated program in Alberta that will see roughly 75 students per year enrolled with 245 prospective students already on an ‘interest list’.

“It is a viable career option, there’s lots of exciting careers and sub-careers that can come out of a degree like this,” states Frizzell. “We need to move beyond thinking that artists are going to starve no matter how good they are. They don’t have to starve, they can thrive in a place like Alberta.”

RDC President Joel Ward says this announcement and the Bachelor of Applied Arts in Animation and Visual Effects degree announcement made earlier this year, send the message that RDC is ready to become a university.

“By connecting to the Alberta Film Industry which is starting to get a reputation of its own, we think the job prospects and the opportunities for people are amazing,” Ward exclaims. “The future is very bright for this sector and we want to put our stake in the ground and we want it to be a foundational part of this institution.”

Ward feels people will one day look back at 2018 as a turning point in the community’s history.

“If you have a university in your community, it means that it will attract business, it will attract families and it will attract economic and cultural growth,” states Ward. “I believe in thinking big, dreaming big and then making it happen. Red Deer has a strong foundation now with a university as one of those key pillars to make a community attractive to business and to people.”

According to Ward, RDC will submit a name change for the institution for government approval next spring to reflect its current transition to university status.