Course General Description

There are 67 million children in North America, and annual toy sales top $24 billion ($67 billion worldwide). Translation: There is tremendous opportunity for creative, well-prepared, socially responsible designers who produce toys that respect and honor children. In this program, you will learn to create safe toys that entertain, educate, and inspire kids, from infants to tweens. In an environment that simulates a toy-industry facility—including a high-tech workshop with a professional model-making shop and a product library of toy catalogues, games, stuffed animals, and toys—you will study child development and psychology, design and engineering of hard and soft toys, game design, model making, product materials, and safety considerations. You'll create three-dimensional renderings using industry-standard computer applications. And you will understand the business of toys, from manufacturing to branding and promotion. Courses are taught by industry professionals in a team-teaching format that simulates an on-the-job, cooperative design environment. Students become so immersed in the industry that even before graduation many have designed toys that are already on store shelves.

School General Description

One of New York City’s premier public institutions, FIT is an internationally recognized college for design, fashion, art, communications, and business. We’re known for our rigorous, unique, and adaptable academic programming, experiential learning opportunities, academic and industry partnerships, and commitment to research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. While our pedagogical mission is to prepare our students for professional excellence in design and business, our broader ethos is to foster creativity, inspire leadership, impart a global perspective, and educate students to embrace inclusiveness, commit to sustainability, and engage with community. We encourage students, scholars, teachers, and industry colleagues to cross traditional boundaries of both geography and disciplines. Together we strive to develop innovative design and strategic business solutions that will upend the status quo, create personal and professional opportunity, and have a lasting and sustainable global impact.