Toy Design
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS
SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN
Students in this program learn the complete design cycle, from brainstorming, sketching, drafting, and rendering through design and engineering to product materials, safety considerations, and building working prototypes. Courses cover design for the infant through tween markets, teaching child development, psychology, and motor learning. Facilities include a professional model-making workshop, a computer lab with Cintiq touch-sensitive displays, and a space to work with children. Students create 3D digital renderings that translate to 3D prints. The program cultivates an awareness of beauty, craft, safety, environmental sustainability, and the appropriate integration of technology.
COURSES INCLUDE
Games, Computer Graphics in Toy Design, Model Making and 3D Prototyping, Soft Toy and Doll Design, Storybook Design and Licensed Product, The Toy Industry: Materials and Methods, Business Practices for the Toy Industry
TYPICAL INTERNSHIPS
Fisher-Price, Spin Master, Hasbro, Mattel, Alex, K’Nex
CAREER OUTCOMES
Graduates of the program work as toy designers for major toy and specialty design companies and inventor groups.
FIT Toy Design students are discovering ways to design products that enhance the play experience for children on the autism spectrum. Throughout a period of intense research and hands-on interaction with children at the Cooke School in New York City, students are mentored by a panel of autism experts through a partnership with Hasbro, Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, and Brown University. Students present initial toy concepts that are refined based on the experts’ feedback with the goal of creating inclusive, engaging, and entertaining products that are not only appropriate for children with autism, but also fun!
Students with an AAS in Communication Design Foundation, Fashion Design, Fine Arts, Footwear and Accessories Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Jewelry Design, Menswear, Photography and Related Media, or Textile/Surface Design may apply to this BFA program. Students with other AAS degrees may require additional coursework. Learn more about 2+2