Animation and Game Design

Digital animators create visual magic in film, video, television, and video games.

Animation isn’t just a technical skill; it’s storytelling, experimentation, and the courage to take creative risks. Ranked among the Top 25 B.A. Programs in Animation (Animation Career Review, 2025), our department blends hands-on practice with critical theory to prepare students for careers in animation, gaming, and emerging media.

Our Majors

We offer both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Animation and Game Design. At the undergraduate level, students choose from concentrations in 2D Animation, 3D Animation, or Game Design. Graduate students specialize in advanced areas such as 3D Character Animation, Visual Effects, or Game Development, gaining the technical expertise and creative leadership skills needed for today’s evolving media industries.

Our Curriculum

We are committed to preparing students for the evolving future of creative production. As artificial intelligence transforms the media landscape, we encourage students to engage emerging tools not as shortcuts, but as thoughtful collaborators. Our program emphasizes the responsible integration of new technologies while maintaining a strong foundation in narrative, design, and experimentation. Students may choose a focus in 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Visual Effects, or Game Design, and are empowered to produce bold, original, and purposeful work, whether for games, anime, or experimental media.

Our Internship Program

Our location in the tri-state area places students at the center of a thriving creative industry hub. With access to New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut’s media networks, students gain valuable real-world experience through internships, freelance projects, and studio work, often before graduation. We also bring leading professionals into the classroom for workshops, critiques, and mentorship, offering direct engagement with those shaping the industry.

Recent visiting artists and mentors include:
• Adam Fuchs – Art Director, Adult Swim (Atlanta)
• Aaron Augenblick – CEO, Augenblick Studios (New York)
• James McDermott – Director, Rick and Morty (Los Angeles)
• Jarrett Martin – Animator, Tonari Studios & Creative Freaks (Tokyo)
• Remy Clarke – Animator, Mob Psycho 100, One Piece, Dragon Pilot (Tokyo)

FDU Animation Student Work

“The FDU animation department gave me the framework that I have built my career around. Learning about every aspect of the animation pipeline at such a young age has helped me not only choose the aspect of art that I enjoy the most, but also understand how all the roles around me come together to help create moving artwork. I would not be a professional animator without FDU.”

Roman Kobryn, Animator, Little Zoo Studio