Digital animators create the visual magic in film, video, television and video games. The need for animation continues to grow at a rapid pace and is one of the premier careers in demand today. In a field that continually calls upon artists to integrate creative visual aesthetics with modern technology, our program provides the education necessary for students interested in mastering animation aimed at diverse target mediums and audiences. Whether it is to enhance a company's identity, market services and products, educate, demonstrate or entertain, literally every industry has a need for moving graphics. The result is lucrative career paths for talented visual artists. If you want to become an animator, visual effects artist, or game designer, Fairleigh Dickinson University can help you turn your digital arts interest into a successful profession. Our curriculum is focused on learning the latest industry standard tools, techniques and theory behind the creation of animation and interactive media used in today's entertainment industries. Our courses emphasize the visual design component as well as the software necessary to create sophisticated computer artwork and animations by implementing practical projects that parallel those commonly produced in today's professional digital media companies. Our faculty are employed in the animation and/or gaming industry and each teacher is carefully screened and approved to teach only the courses in their areas of expertise. Our professors work for animation companies, entertainment industries, game development houses, architectural firms, military bases, motion graphics industries, as well as some of them run their own media companies that hire other animators and artists. Immersed in the real world, our award-winning faculty bring the most up-to-date skills and diverse techniques into our classrooms. Our students are encouraged to learn as much as they can from every faculty member in order to enable them to cast the widest net when pursuing employment after graduation. Since the industry changes at such a rapid pace, the importance of teaching the most recent animation and gaming industry techniques is the central focus of our curriculum. Our main objective is to prepare our students to go from the classroom directly into a variety of industries as seamlessly as possible.

Undergraduate program applicants are not required to submit portfolios as part of the admissions process. At the undergraduate level the university admits students based on the criteria set by the admissions department. However, if you have a portfolio, it is recommended that you submit it for review as it may strengthen your application. An applicant must have graduated from an accredited or government recognized secondary school or have received his or her General Education Development (GED) certificate. It is recommended (but not required) that an applicant completes the equivalent of 16 academic (university preparatory) units in secondary school. For transcripts not in English, a notarized or certified English translation must accompany the original transcript. Two letters of recommendation are required. For students currently enrolled in a school or post-secondary institution, at least one must be written by a teacher or school counselor. If the applicant has been out of school for several years, a recommendation form an employer may be submitted. An applicant whose native language is not English is required to submit the results of a test of English Proficiency to the Office of International Admissions. Students from Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand do not need to submit test scores. SAT or ACT scores are NOT required for admission consideration. However, an applicant may be eligible for higher scholarship award if they score above 1050 in SAT Critical Reading and Math combined sections, or above 23 in ACT.