New Jersey Institute of Technology

Sustainability is now a vital objective for individuals, businesses and governments worldwide — balancing the need for economic growth with environmental protection and social equity. The challenges related to sustainability are multifaceted, including climate change, resource depletion, pollution and social inequality.

NJIT's Presidential Inauguration Faculty and Alumni Symposium, moderated by John Cays, associate dean for Academic Affairs in NJIT's Hillier College of Architecture and Design, brings together experts from diverse areas of sustainability to raise awareness, encourage dialogue and foster collaboration for innovative and sustainable solutions to these existential imperatives.

Register Here

Schedule

11-11:30 a.m.

Buffet lunch and throughout event

11:30–11:40 a.m.

Introduction by Kevin Belfield, Dean of NJIT's College of Science & Liberal Arts

Opening Remarks by Teik C. Lim, President of NJIT

11:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m.

Keynote by Shawn LaTourette, Commissioner of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

12:15–12:25 p.m.

Christopher Testa '05, Hazard Mitigation Unit Manager for New Jersey State Police

12:30–12:40 p.m.

Maurie Cohen, Professor in NJIT's Department of Humanities and Social Sciences

12:45–12:55 p.m.

Ken Colao '77, Founding Principal & President of CNY Group

1–1:10 p.m.

Omowunmi Sadik, Distinguished Professor in NJIT's Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science

1:15–1:25 p.m.

Chao Yan '17, CEO and Co-Founder of Princeton Nuenergy

1:30–1:40 p.m.

Michel Boufadel, Distinguished Professor in NJIT's Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

1:40–1:50 p.m.

Break

2–2:30 p.m.

Panel discussion and Q&A, moderation by John Cays, associate dean for Academic Affairs, NJIT Hillier College of Architecture and Design

Featured Speakers

Kenneth M. Colao ’77

President and CEO of CNY

Ken Colao is a recognized leader and entrepreneur in the construction industry with more than 40 years of experience as a principal of several major firms, working on domestic and international high-profile projects.

As Founder, President, and CEO of CNY, Ken leads an innovative solutions-oriented Manhattan-based company that is credited with leading change in the industry, including “open shop” construction that changed an otherwise all-union New York City labor marketplace for large-scale development. Ken enthusiastically challenges the norm, creating value and leading CNY with a purpose that demonstrates how businesses can be a force for good. An early adopter of ESG and SDG initiatives in the construction industry, he drives CNY management to deliver its proven best practices and expertise, including its social standards for equity and inclusion, technical excellence, sustainability practices, and its objective to attain “B” Corp status.

An engineer with a BSCE degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Ken serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of Overseers for NJIT and Chairs the Board of Advisors for the Hillier School of Architecture and Design and has received the University’s Alumni Achievement Award and is among its Top 30 Influencers. He also serves as Vice Chairman on the Board of Governors for the New York Building Congress. Ken has been an active member of YPO for 30 years serving on boards of YPO Metro, Metro Gold, and Big Apple Gold, as well as championing the 2021 YPO CIN first Global Digital Roundtable on ESG—An Emerging Influence in our Society, Industry, and Businesses and is the current Chair of CIN.

Ken was named EY Entrepreneur of The Year ® in 2017 for the New York Region in the Real Estate, Construction, and Hospitality category. EY’s global program recognizes individuals who excel in innovation, financial performance, and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

Read more about Inauguration Symposium

Information for Inauguration Guests

Inaugural Schedule

The Investiture Ceremony on April 28, 2023 will begin at 11 a.m. and conclude no later than 12:30 p.m.

Directions

The New Jersey Institute of Technology campus in downtown Newark, New Jersey is convenient to major roadways as well as bus, train, light-rail systems and air transportation, including Newark Liberty International Airport. Visit NJIT's Maps and Directions page for more information.

Parking

Designated parking is available at the Summit Street Parking Deck and the Science and Technology Parking Garage. Special visitor parking is available at Lot 7 — a permit is required. Additional handicapped parking is also available at Lot 5.

Hotels

Recommended for NJIT Campus Events:

Element Harrison-Newark

A Marriott Hotel

399 Somerset Street

Harrison, NJ 07029

973-484-1500

marriott.com/en-us/hotels/ewrel-element-harrison-newark

Doubletree by Hilton Newark Penn Station Gateway Center

1048 Raymond Blvd.

Newark, NJ 07102

973-622-5000 - Mention "INAUGURAL" for special rates

Click here to book online with special rate

Special NJIT rates apply through March 28, 2023

Recommended for the Inaugural Gala at Crystal Plaza, Livingston, New Jersey:

Westminster Hotel

550 West Mt. Pleasant Avenue

Livingston, NJ 07039

973-533-0600

westminsterhotel.com

crystalplazagroup.com/vendor-category/accommodations

Special NJIT rates apply through March 28, 2023

Campus Map

Should you be unable to find parking once you are in the area, please contact NJIT Public Safety officers or student parking ambassadors in red "Event Staff" shirts who will be on campus the day of the Inaugural Ceremony starting at 10 a.m.

For ongoing updates and additional inaugural events, visit the main Inauguration page. Please email inauguration@njit.edu or call 973-596-3103 with any questions.

Read more about Information for Inauguration Guests

Conversation with Teik C. Lim

Teik C. Lim, a mechanical engineer, inventor, prolific scholar and exuberant academic administrator who recently steered the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) through the COVID-19 pandemic as interim president, notching a milestone in student graduation rates and research acclaim along the way, became NJIT’s ninth president on July 1.

Lim takes an innovator’s approach to education. He vows to strengthen student success with more experiential, problem-focused academic programming, a heightened emphasis on power skills such as communication and collaboration on extended, multidisciplinary projects, and new opportunities to work directly with businesses via co-ops, internships and through the use of shared resources. He is committed to expanding and diversifying digital teaching methods and other effective modes of delivery developed during the pandemic, in part to free up time and space for more hands-on learning and research. He has championed system-wide tools, such predictive analytics, time-management coaching, peer and other free tutoring, and supplemental instruction in classrooms to keep students on track to graduation.

A researcher who has devised novel methods to control sound and vibrations in vehicles, beginning in private industry after earning his Ph.D. at The Ohio State University, Lim holds numerous patents and is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). UTA, an R1 research university under the Carnegie Classification® with the greatest number of NAI fellows in the state, received yet another accolade during the pandemic: the coveted “Texas Tier One” designation for learning and research that is held by just three other universities in the state.

Throughout his academic career, Lim has forged powerful relationships with regional companies that provide students with the chance to conduct applied research and on-the-job work training. The campus-based simulation center he created in 2008 as Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Cincinnati in partnership with Procter & Gamble grew into one of the largest interdisciplinary university-industry research centers on campus, and has been replicated several times around the world. In the following interview, Lim discusses his career, his plans for NJIT and his thoughts about the future of higher education.

Q: What sparked your interest in engineering?

A: Growing up in Malaysia, I attended a science school and many of my peers aspired to be either a doctor or an engineer. I wanted to be a pilot. I was told that one must first enlist in the Air Force, so I wanted to skip college and join the military to be a pilot. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, because it would have changed the trajectory of my life, I did not have 20-20 eyesight, which was the requirement back then to be a military pilot. I was very good at math and science, and I thought perhaps, as an engineer, I could design an airplane for others to pilot.

Q: What area of engineering did you pursue?

A: I was always fascinated with machines, such as automobiles and aircrafts. While pursuing my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at Michigan Tech, I met several excellent professors who got me really interested in structural acoustics and vibrations. My doctoral dissertation, funded by NASA, was a fundamental study about the vibratory behaviors of rotorcraft gearboxes. My first engineering job combined my interest in vibro-acoustics and motor vehicles, and I got to work on making automobiles more pleasant and joyful to ride in from a vibration and sound quality perspective.

Q: What invention are you most proud of?

A: My students and I developed a patented active noise control algorithm that can perform spectral shaping to achieve a desired sound quality outcome. This algorithm is being applied in automobiles to enhance the interior sound quality. This research went on for nearly two decades involving many graduate students before it became feasible for use in real-world applications. The concept we invented now is used in some shape or form in many automobiles sold around the world.

Q: After a stint in industry, what drew you to higher education?

A: Public institutions like NJIT are a tremendous engine for social mobility and a beacon of life-changing opportunities. I experienced it firsthand. I grew up with limited means, supported myself through college and became the first member in my family to earn a college degree. This country took me in, accepted me and gave me a great public education, as well as a wonderful career and life. My way of giving back is to be involved in the higher education of young minds. That is why I became a professor. In fact, throughout my academic career, I put in a lot of effort into bridging student success and academic excellence. I help students use education as a pathway to personal success, and I teach students to understand that helping others succeed will in turn help them succeed.

Q: As a university leader, how do you assess students’ success?

A: NJIT is fundamentally a polytechnic public research university. Hence, our bread-and-butter programs are always going to be STEM-based, like engineering, science, computing and data analytics. However, we also want to provide a holistic education of the mind and heart so that we can equip students with both power and marketable skills, like the ability to communicate, articulate ideas, collaborate, to have empathy and grit — all great ingredients for success post-graduation. We want each student leaving here as the best version of herself or himself. Because students are our business, the most important metric is the impact of our graduates in their communities.

Q: How should NJIT prepare students to have a meaningful impact on their world?

A: We need to look at what the National Academy of Science, the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine name as grand challenges, such as the environment, sustainable energy, the food supply and, following the pandemic, mental health, and push the curriculum to match up with them. I’d like to see courses that equip our students with the knowledge, the empathy and the skills to solve these grand challenges. They must equip students not just with technical skills, but with the understanding, for example, that they need to protect the environment so the environment can protect them.

Q: How do you support students’ success?

A: When I first arrived at UTA as the provost, one of my first initiatives was to form the Division of Student Success, which is now the largest unit under the Office of the Provost. This division’s sole goal is to ensure that the progression of each and every student toward graduation is as efficient as possible. The division runs the freshman student success course to equip students with effective learning skills, like time management, and offers free tutoring, supplemental instruction, holistic advising, academic coaching and many, many more support services. I believe, because of the efforts of this division, graduation rates and the conferral of degrees climbed to record levels. We also were able to attract more students from diverse backgrounds. To build upon this success, more recently, I created a new Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to ensure that every student at UTA is welcomed, treated well and feels they belong, because those factors play a key role in student success.

Q: What role does research play in an NJIT education?

A: Research is the heartbeat of a vibrant, living and learning campus, and it should be ubiquitous and incorporated into every facet of students’ education. Research experience builds strong fundamentals of inquiry, discovery and scholarship necessary for effective lifelong learning habits. When I teach a class, I often challenge students with open-ended problems, so that they can think more creatively. That mind exercise can really sharpen one’s intellectual capacity. In fact, at every new faculty orientation, I reminded the faculty that they do scholarly research as part of their work on campus, first and foremost to educate students and secondarily to create new knowledge and publications. I’ll add that our research agenda must be responsive to the needs of the citizens of New Jersey and the nation. Not only do we need to support the goals of state and federal funding agencies, like the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, but we also need to listen to businesses and develop mutually beneficial private/public partnerships.

Q: How should NJIT amplify its research impact?

A: In the old days, innovation and entrepreneurship occurred almost by chance among university students and faculty. That limits equity, impact and opportunity. Today, we must make available opportunities with excellent, effective and deliberate programs that enhance individuals’ ability to innovate and invent, and then to be entrepreneurial about bringing the idea to market for the benefit of humanity.

Q: How has the pandemic changed our thinking about teaching and learning?

A: The pandemic did not change the course of higher education, but rather accelerated us into the future. The institution that embraces digital learning and teaching and research will flourish and those that don’t will be left behind. We need to invest in digital and physical infrastructure to support a continuous spectrum from 100% in-person learning to 100% online, with every modality in between. What we’re thinking about is a revolution similar to 3D printing, which would allow mass customization, though we haven’t arrived there yet. Like buying clothes measured for you in just your size, we could educate a lot of people with a customizable curriculum, because people learn differently and at a different pace. Once you do that, learning isn’t limited to just that 18-year-old coming to college, but it becomes accessible to professionals, grandparents or anybody who wants to learn, anywhere and anyplace, unconfined by space or time.

Q: How might new digital capabilities transform the curriculum?

A: Let’s take a straightforward three credit-hour course taught entirely in the classroom. In the future, I predict — and this will take some time to evolve — that course would become a combination of classroom learning and experiential learning opportunities. For example, students can spend 15 minutes below an oak tree listening to a lecture that is pre-recorded on the internet, and then maybe a half-hour in the classroom collaborating with their classmates — with a laptop in front of them, all hooked up — discussing course materials in person and in the digital world. Then they might spend another hour in the community collecting and analyzing data, and using their remaining time in the course to develop tangible solutions and apply what they just learned. The course would still amount to a three-credit-hour effort as before, but the modality would be very different from what it is today. Those rows of chairs and desks that you sit at in the lecture halls are going to be the chalk board, a thing of the past, eventually.

Q: What role should businesses play in an NJIT education?

A: In the old days, the college education of a student was mostly the responsibility of the faculty. Today, college education is becoming more holistic, complex and experiential, which requires stronger partnerships between institutions and industries to ensure student learning is more complete and effective. When I proposed working with Procter & Gamble to establish the University of Cincinnati Simulation Center, a college administrator said, “They only make diapers, nothing fancy.” When I talked to P&G, they said, “The university is not practical enough.” There are a lot of misconceptions on both sides. I discovered that making diapers is one of the most complex processes in the world and, at the same time, I also was able to convince P&G to recognize that universities have things they can use — we are innovative and we have intellectual capacity. One of the first collaborative projects in the Center was a mechanism intended to enhance the production line P&G had been working on for two years without much success. We put a student team together and within six months formulated a novel solution. These students had never seen the problem and were thinking outside of the box. That is innovation! I see corporations collaborating and engaging on the NJIT campus, which is great because not every university is willing to partner with industry and move at the speed of business. We need to do more of it, and having an entity like NJII is a difference-maker here that enables NJIT to be a better valued-added member of the business community. This is why I say NJIT is one of the most innovative and entrepreneurial institutions in the country.

Q: Besides providing real-world opportunities, how else can businesses enhance an NJIT education?

A: Here are two more ideas. One is sharing resources. A lot of companies have state-of-the-art experimental or production capability that they sometimes don’t use. Let’s say a student wants to perform a unique chemical analysis critical for a class research project. What if we don’t have that equipment or capability on campus? We can still teach the student with a computer program that simulates the lab, but the actual experiment is being done somewhere in Newark, for example, at a company that loaned time on that equipment to the university. We call that a digital twin. With digital learning, many things are possible. Second is encouraging relevant corporate employees to serve as mentors for our students. They can share their professional experience, lessons learned or simply give encouraging support. These simple acts can go a long way toward keeping students excited about staying in school and focused on finishing their studies. Also, these students are often better prepared for the workplace.

Q: What role do you see NJIT playing in the community?

A: As soon as I start at NJIT, I will focus on getting to know our external stakeholders. I want to connect with local, state and federal legislators, as well as civic leaders of Newark and New Jersey. I plan to meet with key corporate executives of companies that hire NJIT students and engage with NJIT in various projects. I will reach out to high schools and community colleges that feed students to NJIT and meet with presidents of other institutions in this region to introduce myself and set the stage for further collaborations in the future. It is important to me, and to NJIT, that we be at the table each and every time there is a discussion about education, the workforce and economic development, and that we be in the position to lead or contribute to major initiatives in this region.

Q: How can NJIT attract more women to fields such as engineering and computer science?

A: There are at least three things we need to do better, but this is a marathon, so it will take time. We need to explain better that engineering is not just about building vehicles or planes, but also about coming up with ideas where engineers and scientists can design, construct and implement systems that bring joy to living for humanity. I think the curriculum also needs to be enhanced to include more open-ended problem-solving exercises and then teach students the skills needed to find practical solutions. The second way is hiring more female professors, because women students need to see that there are trailblazers they can emulate. The third is more collaboration with middle and high schools. If you look at the outcomes data for being able to do an engineering curriculum successfully, it’s the same for males and females, but we need to begin outreach at a very early age to encourage female students to see themselves as a successful engineer or scientist when they grow up.

Q: Could NJIT be more diverse?

A: I am a strong believer that diversity is the hallmark of a successful and vibrant institution. We should intensify efforts to achieve the designation of being a Hispanic-serving institution, as well as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution. We are close, but still need to attract higher percentages of under-represented minority students, including African American students. We must also recruit more excellent and diverse faculty and staff to work at NJIT so that our campus workforce better mirrors the diversity of our student body. As the first president of color at NJIT, it gives me a platform to further enhance NJIT’s diversity, equity and inclusion plans so that we make NJIT a truly welcoming and inclusive teaching and learning environment for all.

Read more about Conversation with Teik C. Lim

Graduate International Admissions Process

Completed application
Application fee
English proficiency score (unless undergraduate degree completed at a U.S. university)
- TOEFL: 79
- IELTS 6.5
- Duolingo: 120
- PTE: 57
GRE/GMAT scores
Portfolio (for applicants to the Hillier College of Architecture and Design)
Letter of recommendation
- 1 for Master’s (optional for all Master's applicants; required for Architecture and Urban Design applicants)
- 3 for PhD

GRE/GMAT Requirements per Academic College

Newark College of Engineering - GRE optional but strongly recommended for all MS and PhD applicants
Ying Wu College of Computing - GRE optional but strongly recommended for all MS applicants; GRE required for all PhD applicants
Jordan Hu College of Science and Liberal Arts - GRE optional for all MS and PhD applicants
Hillier College of Architecture and Design - GRE optional for all Master's applicants; GRE required for all PhD applicants
Martin Tuchman School of Management - GMAT/GRE may be waived for Master's applicants with cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (international students need a WES or another NACES-approved evaluation); GMAT/GRE required for all PhD applicants

TOEFL/IELTS/DUOLINGO/PTE

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Duolingo or Pearson Test of English (PTE) is required of all applicants whose first language is not English. The minimum score required is 4.0 overall (new scale) or 79 (old scale) for the internet-based TOEFL exam, 6.5 for the IELTS exam, 120 for the Duolingo exam or 57 for the PTE exam.

Applicants with degrees from institutions in the following countries qualify for an exemption of the English proficiency requirement, so they do not have to submit a TOEFL/IELTS/DUOLINGO/PTE exam score as part of their application for admission:

Antigua and Barbuda
Australia (including island territories - Norfolk Island, Christmas Island, and the Cocos Islands)
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Canada
Cook Islands
Dominica
Federated State of Micronesia
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
Ireland, Republic of
Jamaica
Kenya
Liberia
New Zealand (including the island territory of Tokelau)
Niue
Nigeria
Republic of Fiji
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Republic of Palau
Philippines
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Helena
South Africa
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, including island territories - Pitcairn, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Gibraltar, the Turks and Caicos, and Montserrat)
United States (including island territories – American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands)
Zimbabwe

Read more about Graduate International Admissions Process

Degree Overview

Delivery Format: online
Required Credits: 12

Admissions & curriculum

12 Required Credits

Course listing and prerequisites

Explore this area of study

Architecture Salaries

$63,300

Starting Salary, NJIT Average

$79,000

Mid-Career Salary, National Average

NJIT is home to the only accredited undergraduate architecture program in the State of New Jersey

What our students are saying

Going to an architecture school so close to New York City felt like the perfect fit for me."

Ian Bentley
The graduate program provided me with a diverse education."

Carol Hong
I worked very hard at NJIT, and I'll be honest--that degree has gotten me exactly where I am today."

Tom Bury

Class of '02

Architecture

Degree Overview

Delivery Format: online
Required Credits: 12

Learn the Tools and Techniques Behind Modern Animation at NJIT

If you’re ready to bring your creative ideas to life, the online animation certificate program from NJIT is the perfect place to start. Our program introduces you to the art of movement, storytelling and design, helping you master digital animation fundamentals while building a professional-level skill set.

Created for working creatives, this online certificate in animation and visual storytelling blends expert guidance with practical, project-based learning rooted in real-world production. By the end, you’ll have the confidence and technical ability to start creating compelling, industry-ready animations for film, games and digital media.

Why Choose NJIT for Your Online Graduate Certificate in Animation Essentials?

Choosing NJIT for your graduate certificate in animation online means learning from award-winning faculty who bring real-world experience from top studios and creative industries. The program combines hands-on learning with courses in storyboarding and concept development, motion design and digital production, helping you strengthen both your artistic and technical skills. Created for working professionals and creative newcomers, this animation certificate offers the flexibility to learn on your schedule while preparing you for advanced study and career growth in animation or visual effects.

Program Overview

The animation essentials graduate certificate is a fully stackable online animation certificate designed to help you master the foundations of professional motion design and storytelling. This program blends creativity and technology, focusing on storyboarding and concept development, animation techniques and industry tools used across film, gaming and digital media. Through hands-on, graduate-level online animation courses for designers, you’ll gain the technical and creative skills needed to bring ideas to life.

Total credits: 12

Average completion time: 1-4 semesters

Format: 100% online*

Core Curriculum

How to Apply

Financial Aid Options

*On-campus format is also available at NJIT’s Newark location.

This stackable online animation certificate allows all earned credits to be applied toward earning your Master of Science in Digital Design. That means you can seamlessly continue your studies and advance your credentials while expanding your expertise in design and animation. Students may apply only one graduate certificate toward the requirements of the Master of Science in Digital Design. Learn more about the application process and financial aid opportunities.

Who Should Apply?

This online graduate certificate in animation is ideal for creative professionals and aspiring animators who want to strengthen their storytelling and technical skills.

Professionals transitioning into animation, motion graphics or VFX who want to gain experience with the full animation production pipeline and industry-standard tools

Artists and designers looking to expand their digital skill set can enhance their portfolios with hands-on creative projects

Recent graduates can build a strong foundation through one of NJIT’s part-time graduate programs in digital animation to prepare for career advancement or further study

Educators and professionals in related fields can learn to incorporate animation into their teaching, marketing or design work

What You’ll Learn

By completing this program, you’ll develop:

Proficiency in industry-standard animation software such as Adobe After Effects, Autodesk Maya and Blender through comprehensive animation software training

A strong understanding of animation fundamentals, including timing and spacing, squash and stretch and visual storytelling techniques for animators

Hands-on experience with both 2D animation courses and 3D animation courses, including frame-by-frame animation and keyframe animation

The ability to create professional-quality motion graphics and visual effects using digital compositing, rendering and compositing for animation techniques

Experience with color theory and lighting for animation, background design for animated films and scene layout and staging in animation

A portfolio showcasing your animation work for career advancement

Through our program, you can gain the digital animation fundamentals and expertise in 2D and 3D rendering techniques needed to turn creative ideas into polished, professional visuals.

Career Outcomes

Graduates of the program gain a strong grounding in digital animation fundamentals and should be career-ready to bring creative ideas to life across a range of media. This online animation certificate program helps students combine artistry and technology through hands-on projects that build real-world experience and confidence.

Graduates can pursue careers in:

Film and television animation

Interactive technology and special effects

Video game design

Motion graphics for advertising and marketing

Virtual reality and augmented reality development

Web and multimedia design

An animation essentials certificate allows for many career pathways, giving you the flexibility to apply your animation skills in creative industries, studios and digital media roles.

Professionals skilled in visual storytelling in animation are highly sought after by leading studios and creative companies, including:

The Walt Disney Company

NBCUniversal

Framestore

Method Studios

Moving Picture Company

Cantina Creative

Raven Software

Graduates of the program are prepared to join teams like these, bringing creativity, technical skill and artistic vision to film, gaming and digital media projects that push the boundaries of animation. Apply today.

Admissions Requirements

This program accepts students on a rolling basis, with classes typically running in the Spring and Fall semesters. For helpful resources on how to apply for the Online Graduate Certificate in Animation Essentials, refer to:

How to apply

Application checklist

Important dates and deadlines

Graduate program FAQs

Why a Master’s Degree in Digital Design Matters Today

Animation shapes how we experience stories, brands and technology — it’s the creative force behind today’s most captivating visual media. NJIT’s animation essentials certificate helps you master both the art and technique of animation, combining digital animation fundamentals with advanced skills in post-production and compositing. Guided by expert faculty, you’ll learn the core principles of movement, storytelling and design while gaining real-world experience in industry tools and workflows.

This program is ideal for those wondering how to learn animation online, offering flexibility, mentorship and hands-on projects that fit into your busy schedule. Whether you’re launching a new creative career or advancing in your current one, you can graduate ready to bring imagination to life through compelling, professional-quality animation.

Companies Based in and Around Newark, New Jersey Looking to Hire Animators

Technology & Consulting \|	Media & Entertainment \|	Design & Creative Assets
IBM HCLTech McKinsey & Company	NBCUniversal Netflix Studios Fort Monmouth Lionsgate Newark Studios 1888 Studios Caven Point Studios Phiphen Studios	Framestore Method Studios SmartSites Gaming & Interactive Media Raven Software Bet365

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need any prior experience?
Yes. Applicants must hold an undergraduate or graduate degree in design, digital media or a related creative field. Those who don’t meet this requirement should first complete the Digital Arts Essentials Graduate Certificate or an equivalent online certificate in animation and visual storytelling. This prerequisite ensures all students begin the program with a strong foundation in visual literacy, design principles and creative workflows in digital media, skills that can help them succeed in this certificate and beyond.

Is a portfolio required to apply for this certificate?
Yes! To make sure you’re ready to get the most out of the experience, applicants are asked to share a portfolio or complete a similar evaluation, showing their creative potential and design readiness. It’s your chance to highlight your unique style and passion for visual storytelling while demonstrating you’re prepared to thrive in the online animation certificate program. You can read more on submitting your graduate design portfolio here.

How long will it take to complete the certificate?
Most online stackable animation certificates, including the animation essentials program, can be completed in about 11–15 weeks. The exact duration depends on the semester you enroll in and how much time you dedicate each week, giving you the flexibility to learn at your own pace while building valuable animation skills.

Get Started

Next Steps

Apply Now – Begin your application today
Request More Information – Connect with an admissions advisor
Explore Tuition Support – See if you qualify for tuition reimbursement or financial aid

Admissions & curriculum

12 Required Credits

Course listing and prerequisites

Explore this area of study

Digital Design Salaries

$91,007

Mid-Career Salary, National Average

$103,035

Mid-Career Salary, NYC Metro Area

UI/UX and Motion Graphics Designers earn around $100K median annually

What our students are saying

I launched my post-NJIT career as an applications engineer at Formlabs."

Amos Dudley
NJIT was my dream school."

Hilsson Angeles
Getting a degree from a great school like NJIT gave me the opportunity to choose the job I wanted."

Seif Issa

Web Accessibility Feedback

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Expired Transfer Credits

For all degrees, undergraduate course credits normally expire ten (10) years after completion of the semester in which they were earned. Course credit will not be awarded for expired coursework unless approved by the academic department responsible for offering the course using the Expired Transfer Credit Process outlined below.

Expired Transfer Credit Process

Students who have completed undergraduate college-level (post-secondary) classes that are expired will need to follow the below steps if they wish to have their credits transferred to NJIT:

Send official transcripts directly from your issuing institution to NJIT's Office of University Admissions (admissions@njit.edu).
Students may request approval from the academic departments responsible for the subject(s) in question for possible transfer credit consideration. E.g., for transfer credit for Calculus I, the NJIT mathematics department must review the syllabus and course description for the Calculus course.
- Using an unofficial transcript, identify the course(s) that didn't transfer
- Gather the syllabus for the course in question
- Submit a Transfer Credit Request Form for the course(s) to the academic department responsible for the subject.
- Check the 10-year-old checkbox

Grades: Students must have earned the equivalent of a grade of C or better in order for the course to be transferable to NJIT.In order to establish course equivalency, your course syllabi and descriptions must be evaluated by NJIT faculty evaluators from the academic department responsible for offering the course.

Review your transfer credit evaluation.
- You will receive a Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE) to your NJIT email if your transfer credits have been processed.
- Additionally, you can check your NJIT Highlander Pipeline for transfer credits.
- If you have questions about your TCE, please email transfer@njit.edu.

This process may take several weeks from start to finish, so please plan accordingly.

Read more about Expired Transfer Credits

Science Technology Engineering Mathematics

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Order of Exercises

Biography of President Teik C. Lim

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