Human factors/engineering psychology

A HF/engineering psychology program will not provide the skills, practice and critical review that an ID program will provide, and that your daughter will need to embark on a career as a toy designer. Though Tufts hits some of the “check boxes”, none of those boxes are the ones needed for a career as a designer. Tufts’ relationship with the SMFA won’t help either. The Museum School is a great art school, but they do not teach product design. For her to be an attractive candidate, and competitive with other candidates, she absolutely needs to go to an ID program.

And although she is young and perhaps idealistic ( a good quality for all people to have in some capacity, regardless), she should consider that she’d do best to build her skill set as a designer, not just specifically a toy designer. Many designers are able to, and are comfortable with solving any problem in any domain. That’s what makes them designers, not one-trick ponies, and that’s what makes design fun: you can work on anything.

Good luck, and you should encourage her to get on the discussion boards here - they are a great resource.