After 10 years of working 60-hour weeks as an animator in Hollywood, Justin Horvath needed a change — and a better balance between his professional and personal lives.

So Horvath headed east in 2010 to get his master’s degree in educational/instructional technology from Boston University. The degree opened the door to the field of online learning, helping him to land a position as an instructional designer at Northeastern University, where he combines his multimedia skills with his interests in education and technology.