Architecture, Civil & Engineering Design Drafting, CAD & GIS

Design, Create and Invent

The Architecture, Civil and Engineering Drafting Design, CAD and GIS program offers classes that encourage, enrich, and develop your skills and interests in designing, creating, and inventing using the latest technology.

Academic programs

Architecture
Architecture program leads to the Associate of Science Degree in Architecture for university transfer to Architecture, advanced Tech Prep placement, employment in architectural firms, the AEC (Architectural/Engineering/Construction) and Design industries, Public Works/Utilities.

The program includes applications such as BIM (Building Information Modeling), CADD (Computer Assisted Design and Drafting, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), 3D Printing, and traditional drafting methods and standards.

By the completion of specific General Education courses, this program fulfills many of the requirements and foundation courses for transfer to Baccalaureate Architectural related majors but does not fulfill all transfer requirements for specific Baccalaureate degree programs.

Estimated Cost of Program
- Associate of Science Degree in Architecture: $4,674
- Associate of Science Degree in Architecture Design and Drawing: $4,904
- Certificate in Architecture Design and Drawing: $2,354
Civil Design Technology
Civil Design Technology curriculum will lead to the Associate of Science Degree and prepare students for employment in the field of Civil Engineering as a technician with the potential for more rapid advancement to positions of greater responsibility in surveying and civil construction.

Estimated Cost of Program
- Associate of Science Degree in Civil Design Technology Structures: $4,674
- Associate of Science Degree in Civil Design Technology Land Development: $4,628
- Associate of Science Degree in Civil Design Technology Piping: $4,536
- Associate of Science Degree in Civil Design Technology Transportation: $4,582
- Associate of Science Degree in Civil Design Technology Environmental: $4,582
- Associate of Science Degree in Civil Design and Drawing Technology: $4,306
- Certificate in Civil Design Technology: $3,136
Engineering Design Drafting
This major curriculum leads to the Associate of Science Degree in Engineering Design Drafting for advanced tech prep applications, employment in design, engineering, and manufacturing related industries, public works, utilities, and CADD/Drafting related industries.

Upon completion of specific General Education courses, this program also fulfills many of the requirements and foundation courses for transfer to other Baccalaureate technical majors within Engineering and Industrial Technology but is not intended to fulfill transfer requirements for a Baccalaureate degree.

Estimated Cost of Program
- Associate of Science Degree in Engineering Design and Drafting: $4,674
- Certificate Engineering Design and Drafting: $2,262
GIS (Geographic Information Systems)
The Río Hondo College Geographic Information Systems Certificate provides a professional and academic resource in one of the fastest growing technologies in North America.

A growing number of industries are recognizing GIS and GPS as an Integral part of their practice. GIS is a computer-based data processing tool used to map, manage, analyze, display, and model spatial information to analyze patterns and relationships between many different layers of mapped data simultaneously.

The GIS tool is used in most fields from crime mapping, marketing, landscape architecture, planning, geological and biological science, computer science, education, and most others.

The student completing the GIS certificate program at Río Hondo College will be prepared for a GIS technician level position in the GIS field or for advancement in their current career.

Estimated Cost of Program
- Certificate in Geographic Information Systems: $1,894

Academic programs

Río Hondo Drafting\CAD\GIS Technology Department offers many certificates and degree programs:

Degrees

Certificates of Achievement

Facilities – Drafting

The facilities at Río Hondo College’s ACEDD – GIS department feature the latest in modern computer workstations, printing reproduction equipment, drafting, and model shop. Our facilities are open on Saturdays and extended hours on weekdays to allow students the opportunity to work outside of scheduled class times.

Facilities

Computer labs

The ACEDD – GIS Department boasts 6 computer labs with 25 workstations each. Most open lab workstations are equipped 2.5 GHz XEON hexacore or octa-core based systems with 24 GB of memory and beefed up with 2 GB professional grade GPU. Our network is anchored by several multi-processor servers offering about 10 TB (Terra Byte) of centralized storage.

Students can save their files to their own personal network drives, thus allowing them to work at any workstation. Monitors range in size from 24 to 27-inches flat screen LCD. Disabled access stations are available in every lab. During class, instructors are able to broadcast their presentations, demos, and graphical aids to a large projection screen at the front of the room AND directly to each student’s monitor, delivering an optimized, interactive visual learning experience.
Manual drafting lab

The “Visual Technology” labs include two drafting labs with 24 stations each. Each station offers a large 60″ x 42″ height- and tilt-adjustable drawing surface, omni-positional lighting, track drafting machines with mounted straight-edges, and ergonomic, height-adjustable seating.
Model shop

The engineering technology model shop is available to our students to be used for model making purposes. Some of the tools available in the model shop are band saw, table saw, miter saw, scroll saw, drill press and various model building and wood working tools. Various 3D rapid prototyping printer such as CNC machine, laser cutter, and FDM machine are also available.
Printing and reproduction

Printing facilities at Río Hondo’s “Visual Technology” Department includes two heavy volume laser printers capable of printing “A” size (8.5″ x 11″) and “B” size (11″ x 17″) documents. A network volume color laser printer handles exacting color reproductions of graphics and photo-quality documents on “A” and “B” size paper. Large format printing in both color and black and white are processed by a large format inkjet printer capable of printing photo-quality documents up to 42 inches wide. Students may make use of a large-format color scanner to scan floor plans, maps, and large layouts. An industrial-grade large format copier takes care of large format copying in seconds.