The Architecture Certificate at West Valley College provides career technical education in the field of Architecture and primarily prepares students to work as technicians in different areas of the construction industry. The Architecture courses at West Valley cover the following areas of study: building design, graphics, history, practical/technical communication, codes, construction, and structural design. An increasing number of West Valley College courses leverage computer technology as an educational tool. Students, upon successful completion of this certificate, are prepared to work as technicians in the following careers: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Historic Preservation Architecture, Interior Design, Construction Management, Facilities Management, Specification Writing, Structural Engineering, and Architectural Graphics.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program a student will be able to:

🗸 Apply building codes, zoning codes, and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations.
🗸 Demonstrate creativity and problem-solving abilities in designing residential and commercial buildings.
🗸 Use standard dimensions for space planning and human occupancy using Architectural Graphic Standards.
🗸 Communicate effectively and professionally in the architectural environment through proper use of verbal, written and graphic techniques.
🗸 Apply mathematical skills to solve technical problems associated with architectural drawings.
🗸 Develop architectural drawings including construction drawings and presentation drawings.
🗸 Use computer graphics applications associated with architectural projects.
🗸 Select construction materials based upon their properties and methods of installation.
🗸 Apply principles of structural design.