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Associate of Science Degree
Civil Design

This major provides a focused course of study for students in preparation for careers involving the design and construction of civil engineering projects. The curriculum also puts interested students on the path to licensure as civil engineers. The coursework includes exposure to the broad range of subdisciplines within the field of civil engineering, and closely-related fields such as surveying, architecture, geographic information systems (GIS), and construction. Additionally, the integral coursework focuses on the preparation of common civil project drawings using industry-standard drawing techniques and conventions with hand and/or computer-aided drafting (CAD) tools. As a degree (in contrast to a certificate), this program requires the completion of general education courses; how- ever, if transfer to a university for a baccalaureate or advanced degree is desired, interested students should carefully consider the specific admission and transfer requirements for individual colleges and universities.

Please contact the Student Success Team for this program if you have any questions.

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Sample Education Plan

This sample education plan for the 2024-2025 catalog year represents one possible pathway through the program. Each university (UC, CSU, private, and others) has their own transfer requirements; please see a counselor to create an education plan that is customized to meet your needs. Additional course descriptions may be found in the College Catalog.
Select sample path/map:
CourseUnitsTypically Offered
1st Semester
Select one: ARCH 101 / CIV 101 / ENGT 101 M3.0
ARCH 101 - Introduction to Technical Drawings & Graphics (Same as CIV 101, ENGT 101) (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and be able to read college-level texts.
Transfers to: CSU

This basic course in technical drawing and graphics is for students with no previous drafting skills or training who want to pursue training in fields and careers related to architecture, civil design, and engineering design drafting. Practical application with the tools, techniques, standards, and practices used in the industries that need technical drawings and graphics. ARCH 101, CIV 101, ENGT 101 are cross-listed. Credit will be granted for one course only.

CIV 101 - Introduction to Technical Drawing & Graphics (Same as ARCH 101, ENGT 101) (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts.
Transfers to: CSU

This basic course in technical drawing and graphics is for students with no previous drafting skills or training. The course is designed for students who want to pursue training in fields and careers related to architecture, civil design, and engineering design drafting. Practical application with the tools, techniques, standards, and practices used in the industries that need technical drawings and graphics is a feature of the course. ARCH 101, CIV 101, ENGT 101 are cross-llisted. Credit will be granted for one course only.

ENGT 101 - Introduction to Technical Drawing & Graphics (Same as ARCH 101, CIV 101) (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts.
Transfers to:UC,CSU

This basic course in technical drawing and graphics is for students with no previous drafting skills or training. The course is designed for students who want to pursue training in fields and careers related to architecture, civil design, and engineering design drafting. Practical application with the tools, techniques, standards, and practices used in the industries that need technical drawings and graphics is a feature of the course. ARCH 101, CIV 101, ENGT 101 are cross-listed courses. Credit will be granted for one course only..

Select one: ENGR 100 / ENGT 100 M2.0
ENGR 100 - Introduction to Engineering (Same as ENGT 138) (2.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level, read college-level texts, and have knowledge of elementary algebra concepts.
Transfers to:CSU

This introductory course considers different branches of engineering, the engineering industries, and the functions of engineers and related roles. Topics include the methods and tools of engineering problem solving and design, the place of engineering in society, and engineering ethics. Students learn about the educational requirements for careers in engineering fields and effective strategies to be academically successful in engineering programs, practice developing communication skills pertinent to engineering professions, and explore a variety of engineering career pathways to plan and shape career goals.

ENGT 100 - Introduction to Engineering (2.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level, read college-level texts, and have knowledge of elementary algebra concepts.
Transfers to:CSU, UC

This introductory course considers different branches of engineering, the engineering industries, and the functions of engineers and related roles. Topics include the methods and tools of engineering problem-solving and design, the place of engineering in society, and engineering ethics. Students learn about the educational requirements for careers in engineering fields and effective strategies to be academically successful in engineering programs, practice developing communication skills pertinent to engineering professions, and explore a variety of engineering career pathways to plan and shape career goals.

ENGL 101 - College Composition and Research (RHC GE 1b and 8a)GE3.5
ENGL 101 - College Composition and Research (3.5 units)

Prerequisite:Enrollment requires appropriate placement (based on high school GPA and/or other measures), or eligibility for college composition.
Transfers to:UC, CSU

This composition course enables students to generate logical, coherent essays that incorporate sources necessary for academic and professional success. Students become proficient in researching, evaluating, and incorporating sources, and in learning critical reading and thinking skills through expository and persuasive reading selections before applying these skills to creating original documented essays. The writing workshop component of the course is designed to assist students with improving and refining their writing and language skills: Students complete writing workshop activities that enhance their ability to compose logical, well-supported arguments that exhibit grammatical fluency and correct citation styles. Students meet with composition instructors through individual or small group conferences that address students’ specific writing concerns. This course is designed for students who wish to fulfill the General Education requirement for Written Communication.

Select one: MATH 150 / FIN 101 / MATH 130 / MATH 130H / PSY 190 (RHC GE 2)GE3.0†
Notes:
While the above course(s) are recommended, students may take any of the following courses to fulfill this requirement:  FIN 101, MATH 060, MATH 073, MATH 130/H, MATH 140, MATH 150, MATH 160, MATH 170, MATH 175, MATH 180, MATH 190/H, PSY 190.

MATH 150 - Survey of Mathematics (3.0 units)

Prerequisite:Enrollment requires appropriate placement (based on high school GPA and/or other measures), or completion of an intermediate algebra course.
Transfers to: CSU, UC

In this course students will learn to read and understand quantitative information, solve practical problems, and make sound decisions using numbers. Topics include consumer applications, logic, probability, statistics, algebra, and geometry. This course is for students who need a quantitative reasoning course for graduation or transfer.

FIN 101 - Introduction to Financial Planning (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to read college-level texts.
Prerequisite:Enrollment requires appropriate placement (based on high school GPA and/or other measures), or completion of an elementary algebra course.
Transfers to: UC, CSU

This course provides an overview of the fundamentals of financial planning, and is designed to provide students with tools needed to achieve their personal financial goals. Students learn to make informed decisions related to spending, saving, borrowing, and investing by applying quantitative reasoning concepts. Course topics include the financial planning process, budgeting, cash flow, debt consolidation, investing, and retirement planning.

MATH 130 - Statistics (4.0 units)

Prerequisite:Enrollment requires appropriate placement (based on high school GPA and/or other measures), or completion of a pre-statistics or an intermediate algebra course.
Advisory: ENGL 101; READ 101
Transfers to: UC (*crdit limit),CSU
(*Students will receive credit for only one of the following courses: MATH 130 or MATH 130H)

This course is designed for students majoring in business, social sciences, and life sciences. This course provides an overview of descriptive and inferential statistics. Students learn to read, interpret, and present data in a well-organized way via a study of frequency distributions, graphs, measures of central tendency and variability, correlation, and linear regression. While discussing inferential statistics, students learn to make generalizations about populations, including probability, sampling techniques, confidence intervals, and hypothesis tests.

MATH 130H - Statistics Honors (4.0 units)

Prerequisite:Enrollment requires appropriate placement (based on high school GPA and/or other measures), or completion of a pre-statistics or an intermediate algebra course and ENGL 101
Advisory: READ 101
Transfers to: UC (*credit limit), CSU
(*Students will receive credit for only one of the following courses: MATH 130 or MATH 130H)

This course is designed for students majoring in business, social sciences, and life sciences. This course provides an overview of descriptive and inferential statistics. Students learn to read, interpret, and present data in a well-organized way via a study of frequency distributions, graphs, measures of central tendency and variability, correlation, and linear regression. While discussing inferential statistics, students learn to make generalizations about populations, including probability, sampling techniques, confidence intervals, and hypothesis tests. This course is intended for students who meet Honors Program requirements.

PSY 190 - Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (4.0 units)

Prerequisite:Enrollment requires appropriate placement (based on high school GPA and/or other measures), or completion of a pre-statistics or an intermediate algebra course.
Advisory:ENGL 101 and the ability to read college-level texts.
Transfers to: UC (*credit limit), CSU
(*The UC will grant credit for only one of the following courses: MATH 130 or MATH 130H or PSY 190)

This course provides an overview of the types of statistics that are important in the behavioral sciences. It is designed to teach students majoring in psychology, sociology, political science, and anthropology how to present and interpret experimental data. The course focuses on hypothesis testing and the statistics used to analyze assumptions, with topics including basic probability, measures of central tendency, measures of variance, sampling, and inferential statistics.

RHC GE 7b - HumanitiesGE3.0†

Notes:
All honors courses have a prerequisite.
† some classes may have higher units. 

Select one:
ANTH 104;
ASL 101, 124, 201, 202;
CHIN 101, 102;
CHST 101, 146, 148, 148H, 150;
EGSS 130;
ENGL 126, 131;
FR 101, 102, 201, 202;
HIST 101, 102, 122, 131, 143, 143H, 144, 144H, 156, 157, 158, 159, 159H, 167, 170;
HUM 110, 111, 125, 125H, 130, 140, 145;
JAPN 101, 102;
KIN 199
LIT 102, 102H, 112A, 112AH, 112B, 112BH, 114, 114H, 117, 117H, 130, 130H,140, 140H, 141, 141H, 142, 142H, 144A, 144AH, 144B, 144BH, 145, 145H, 146A, 146AH, 146B, 146BH, 147, 147H, 148, 148H, 149, 149H;
MSCM 128;
PHIL 101, 101H, 102, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 128H, 135, 140;
POLS 128, 128H, 150;
SPAN 101, 101S, 102, 102S, 201, 201H, 202;
SPCH 130, 132

Total Semester Units:14.5† 
2nd Semester
CIV 140 - Civil Engineering & Construction FundamentalsM4.0
CIV 140 - Civil Engineering & Construction Fundamentals (4.0 units)

Advisory:ARCH 101 or CIV 101 or ENGT 101 or two years of high school drafting; It is also advised that students have a knowledge of elementary algebra concepts.
Transfers to: CSU

This course provides an overview of various civil engineering subdisciplines, including common tasks required of civil engineers and their support staff for the design and construction of projects. Students complete basic level engineering calculations and use hand drafting techniques or computer aided design and drafting (CADD) software to complete projects relating to subdivision development, roadway planning and layout, structural design and detailing, site grading, project scheduling, wastewater management, and similar engineering tasks. Students are also introduced to future trends in construction technology, and explore building information modeling (BIM) and virtual design and construction (VDC) technologies and their impact.

Select one: ARCH 110 / ARCH 115 M3.0†
ARCH 110 - Construction Document Reading and Estimating (3.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level, be able to read college-level texts, and have knowledge of elementary algebra concepts.
Transfers to: CSU

This course is designed for architecture students as well as apprentices and employees in all areas of the construction industry, and covers residential, light commercial, and industrial building construction. The course introduces the use of prints, construction documents, and the theory of construction estimating as used in the building industry. Principles of reading working drawings and plans; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) specifications; details and elevations; and electrical specifications are included, as are materials estimating, and estimating rules, tables, and procedures.

ARCH 115 - Introduction to Residential Architecture: Drawing and Design (4.0 units)

Advisory:ARCH 101 or CIV 101 or ENGT 101 or two years of high school drafting
Transfers to: CSU

This introductory course is for students interested in the field of architectural drawing and design. The course includes the study of architectural graphic standards related to creating construction drawings for residential projects (e.g., site plans, floor plans, roof plans, and elevations). Electrical, foundation and framing, and other drawings for a single-family residential structure are discussed. Emphasis is placed on symbology, conventions, and techniques to develop technical skills an entry-level architectural drafter needs. Construction methods, building codes, design factors, planning, and the use of reference materials are discussed and applied. All construction documents are developed using traditional board drafting methods and standards.

Select one: ENGT 150 / ENGT 170 M4.0
ENGT 150 - AutoCAD for Basic CADD Applications (4.0 units)

Advisory:ARCH 101 or CIV 101 or ENGT 101 or two years of high school drafting
Transfers to:UC,CSU

This course is for students preparing for high-technology careers who need the skills necessary to function as an entry-level computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) operator, or to apply CADD to the specific disciplines of mechanical and architectural design, manufacturing, illustration, and engineering-related documents. An overview of computer graphics and CADD utilizing the latest release of AutoCAD software is provided. Students produce 2D orthographic, isometric, and basic 3D model solutions of mechanical and architectural applications.

ENGT 170 - MicroStation for Basic CADD Applications (4.0 units)

Advisory:ARCH 101 or CIV 101 or ENGT 101 or two years of high school drafting
Transfers to: CSU

This course is for students preparing for high technology careers who need the skills necessary to function as an entry level CADD operator or to apply CADD to specific disciplines of mechanical and architectural design, manufacturing, illustration and engineering related documents. An overview of computer graphics and CADD (Computer Assisted Design and Drawing) utilizing the latest release of MicroStation software will be provided. Students will produce 2D orthographic and basic 3D model solutions of mechanical and architectural applications.

RHC GE 7a - Fine ArtsGE3.0

Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite.

Select one:
ARCH 103
ART 101, 104, 105, 105H, 106, 106H, 107, 108, 109, 110, 112, 113, 115, 117, 120, 130, 135, 140;
DANC 179, 179H, 199, 199H;
GDSN 110:
MUS 101, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135, 136;
MUST 151, 152;
PHTO 110, 130;
THTR 101, 105, 105H, 110, 150

RHC GE 3 - Physical EducationGE1.0

Select one: KINA or DANC activity course.
Students who have completed a Fire, Police, Wildland Fire, or Corrections Academy from an accredited institution are automatically waived from this requirement, as are students with a DD214 on file. Exemption may be granted to those students physically unable to complete this requirement. Exemption forms are available in Student Health & Psychological Services.

Total Semester Units:15.0† 
Summer 1
RHC GE 4 - American InstitutionsGE3.0

Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite.

Select one:
POLS 110, 110H;
HIST 143, 143H, 144, 144H, 156, 157, 158, 159, 159H, 170

RHC GE 3 - Physical EducationGE1.0

Select one: KINA or DANC activity course.
Students who have completed a Fire, Police, Wildland Fire, or Corrections Academy from an accredited institution are automatically waived from this requirement, as are students with a DD214 on file. Exemption may be granted to those students physically unable to complete this requirement. Exemption forms are available in Student Health & Psychological Services.

Total Semester Units:4.0 
3rd Semester
CIV 142 - Introduction to Surveying and GPSM4.0
CIV 142 - Introduction to Surveying and GPS (4.0 units)

Advisory:CIT 102; It is also advised that students have a knowledge of elementary algebra and geometry concepts.
Transfers to: CSU

This course is for students interested in the career fields of civil design drafting, surveying/mapping, and civil engineering. It covers the principles and practices of land surveying, including measuring distance, direction, elevation and position; topographic mapping; and the use and care of surveying equipment. The fundamentals of global positioning systems (GPS) and their applications in land surveying will also be introduced. This course will also be beneficial for practitioners in the construction industry who need to acquire property data.

CIV 210 - Concrete Technology and TestingM2.0
CIV 210 - Concrete Technology and Testing (2.0 units)

Advisory:CIV 140 or industry experience
Transfers to: CSU

This course is an introduction to the use of concrete as a common construction material. The course is intended for students who intend to pursue careers in construction and/or wish to progress into construction management as a sub-discipline of civil engineering. Topics include the components, physical properties, mix design, quality control, and placing and testing of concrete. The course includes classroom lectures and assignments as well as lab projects with direct experience in working with and testing concrete.

RHC GE 6 - Social and Behavioral ScienceGE3.0

Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite.

Select one:
AJ 101
ANTH 102, 102H, 103, 104, 110, 115, 125;
CD 106, 208;
CHST 101, 146, 148, 148H, 150;
ECON 101, 101H, 102, 102H, 106, 135;
EGSS 110, 120, 130;
GEOG 102, 103;
HIST 101, 102, 122, 131, 143, 143H, 144, 144H, 156, 157, 158, 159, 159H, 167, 170;
HUM 110, 111, 125, 125H, 130;
KIN 170, 190, 195
MSCM 103, 128;
PHIL 128, 128H, 135;
POLS 110, 110H, 115, 125, 128, 128H, 130, 135,140,150;
PSY 101, 101H, 112, 114, 180, 200;
SOC 101, 101H, 102, 105, 110, 114, 116, 120, 127, 130;
SPCH 150

RHC GE 5 - Natural Science with LabGE4.0

Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite.

Select one Natural Science with Lab:
ANTH 101, 101H & 101L;
ASTR 110, 110H & 112, 137;
BIOL 101, 105 & 105L, 111 & 111L, 112, 120 & 120L;
BIOT 100;
CHEM 110, 120, 130;
GEOG 101 & 101L;
GEOL 150 & 151, 152 & 152L;
PHY 120, 150, 160, 211, 212, 213

Total Semester Units:13.0 
4th Semester
CIV 241 - Civil Engineering Drafting and DesignM3.0
CIV 241 - Civil Engineering Drafting and Design (3.0 units)

Prerequisite: CIV 140; ENGT 150 or ENGT 170
Transfers to: CSU

This intermediate-level course is for students interested in the career field of civil design drafting and civil engineering. In the course the practice and preparation of drawings pertaining to the civil engineering field will be expanded to include the development of maps and drawings used for site development, grading and drainage, and road alignment. Preparing construction documents for buildings and related constructs will also be covered. Other topics include project notes, specifications, and details for civil engineering drawings. Students will use both hand drafting and computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) to complete projects related to these topics.

Select 5 units from: CIV 143 / CIV 245 / CIV 290 / CIV 299 / GIS 120 M5.0
CIV 143 - Applications to Surveying and GPS (4.0 units)

Prerequisite: CIV 142
Transfers to: CSU

This course is for students who have a basic understanding of surveying and are interested in pursuing a career in the field of land surveying. The course presents advanced applications that will cover the theory and practice of plane surveying, including principles of position, horizontal and vertical curves, construction staking, alignments, field procedures, the U.S. Public Land Survey System, boundary surveying, and the use and care of surveying equipment.

CIV 245 - Civil Engineering Design and Modeling (3.0 units)

Prerequisite: CIV 140; ENGT 150 or ENGT 170
Prerequisite/Corequisite:CIV 241
Transfers to: CSU

This advanced-level course is for students interested in the career fields of civil engineering design drafting and civil engineering, and takes up the design, analysis, and preparation of drawings used in the civil engineering field. Students will use civil engineering software such as Bentley's OpenRoads or Autodesk's Civil 3D to complete projects relating to transportation and site development, including grading, drainage, and road alignment plans and details. Specific areas of focus include the use of software for terrain modeling and editing, surfaces, profiles, cross-sections, earthwork computations, and site planning design.

CIV 290 - Work Experience Education/Internship for Civil-Related Fields (1.0 units)

Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts.
Transfers to: CSU

This course supports and reinforces on-the-job training in business and industrial establishments under the supervision of a college instructor. Training is informed by learning objectives. Students work in a skilled or professional-level assignment in their area of vocational interest, and meet performance objectives related to instruction that are above and beyond the conditions of regular employment. This course is intended for students whose job is related to the fields of civil design drafting and have completed or enrolled in the appropriate coursework. The course may be taken once and repeated for a maximum of 16 units. Contact the Work Experience Education Office regarding re-enrollment procedures..

CIV 299 - Directed Study in Civil Design Technology (1.0 units)

Prerequisite: 2.5 overall grade point average, and a 3.0 grade point average in the discipline of study being requested, or receive an exception from the instructor
Transfers to: CSU

This course provides an opportunity for students to expand their studies in Civil Design Technology beyond the classroom by completing a project or an assignment arranged by an agreement between students and an instructor. Students are required to contract with the instructor to determine the scope of the assignment and the unit value assigned for successful completion. Students may take a maximum of 3 units of directed study within a discipline and 9 units college-wide.

GIS 120 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis (4.0 units)

Advisory:CIT 101
Prerequisite: Enrollment requires appropriate placement (based on high school GPA and/or other measures), or completion of an intermediate algebra course.
Transfers to: UC (*credit limit), CSU
(*Students will receive credit for only one of the following courses: GIS 120 or GIS 220)

This course introduces fundamental concepts of geographic information and spatial analysis. Using industry standard geospatial application tools including geographic information systems (GIS), global positioning systems (GPS), and small unmanned aerial vehicle (sUAVs), students perform spatial analysis in various disciplines including but not limited to business, public safety, health, politics, civil engineering, and environmental, social, biological and geological sciences. Students learn how to organize geospatial data; visualize spatial patterns by aggregating numbers by areas, analyzing ratios and proportions, generating scatterplots, qualifying volumes and areas, and performing map algebra; and interpret correlations or suitable locations based on provided or researched criteria.

RHC GE 8b - Communication/Analytical ThinkingGE3.0
Notes:
*If they complete transferable math they don't need to complete COMM/ANALYTIC just elective.

Notes:
All honors courses have a prerequisite.
† some classes may have higher units.

Select one:
CIT 101, 125, 135;
ENGL 125, 201, 201H;
FIN 101;
GIS 120;
MATH 130, 130H, 140, 150, 160, 170, 175, 180, 190, 190H, 191, 250, 251, 260, 270;
PHIL 110, 110H, 112, 112H, 115;
PSY 190;
SPCH 100, 100H, 101, 101H, 120, 140;
READ 101;
VOCB 101

ElectiveEL3.0

Select any course that is numbered 40 or above. Please see a counselor to discuss course options.

Total Semester Units:14.0 
Total Units for Civil Design AS program 60.5† 
Notes:
AP exams and courses taken outside of Rio Hondo College may fulfill general education and/or major requirements. Please check with a counselor.
Choose a minimum of 5 units Semester 3 and/or Semester 4: CIV 143, CIV 245, CIV 290, CIV 299, GIS 120
Legend:
Some classes may have higher units
M Major course; course may also meet a general education requirement
GEGeneral Education course
ELElective Course
Advising Sheet:
Click or tap here to open the program's advising sheet.

Program Learning Outcomes

1

Given various visual communication technologies, such as traditional drafting and CADD; and industry standards, such as AEC Graphic Standards, students will effectively communicate, understand, and interpret design concepts and criteria for the civil engineering field.


2

Students will be prepared for industry employment and advancement within a variety of related professions, such as civil engineering, construction engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, and geotechnical engineering.


3

Students will be prepared to transfer to advanced fields of study in related occupations.


About RHC

Rio Hondo College, serving the communities of El Monte, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, and Whittier for over 50 years.

Contact

Rio Hondo College
3600 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601

Phone: (562) 692-0921
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