Environmental Technology refers to the skills and knowledge that allows a person to work in the environmental field in compliance with governmental regulations and at the same time protect human health and the environment.
The Environmental Technology Associate of Science Degree Program is a two-year program designed to prepare students to either enter the work force at the technician level or transfer into a bachelors’ degree program.
Please contact the Student Success Team for this program if you have any questions.Course | Units | Typically Offered |
1st Semester | ||
ET 130 - Health Effects of Environmental Hazardous MaterialsM | 3.0 | |
ET 130 - Health Effects of Environmental Hazardous Materials (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. This course is designed to educate students working in or seeking employment in areas that include health and safety responsibilities. The course provides an overview of how to identify and evaluate the hazards of chemical, physical, and biological agents that can be encountered in industrial operations, as well as waste disposal and remediation sites. | ||
BIOL 120 - Environmental Biology (RHC GE 5)M | 3.0 | |
BIOL 120 - Environmental Biology (3.0 units) (Formerly BIOL 020) Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level, read college-level texts, and have a knowledge of elementary algebra concepts. In this course, students utilize basic biological concepts and an interdisciplinary approach to determine how to address environmental challenges. Topics may include ecosystem characteristics and functions, population dynamics, energy and material resource use, pollution, and alternative energy sources. Because the course takes up the social, political, and economic implications of environmental decisions, it is intended for students from many disciplines, including non-STEM disciplines. This course fulfills the general education requirement for life sciences majors. | ||
BIOL 120L - Environmental Biology LaboratoryM | 1.0 | |
BIOL 120L - Environmental Biology Laboratory (1.0 units) (Formerly BIOL 020L) Prerequisite/Corequisite: BIOL 120 This laboratory course complements the Environmental Biology lecture course and is designed for students interested in furthering their understanding of the environmental sciences. The scientific method is employed to investigate ecosystems and their functions, natural selection, population interactions, environmental toxicology, radiation exposure effects, soil and groundwater systems, water pollution, alternative energy systems, and environmental resistance. This is a required course for Environmental Science majors. | ||
RHC GE 7a - Fine ArtsGE | 3.0 | |
Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite. Select one: | ||
ElectiveEL | 3.0 | |
Select any course that is numbered 40 or above. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
Total Semester Units: | 13.0 | |
2nd Semester | ||
CIT 101 - Introduction to Computer Information Technology (RHC GE 8b)M | 3.0 | |
CIT 101 - Introduction to Computer Information Technology (3.0 units) (Formerly IS 101) Advisory: CIT 051; It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts. This course is an examination of information technologies and information systems used in business, with a focus on information systems, database management systems, networking, ethics and security, computer hardware, and software applications and development. Application of these concepts and methods through hands-on projects are used to develop computer-based solutions to business problems. | ||
ET 230 - Safety and Emergency ResponseM | 4.0 | |
ET 230 - Safety and Emergency Response (4.0 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. This course is designed to provide students working or seeking employment in the environmental technology field with hands-on instruction in safety and emergency response to chemical and physical exposures at hazardous waste sites. Topics include hazard identification, emergency response planning, proper use and selection of personal protective equipment (PPE), site control and evaluation, handling drums and containers, field sampling and air monitoring, proper use of instruments, confined spaces, and emergency response including field exercises in the use of air-purifying respirators (APR) and self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA). This course satisfies the requirements for 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standard 1910.120 and confined space entry training under OSHA Standard 1910.146. | ||
ENGL C1000 - Academic Reading and Writing (formerly ENGL 101) (RHC GE 1b and 8a)GE | 3.5 | |
ENGL C1000 - Academic Reading and Writing (formerly ENGL 101) (3.5 units) (Formerly ENGL 001A, ENGL 101) Prerequisite:Placement as determined by the college’s multiple measures assessment process. In this course, students receive instruction in academic reading and writing, including writing processes, effective use of language, analytical thinking, and the foundations of academic research. 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. | ||
RHC GE 4 - American InstitutionsGE | 3.0 | |
Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite. Select one: | ||
Total Semester Units: | 13.5 | |
Summer 1 | ||
Major ElectiveM | 3.0 | |
Notes: See major sheet for major elective options. The following areas of specialization are available: Waste Management, Land Use Planning & Environmental Restoration, Water Resources, Alternative & Efficient Energy Systems, and Environmental Health &Safety. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
RHC GE 3 - Physical EducationGE | 1.0 | |
Select one: KINA or DANC activity course. | ||
Total Semester Units: | 4.0 | |
3rd Semester | ||
ET 260 - Environmental Sampling and AnalysisM | 4.0 | |
ET 260 - Environmental Sampling and Analysis (4.0 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. This course provides an overview of the techniques of sampling protocols for obtaining soil, air, surface water, and groundwater samples based on sampling protocols approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the lecture, emphasis is placed on aspects of the procurement of samples through the EPA-approved standard operating procedures and practices. In the laboratory, students gain practical knowledge and skills for the appropriate collection and handling of environmental samples. | ||
Major ElectiveM | 3.0 | |
Notes: See major sheet for major elective options. The following areas of specialization are available: Waste Management, Land Use Planning & Environmental Restoration, Water Resources, Alternative & Efficient Energy Systems, and Environmental Health &Safety. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
RHC GE 6 - Social and Behavioral SciencesGE | 3.0 | |
Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite. Select one: | ||
RHC GE 7b - HumanitiesGE | 3.0† | |
Notes: Select one: | ||
Total Semester Units: | 13.0† | |
4th Semester | ||
Major ElectiveM | 3.0 | |
Notes: See major sheet for major elective options. The following areas of specialization are available: Waste Management, Land Use Planning & Environmental Restoration, Water Resources, Alternative & Efficient Energy Systems, and Environmental Health &Safety. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
Major ElectiveM | 3.0 | |
Notes: See major sheet for major elective options. The following areas of specialization are available: Waste Management, Land Use Planning & Environmental Restoration, Water Resources, Alternative & Efficient Energy Systems, and Environmental Health &Safety. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
Major ElectiveM | 3.0 | |
Notes: See major sheet for major elective options. The following areas of specialization are available: Waste Management, Land Use Planning & Environmental Restoration, Water Resources, Alternative & Efficient Energy Systems, and Environmental Health &Safety. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
Select one: MATH 150 / MATH 175 (RHC GE 2)GE | 3.0 | |
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. 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. MATH 175 - Plane Trigonometry (3.0 units) (Formerly MATH 090, 033) Prerequisite:Enrollment requires appropriate placement (based on high school GPA and/or other measures), or completion of a geometry and an intermediate algebra course. This course is for students majoring in mathematics, science, and engineering. The course equips students with the skills necessary for success in precalculus, presenting the concepts of plane trigonometry using a functions approach. The course also includes a study of trigonometric functions including their inverses and graphs, identities and proofs related to trigonometric expressions, trigonometric equations, solving right triangles, solving triangles using the law of cosines and the law of sines, polar coordinates, and an introduction to vectors. | ||
Total Semester Units: | 12.0 | |
Summer 2 | ||
RHC GE 3 - Physical EducationGE | 1.0 | |
Select one: KINA or DANC activity course. | ||
ElectiveEL | 1.0 | |
Select any course that is numbered 40 or above. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
ElectiveEL | 3.0 | |
Select any course that is numbered 40 or above. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
Total Semester Units: | 5.0 | |
Total Units for Environmental Technology AS program | 60.5† | |
|
† | Some classes may have higher units |
M | Major course; course may also meet a general education requirement |
GE | General Education course |
EL | Elective Course |
Course | Units | Typically Offered |
1st Semester | ||
ET 130 - Health Effects of Environmental Hazardous MaterialsM | 3.0 | |
ET 130 - Health Effects of Environmental Hazardous Materials (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. This course is designed to educate students working in or seeking employment in areas that include health and safety responsibilities. The course provides an overview of how to identify and evaluate the hazards of chemical, physical, and biological agents that can be encountered in industrial operations, as well as waste disposal and remediation sites. | ||
BIOL 120 - Environmental Biology (IGETC 5B)M | 3.0 | |
BIOL 120 - Environmental Biology (3.0 units) (Formerly BIOL 020) Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level, read college-level texts, and have a knowledge of elementary algebra concepts. In this course, students utilize basic biological concepts and an interdisciplinary approach to determine how to address environmental challenges. Topics may include ecosystem characteristics and functions, population dynamics, energy and material resource use, pollution, and alternative energy sources. Because the course takes up the social, political, and economic implications of environmental decisions, it is intended for students from many disciplines, including non-STEM disciplines. This course fulfills the general education requirement for life sciences majors. | ||
BIOL 120L - Environmental Biology Laboratory (IGETC 5C)M | 1.0 | |
BIOL 120L - Environmental Biology Laboratory (1.0 units) (Formerly BIOL 020L) Prerequisite/Corequisite: BIOL 120 This laboratory course complements the Environmental Biology lecture course and is designed for students interested in furthering their understanding of the environmental sciences. The scientific method is employed to investigate ecosystems and their functions, natural selection, population interactions, environmental toxicology, radiation exposure effects, soil and groundwater systems, water pollution, alternative energy systems, and environmental resistance. This is a required course for Environmental Science majors. | ||
Cal-GETC 3a - ArtsGE | 3.0† | |
Notes: Select one: | ||
Total Semester Units: | 10.0† | |
2nd Semester | ||
Select one: GIS 120 / CIT 101 M | 3.0† | |
GIS 120 - Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Analysis (4.0 units) Advisory:CIT 101 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. CIT 101 - Introduction to Computer Information Technology (3.0 units) (Formerly IS 101) Advisory: CIT 051; It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts. This course is an examination of information technologies and information systems used in business, with a focus on information systems, database management systems, networking, ethics and security, computer hardware, and software applications and development. Application of these concepts and methods through hands-on projects are used to develop computer-based solutions to business problems. | ||
ET 230 - Safety and Emergency ResponseM | 4.0 | |
ET 230 - Safety and Emergency Response (4.0 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. This course is designed to provide students working or seeking employment in the environmental technology field with hands-on instruction in safety and emergency response to chemical and physical exposures at hazardous waste sites. Topics include hazard identification, emergency response planning, proper use and selection of personal protective equipment (PPE), site control and evaluation, handling drums and containers, field sampling and air monitoring, proper use of instruments, confined spaces, and emergency response including field exercises in the use of air-purifying respirators (APR) and self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA). This course satisfies the requirements for 40-hour Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standard 1910.120 and confined space entry training under OSHA Standard 1910.146. | ||
ENGL C1000 - Academic Reading and Writing (formerly ENGL 101) (IGETC 1A)GE | 3.5 | |
ENGL C1000 - Academic Reading and Writing (formerly ENGL 101) (3.5 units) (Formerly ENGL 001A, ENGL 101) Prerequisite:Placement as determined by the college’s multiple measures assessment process. In this course, students receive instruction in academic reading and writing, including writing processes, effective use of language, analytical thinking, and the foundations of academic research. 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. | ||
Select one: POLS C1000 / POLS C1000H (IGETC 4)GE | 3.0 | |
POLS C1000 - American Government and Politics (3.0 units) (Formerly POLS 110, 002) Advisory:It is advised that students be able to engage in written composition at a college level and read college-level texts. This course is an introduction to government and politics in the United States and California. Students examine the constitutions, structure, and operation of governing institutions, civil liberties and civil rights, political behaviors, political issues, and public policy using political science theory and methodology. POLS C1000H - American Government and Politics - Honors (3.0 units) (Formerly POLYS 110H, POLS 110H) Advisory: ENGL C1000 This is an introduction to government and politics in the United States and California. Students examine the constitutions, structure, and operation of governing institutions, civil liberties and civil rights, political behaviors, and public policy using political science theory and methodology. This is an honors course. | ||
Total Semester Units: | 13.5† | |
3rd Semester | ||
ET 260 - Environmental Sampling and AnalysisM | 4.0 | |
ET 260 - Environmental Sampling and Analysis (4.0 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. This course provides an overview of the techniques of sampling protocols for obtaining soil, air, surface water, and groundwater samples based on sampling protocols approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the lecture, emphasis is placed on aspects of the procurement of samples through the EPA-approved standard operating procedures and practices. In the laboratory, students gain practical knowledge and skills for the appropriate collection and handling of environmental samples. | ||
Cal-GETC 3b - HumanitiesGE | 3.0† | |
Notes: Select one: | ||
The course data is currently unavailable. | 0 | |
US HISTORY (IGETC 4)GE | 3.0 | |
Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite. All CSU campuses have a graduation requirement in American Institutions. Students may choose one of the following US History courses to partially fulfill this requirement: HIST 143, 143H, 144, 144H, 156, 157, 158, 159, 159H, 170. | ||
Total Semester Units: | 10.0† | |
4th Semester | ||
Cal-GETC 1b - Critical Thinking and CompositionM | 3.0† | |
Notes: Select one: | ||
Major ElectiveM | 3.0 | |
Notes: See major sheet for major elective options. The following areas of specialization are available: Waste Management, Land Use Planning & Environmental Restoration, Water Resources, Alternative & Efficient Energy Systems, and Environmental Health &Safety. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
Major ElectiveM | 3.0 | |
Notes: See major sheet for major elective options. The following areas of specialization are available: Waste Management, Land Use Planning & Environmental Restoration, Water Resources, Alternative & Efficient Energy Systems, and Environmental Health &Safety. Please see a counselor to discuss course options. | ||
MATH 150 - Survey of Mathematics (IGETC 2A)GE | 3.0 | |
Notes: While the above course(s) are recommended, students may take any of the following courses to fulfill this requirement: MATH 130/H, MATH 150, MATH 160, MATH 170, MATH 180, MATH190/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. 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. | ||
Total Semester Units: | 12.0† | |
5th Semester | ||
Cal-GETC 5b - Biological ScienceGE | 3.0 | |
Notes: See major sheet for major elective options. The following areas of specialization are available: Waste Management, Land Use Planning & Environmental Restoration, Water Resources, Alternative & Efficient Energy Systems, and Environmental Health &Safety. Notes: Select one: | ||
Cal-GETC 1c - Oral CommunicationGE | 3.0 | |
Note: All honors courses have a prerequisite. Select one: | ||
The course data is currently unavailable. | 0 | |
Cal-GETC 6 - Ethnic StudiesGE | 3.0 | |
Select one: | ||
Total Semester Units: | 9.0 | |
Total Units for Environmental Technology AS program (Transfer to Cal-GETC) | 54.5† | |
|
|
† | Some classes may have higher units |
M | Major course; course may also meet a general education requirement |
GE | General Education course |
EL | Elective Course |
Click or tap here to open the program's advising sheet. |
Students will identify the types of environmental, health, and safety hazards that may be encountered in the environmental field.
Rio Hondo College, serving the communities of El Monte, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, and Whittier for over 50 years.
Rio Hondo College
3600 Workman Mill Road
Whittier, CA 90601
Phone: (562) 692-0921
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