3D Modeling and Design Certificate of Achievement

Program Description

This certificate is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in the fields of architecture, civil engineering, structural engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, urban planning, interior design, landscape design, manufacturing, and related fields. Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), Rhino, and Grasshopper are the primary tools used to produce and present designs in these fields. The built environment reflects society, and it impacts how people live. Therefore, this certificate incorporates contributions from historically underrepresented architects, engineers, urban planners, interior designers, and accessibility advocates. This certificate further reflects on the impact of design on underrepresented and historically excluded populations and focuses on how design processes can mitigate those impacts.

The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program.  Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway.  It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.

Division

Science

Department

Architecture & Environmental Design

Career and Academic Pathway (CAP)

Arts, Communication, Design

Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Produce, read, and interpret two and three-dimensional design drawings, documents, and project specifications to gain meaningful information.

  2. Select and generate appropriate drawing types at relevant scales, and utilizing industry conventions, for a given design problem.

  3. Construct three-dimensional models using a variety of software and design techniques, and construct a range of views able to communicate design intent.

  4. Analyze the impact of a design on historically underrepresented populations and on the environment and climate, and offer design variations to mitigate those impacts.

Program Map

GE General Education
O Available Online
Program Requirement
P Program Prerequisites

Term 1

3 units
ARCH 105 - Design Theories, Methods, and Visualizations

This course introduces students to the process of architectural design, exploring the built environment through different media and activities that address distinct design approaches. It includes studies of various representation techniques, media, and processes to express different design philosophies, and an introduction to the tools, techniques, and methods relevant to the design process. The course introduces students to the various scales of architectural intervention, from the dimensions of the human body all the way to the territory of the city.

Course Details:

Term 2

7 units
ARCH 102 - Digital Design Media Level I

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of representing architectural design. The class focuses on architectural drawing conventions, and uses standard architectural software to draft, document, and represent a three-dimensional design through two-dimensional drawings. Attention is drawn to the relationship between technical and presentation drawings, and the course explores and analyzes architectural presentation principles and techniques. 

Course Details:

ARCH 112 - Design Studio I

This introductory architecture design studio course focuses on design process, including the perceptual and physical study of space from conceptualization and form-making to visualization and presentation. Emphasis on design process includes site analysis of environmental, contextual, and cultural aspects of space, design, and the urban environment. Design investigations will focus on a small residential building for a single client that challenges students to consider the environmental and social impact of their design. 

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ARCH 105
  2. Departmental Advisory: ARCH 102

Term 3

7 units
ARCH 113 - Design Studio II

This is a second-level architectural design studio with a focus on site analysis, design conceptualization and form-making, program development, and deep considerations of environmental and cultural contexts. Emphasis is on critical thinking and problem-solving through design, integrating an understanding and articulation of the role of architecture in addressing environmental, social, and climatic inequalities. Design investigations will focus on a public/cultural institution and will utilize digital software to focus on overall design strategies, structural systems, materials, space, light, and a corresponding set of project representations and physical models. 

Course Details:

  1. Prerequisite: ARCH 112
  2. Departmental Advisory: ARCH 103
  3. Departmental Advisory: ENGL 101
    4. or
  4. Departmental Advisory: ENGL 101H
ARCH 103 - Architectural Rendering and Visual Communication

This course serves as an introduction to three-dimensional digital modeling using three-dimensional software, and focuses on how to visually communicate design intent through a series of architectural drawings and diagrams. Different types of renderings and three-dimensional views are introduced, and resulting projects are presented using layout software. 

Course Details: