Civil Design
9 courses · Rio Hondo College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
CIV 101 Introduction to Technical Drawing & Graphics
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 54 Lab
- 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-listed. Credit will be granted for one course only.
CIV 140 Civil Engineering & Construction Fundamentals
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 54 Lab
- 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 and geometry 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.
CIV 142 Introduction to Land Surveying and GPS
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 54 Lab
- 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 143 Applications to Surveying and GPS
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 54 Lab
- 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 210 Concrete Technology and Testing
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 18 Lecture, 54 Lab
- 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.
CIV 241 Civil Engineering Drafting and Design
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 54 Lab
- 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.
CIV 245 Civil Engineering Design and Modeling
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 54 Lab
- Prerequisite
- CIV 140, ENGT 150 or ENGT 170
- 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
- Units
- 1-4
- Hours
- 3 Lecture, 54-216 Lab
- 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
- Units
- 1-3
- Hours
- 54-162 Lab
- 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
Independent Study/Directed Study is intended for students who have the ability to assume responsibility for independent work and to prepare written or oral reports and/or appropriate projects. To enroll in an Independent Study/Directed Study course, students must possess a 2.5 overall grade point average or a 3.0 grade point average in the discipline of study being requested, or receive an exception from the instructor. Independent Studies/Directed Studies may be developed from any topic arising from or related to a course of study that will result in developing depth and breadth in that subject area. Students are expected to meet on a regular basis with their faculty sponsor and submit a final report or project, and student progress is evaluated at regular intervals. Academic standards for Independent Studies/Directed Studies are the same as those for other courses. Units are awarded in accordance to Title 5 regulations, with one unit of credit awarded for 54 hours of Directed Studies, 6 hours of which must be with an instructor. The instructor is responsible for monitoring student progress throughout the semester. Students may take directed study courses for a maximum of 3 units within a discipline, and may not accumulate more than a total of 9 units college wide.