Welcome to the Department of Architecture at West Valley College!

The Department of Architecture has more than four decades of history. It was founded in 1975 and is located at the main West Valley College campus in Saratoga, California in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  We respect the past by offering traditional manual drafting, sketching, and hand-drawn design production courses. We also look ahead, by using advanced technology and digital media applications which are applicable to architectural and engineering courses and required by the industry. The Department of Architecture & Engineering offers a choice of four distinct programs: Architecture, Engineering, Historic Preservation, and Landscape Architecture.

Visit Our Department Website!

About Architecture:

The Architecture program is unique within Silicon Valley and offers two programs: the Associate of Science Degree in Architecture and a Certificate in Architecture.

West Valley College is one of two Community Colleges in California that offers a Certificate program in Historic Preservation. West Valley College is one of four Community Colleges in California that offers a transfer program via an Associate of Science Degree in Landscape Architecture. The Department offers also a Certificate program in Landscape Architecture.

Transfer Preparation/Career Opportunities:

 The Department is committed to the broad educational mission of the American Community College system, which is to offer lower-division academic instruction necessary for transfer students to higher education; to offer skill-related courses necessary to prepare individuals who are in need of an immediate job; and to offer courses that satisfy returning students´ demands for career preparation and lifelong learning.

• Architect
• Landscape Architect
• Historic Preservation Architect
• Interior Designer
• Construction Manager
• Graphic Designer
• Specification Writer
• Structural Engineer
• Architectural Renderer