3.4: Typical Lower-Division Engineering Path (Community College)
- Page ID
- 132081
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\dsum}{\displaystyle\sum\limits} \)
\( \newcommand{\dint}{\displaystyle\int\limits} \)
\( \newcommand{\dlim}{\displaystyle\lim\limits} \)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)
\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)
\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\(\newcommand{\longvect}{\overrightarrow}\)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)3.4 The AVC Engineering Tracks
Antelope Valley College has structured three distinct engineering tracks, each targeting a different cluster of 4-year disciplines. All three share the same general core — the calculus and physics sequence above — but diverge in their discipline-specific courses.
General Core (all tracks)
Every AVC engineering student completes the following regardless of track:
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| MATH 150, Calculus I | 5 |
| MATH 160, Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 250, Calculus III — Multivariable | 4 |
| MATH 230, Ordinary Differential Equations | 4 |
| PHYS 110, Physics — Mechanics | 4 |
| PHYS 120, Physics — E&M | 4 |
| Total General Core | 25 |
These 25 units form the shared backbone. A student who completes this core has done the first two years of math and physics that any accredited engineering program will require — regardless of where they transfer.
Track 1 — Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
This track prepares students for transfer into ME, AE, or closely related programs.
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| ENGR 110, Introduction to Engineering | 3 |
| ENGR 125, Programming and Problem-Solving in MATLAB | 4 |
| ENGR 130, Materials Science | 4 |
| ENGR 140, Engineering 3D Graphics | 3 |
| ENGR 210, Statics | 4 |
| CHEM 110 | 5 |
| Track-Specific Total | 23 |
Key connections
ENGR 210 (Statics) is the first explicitly engineering-mechanics course and builds directly on Physics I. ENGR 130 connects to why materials matter for design (Chapter 12 of this book). ENGR 140 is direct preparation for parametric CAD.
Track 2 — Electrical Engineering
This track prepares students for transfer into EE or electronics-focused programs.
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| ENGR 110, Introduction to Engineering | 3 |
| ENGR 125, Programming and Problem-Solving in MATLAB | 4 |
| ENGR 185, Digital Logic | 4 |
| ENGR 230, Circuit Analysis | 4 |
| CS 120, 121, or 122 (pick language based on 4-year target) | 3 |
| PHYS 211, Optics and Modern Physics | 5 |
| Track-Specific Total | 23 |
Key connections
ENGR 230 (Circuit Analysis) is the course this textbook's Chapter 11 previews. ENGR 185 (Digital Logic) introduces the hardware foundation that computer engineering builds on.
Track 3 — Computer Engineering
This track prepares students for transfer into CpE, CS, or software-focused programs.
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| ENGR 110 / CS 110 (paired) | 3 |
| ENGR 230, Circuit Analysis | 4 |
| MATH 220, Linear Algebra | 4 |
| CS 140, Computer Architecture | 3 |
| CS 150, Discrete Structures | 4 |
| CS 120/130, 121/131, or 122/132 (pick language sequence) | 6 |
| Track-Specific Total | 25 |
Key connections
CS 150 (Discrete Structures) is the mathematical foundation of algorithms and digital systems. CS 140 (Computer Architecture) bridges hardware and software. Linear Algebra is essentially required for anything involving graphics, ML, or systems analysis.
Suggested Electives (any track)
| Course | Units |
|---|---|
| MATH 220, Linear Algebra | 4 |
| CS 122, Programming and Algorithms in Python | 3 |
| ENGR 140, Engineering 3D Graphics | 3 |
These electives increase competitiveness at transfer and are relevant across disciplines.
🔗 Connection
The course numbers and units here are current as of this publication. Requirements change — always verify your track requirements with an AVC counselor, and use ASSIST.org to confirm how your AVC coursework will articulate to your target 4-year institution. ASSIST is the official California articulation database and the authoritative source for transfer planning.