Architectural Drafting: Helping to Bring Buildings to Life

Drafting and technical drawing are fundamental skills and tasks in the field of architecture as well as in the fields of engineering and science. In architecture, drafting aids in the design and construction of buildings, helps to communicate and present ideas, and renders buildings.

The need for architectural drawings and designs may require the drafter to create or record floor plans, site plans, elevations, cross sections, projections, perspectives, measurements, scales, annotations, and a whole host of other details that specify how a building or object is or how it should be built.

The Art Institutes

Certificate, Bachelor, Associate, Non-Degree - General, Diploma, Coursework.
Industrial Design, Drafting Technology & Design , Interior Planning with AutoCAD, Residential Planning.
Colorado, Washington, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Nevada, Minnesota, Illinois.

Westwood College

The Associate's degree program in Computer-Aided Design and Architectural Drafting from Westwood College teaches students about commercial and residential architectural practice, relevant computer software in the architecture industry, and architectural drafting skills. Course subjects may include basic drafting, residential and commercial CAD design, residential and commercial construction documents, and 3-D AutoCAD.

Associate.
Associate Degree - CAD - Architectural Drafting.
California, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, Virginia.

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - Online Division offers a Diploma in Residential Planning that teaches students about interior space planning and residential planning, and helps them to develop skills in drafting, drawing, and computers. Topics of study include space planning, textiles, styles, computer-aided design, and drafting.

Diploma.
Residential Planning.
California.

Brown Mackie College

Associate, Diploma.
Associate of Applied Science in Architectural Design & Drafting Technology, Associate of Applied Science in Computer Aided Design and Drafting Technology, Diploma in Computer Aided Design and Drafting Technician, Associate of Science in Computer Aided Design & Drafting Technology.
Kansas, Ohio, Idaho, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, Texas, Kentucky, Indiana.

Lincoln College of Technology

A drafter's work helps brings an engineer, scientist, or architect's ideas to fruition through their drawings and illustrations. Lincoln College of Technology's Drafting Design and Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) course trains students in how to use computer-aided drafting (CAD) software and develop design and drafting skills.

Coursework.
Drafting.
Florida.

Ashworth College

Coursework, Diploma.
Landscape Design Program, Landscape Design.
Georgia.

Lincoln Technical Institute

Lincoln Technical Institute's program in Drafting Design and Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) offers students the opportunity to earn a Diploma or Associate's degree in Drafting and translate the ideas and specifications of architectural and mechanical engineers into the designs and drawings that are needed to help bring things to life.

Coursework.
Drafting, Welding.
Pennsylvania, Texas, Connecticut.

Advanced Technology Institute

Associate, Diploma.
Welding - Associate's, Welding - Diploma.
Virginia.

Florida Technical College - Jacksonville

Associate.
Computer Drafting and Design.
Florida.

Herzing College

Certificate.
Computer-Aided Design and Drafting ELC.1Q.
Quebec.

Herzing University

Associate.
AS in Drafting and Design Technology.
Minnesota, Wisconsin.

Kaplan College

Associate.
Associate of Applied Science: Engineering Drafting with CAD.
Ohio.

Keiser University

Associate.
Computer Aided Drafting, AS.
Florida.

Keystone Technical Institute

Diploma.
Drafting Technology.
Pennsylvania.

Porter and Chester Institute

Certificate, Diploma.
CADD, Computer Aided Drafting and Design.
Connecticut, Massachusetts.

YTI Career Institute

Associate.
Computer Aided Drafting & Design.
Pennsylvania.

Robert Morris University

Associate, Bachelor.
CAD/Drafting, Architectural Technology.
Illinois.

TESST College of Technology

The TESST College of Technology in Baltimore offers a Graphic Engineering Drafting with CADD Certificate that can teach you how to create technical drawings that take ideas and help them take shape before manufacturing can take place, and that could be anything from buildings to toys. Students will learn about math, drafting applications, machine drafting, and other relevant topics.

Certificate.
Certificate: Graphic Engineering Drafting with CADD.
Maryland.

Anthem Institute

The Diploma program in Computer-Aided Drafting at Anthem Institute teaches you how to effectively use CAD software to draft and create drawings and renderings for a variety of applications – from tools and toys to entire buildings – based on the information you are provided by engineers and architects.

Diploma.
CAD/Drafting Technology.
New Jersey.

Vatterott College

For those interested in the maintenance of buildings and institutions, Vatterott College offers a Building Maintenance Mechanic Diploma and an Associate's degree in Building Maintenance Technology. The diploma program lasts for 60 weeks while the associate's degree program lasts for 90 weeks. Course topics in both programs may include carpentry, electricity, plumbing, technical writing, customer service, and team dynamics.

Diploma, Associate.
Computer-Aided Drafting & Design, Building Maintenance Mechanic, Building Maintenance Technology.
Missouri, Illinois, Ohio.

ITI Technical College

Associate.
Technical Drafting.
Louisiana.

Tri-State Business Institute

Diploma.
Welding and Fabrication Technology.
Pennsylvania.

Capitol City Trade and Technical School

Diploma.
Drafting and CAD Program, Drafting/CAD.
Texas.

Florida Technical College

The rise of computers has radically changed the role of the drafter. The Computer Drafting and Design program at Florida Technical College leads to an Associate of Science degree in Computer Information Science with a Computer Drafting and Design Emphasis. The program teaches you CAD skills that can be used in such industries as architecture, interior design, civil surveying, and mechanical engineering.

Diploma, Associate.
CADD, Computer Drafting and Design.
Florida.

Berkeley College

Certificate.
Essentials of CAD Certificate.
New Jersey.

Fortis College

Associate.
Welding Technology.
Ohio.

All-State Career

Diploma.
Welding Technology.
Pennsylvania.

Fortis Institute

Associate.
Welding Technology.
Ohio.

Charter College

Certificate.
Certificate in Computer Aided Drafting.
Alaska.

Southern Career College

Associate.
Computer Drafting and Design.
Florida.

ITT Technical Institute

Bachelor, Diploma, Associate.
School of Drafting and Design.
New York, New Mexico, California, Texas, Missouri, Alabama, Idaho, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, Minnesota, Washington, Florida, Indiana, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Nevada, Kentucky, Arkansas, Utah, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Maryland, Oregon, Louisiana, Arizona, Colorado.

Southwest Florida College

Associate.
Computer Aided Drafting & Design.
Florida.

NewSchool of Architecture & Design

A school that focuses on the study of architecture, the NewSchool of Architecture & Design in San Diego offers a variety of bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture with the aim of effectively training the aspiring architect. All programs feature a practical approach to architecture.

Master, Bachelor.
Master of Landscape Architecture, Executive Master's Program, Master of Architecture, Second Architectural Degree, Master of Architecture, First Professional Degree, Master of Architecture, Bachelor of Arts, Architecture, Bachelor of Architecture.
California.

Spencerian College

Students of Spencerian College's Certificate in Drafting program will learn to create and reproduce technical drawings and generate both manual and computer-aided drafting designs. Students will also gain knowledge and skills in using drafting equipment, math, drafting standards, and lettering.

Certificate, Associate.
Drafting, Mechanical Computer Aided Design, Civil Computer Aided Design.
Kentucky.

Trillium College

Certificate.
Renovator Technician.
Ontario.

CDM Institute

Certificate.
SolidWorks & Solid Modeling Designer, AutoCAD Drafting and Design.
New Jersey, Delaware.

Medix College

Diploma.
Welding Technology.
Georgia.

Tulsa Welding School

Diploma, Associate.
Structural Welder, Master Welder, Welding Technology.
Florida, Oklahoma.

Anthem College

Diploma, Associate.
CAD/Drafting Technology.
Arizona.

Carrington College California

Certificate, Associate.
Design Drafting.
California.

Key College

Associate.
Associate of Science - Computer Aided Drafting & Design.
Florida.

This requires the drafter to work closely with architects and engineers to translate their designs into working plans for construction.

In their work, drafters may be required to make different sets of drawings to satisfy a variety of purposes: presentation drawings, survey drawings, working drawings, and record drawings.

In the past, architectural drawing and drafting used to be created by hand on a drawing board, with every detail carefully created on paper. Today, computers have revolutionized the work of the drafter and made necessary a new set of skills such as knowing how to effectively use CAD software.

Drafting is an in-demand skill with career opportunities in a variety of sectors, including architecture, engineering, and science. Besides the architectural field, drafting and design skills are needed by engineers and scientists in the manufacture of tools or toys or the observation and recording of natural phenomena.