Associate in Arts - Graphic and Interactive Design

at De Anza College USA

The A.S. degree teaches students the fundamentals of conventional and CNC machine tools. Students learn to set up safely and operate manual mills, lathes, surface grinders and CNC equipment, including vertical and horizontal mills, lathes and rotary multiaxis components. They also learn to produce word address programs with CAD/CAM software. Students are taught to dimension and inspect parts using various inspection methods, and to analyze materials and processes used in manufacturing. Upon completion, students are prepared for employment working closely with engineers in a research and development environment.

Learn high-demand, high-wage skills, using the latest equipment!

We have experienced instructors and courses developed by industry experts to meet employers' needs in these areas:   

• Computer-Aided Design (CAD) – including Creo, SolidWorks, Siemens NX, Autodesk Inventor and AutoCAD
• Machining and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) – including CNC Five-Axis Mill and CNC Lathe Y-Axis Tooling
• Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM)
• Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM)
• 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing

The Music Department offers a wide variety of courses to satisfy the diverse interests and needs of its students.  The department serves music majors as well as the general student population.  All students benefit from the Music Appreciation courses for both work towards a music degree and GE transfer.

All students may join a number of high quality performance ensembles, such as Concert Band, Chamber Orchestra, Chorale (large chorus) and Vintage Singers (chamber chorus). 

This A.A. degree program provides a foundation in music for students interested in a career in the musical entertainment industry or pursuing a baccalaureate degree in Music. Students are encouraged to take private instruction (not provided by the college) each term along with classes in their specialization.

This A.A. degree offers studies in overseeing and maintaining Windows systems as part of a network enterprise. Students become proficient in running administrative processes on a Windows operating system. Focus is placed on organization, security, and upkeep decisions as part of a larger business environment. It offers training in programming, network management, UNIX and Perl to aid in understanding more complex networking problems that occur in business enterprises.

De Anza's Computer Information Systems (CIS) department has been a leading educational institution in Silicon Valley since the college was founded. Over the years it has developed a rich and diverse series of courses in many areas. Our courses meet the needs of both the transfer student and the industry professional. Students who take courses and earn degrees in the CIS department often go on to transfer to four-year universities in majors such as Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science and many other majors that required CIS courses.

The Real Estate program at De Anza is ideal for the individual seeking to enter the real estate profession, and for anyone who wants to learn more about real estate as a prospective homeowner or investor.

The Real Estate department offers courses covering such topics as Real Estate Principles, Real Estate Practices, Property Management, Finance, Investment and Legal Aspects.

The Intercultural Studies Department offers an interdisciplinary major leading to certificates, an A.A. degree, or transfer in Intercultural (Ethnic) Studies.  This major represents the joint commitment of the African America, Asian American and Asian, Chicanx/Latinx, Native American, and core Intercultural Studies areas, and provides a diverse curriculum whose educational objectives include the following:

• Develop a methodology emphasizing comparative analyses of the history, politics, social dynamics, and current  challenges and opportunities of historically marginalized communities of color;
• Develop the skills and capabilities to critically analyze information prevalent in the dominant  culture from the perspective of historically marginalized communities of color;
• Examine ethnicity theory, race relations theory, feminist theory, cross-cultural communications theory, peace/conflict/ reconciliation theory, healing and social transformation theory and practices, and explore the intersectional and multidimensional issues of racism, institutions, power as they relate to advocating for equity and social justice.

The major also examines the need for and role of multiracial alliances, economic class analysis, the role of healing in social change work, and provides expertise in areas that will allow students to develop the critical analysis, interpersonal capacities, and leadership and organizing skills to be responsive to the multidimensional needs of historically marginalized communities of color in the short term, and to also contribute to long-term systemic transformation for equity and social justice.

The De Anza College Paralegal Studies Program was among the first paralegal studies programs to be initially approved by the State of California in 1984. Since then the program has continually provided a quality educational course of study that incorporates basic legal instruction along with practical training that graduates will need to successfully enter the work force. Our graduates are employed in private law offices, public agencies and corporate law offices.

The Paralegal Studies A.A. degree programs prepare students to work in the legal field as paralegals under the supervision of attorneys. Paralegal duties include performing factual and legal research, drafting legal documents and correspondence, interviewing clients and witnesses, assisting attorneys in pretrial work, including document discovery and analysis, and at trials and hearings, organizing and maintaining case files and coordinating the use of technology in legal work.

The Journalism Department supports De Anza's core competencies in the following ways:

• Communication and expression: Students learn new rhetorical strategies and use their First Amendment rights to create and publish La Voz News, social media (@lavozdeanza) and videos.
• Information literacy: Students study and practice media literacy.
• Physical/mental wellness and personal responsibility: Students work cooperatively under deadline situations and take on leadership roles in a structured environment that prepares them for many media workplaces.
• Civic capacity for global, cultural, social and environmental justice: Students learn to: a) tell stories that show the diversity of De Anza College and the world, b) interpret cultural and environmental issues and c) present their ideas clearly.
• Critical thinking: Students analyze ideas, create and test models, solve problems and evaluate alternatives as they work hands-on to produce print, digital and video content.

The Photography Department offers exceptional instruction in beginning, intermediate, and advanced photography.  The department maintains a fully operating wet darkroom and professionally equipped digital labs.  Visual communication and principles of image control and craft are essential components of all the photography classes.  Students develop the technical, critical and practical skills required to succeed in this constantly challenging and changing medium.  The photography department has one of the best-equipped and largest facilities in the Bay Area.  Students are given the opportunity to apply new skills to real and simulated situations found in photographic careers.
 
Photography students produce technically and aesthetically accomplished imagery.  Students have graduated De Anza to enter careers in advertising, editorial work, photo illustration, fashion, architecture, and product photography.  Fine art and documentary photography are integral parts of the program.

Students pursuing the Systems Programming A.A. degree learn computer programming fundamentals of both low-level and high-level languages and gain computing experience on both Windows and Linux platforms.

De Anza's Computer Information Systems (CIS) department has been a leading educational institution in Silicon Valley since the college was founded. Over the years it has developed a rich and diverse series of courses in many areas. Our courses meet the needs of both the transfer student and the industry professional. Students who take courses and earn degrees in the CIS department often go on to transfer to four-year universities in majors such as Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science and many other majors that required CIS courses.

Designed primarily for students who plan on transferring to the University of California or California State University, the associate degree in Liberal Arts represents the completion of a broad area of study with an emphasis in one of the following four areas: Arts and Letters, Business and Computer Information Systems, Science, Math and Engineering and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The degree allows the student to develop a broad set of essential life/work competencies such as: communication, critical thinking, problem solving, quantitative reasoning and multicultural skills.