<h2 id="section---FrequentlyAskedQuestions">Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <h3 id="section---WhatKindOfProgramIsIt">What Kind of Program Is It?</h3> <p>AutoCAD software can be used in a variety of careers and the Drafting with AutoCAD career diploma at Penn Foster is designed to teach you how to use it for the career you're in or want to pursue. You'll have the opportunity to work with the actual software through a student subscription. The curriculum covers topics such as sketching, basic and advanced AutoCAD software functions, and geometric drawing. The curriculum also covers the types of drafting done, such as structural, civil, HVAC, and electrical schematic drafting. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreThePrerequisites">What Are the Prerequisites?</h3> <p>To enroll in the program, you'll need to be at least 17 years old and possess an 8th-grade education. To complete the program, you'll need access to high-speed internet and a Microsoft Windows-based computer-no Mac computers. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreTheCourseRequirements">What Are the Course Requirements?</h3> <p>There are 8 courses in the program, as well as 7 submitted projects and 30 exams. The program is self-paced but it can take 9-12 months to complete. Additionally, you'll be able to earn 42 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Course Title</th><th /></tr> <tr><td>Starting Your Program</td></tr> <tr><td>Introduction to Computer-Aided Design</td></tr> <tr><td>Sketching and Drafting Fundamentals</td></tr> <tr><td>Geometric Drawing, Dimensioning, and Tolerancing</td></tr> <tr><td>Basic AutoCAD Software Functions</td></tr> <tr><td>Advanced AutoCAD Software Functions</td></tr> <tr><td>Structural and Civil Drafting</td></tr> <tr><td>HVAC and Electrical Schematic Drafting</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---WhatCouldIDoAfterIGraduate">What Could I Do After I Graduate?</h3> <h4 id="section---CareerOpportunities">Career Opportunities</h4> <p>There are various careers that use computer-aided design. Depending on any previous education, training, or licenses, you could pursue drafting work in several industries, some of which include heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), structural drafting, civil drafting, and sheet metal drafting, to name a few. Drafters typically assist professionals in the field; for example, an architectural drafter would produce CAD designs for an architect. </p> <ul><li>Civil drafter </li><li>Architectural drafter </li><li>Electronics drafter </li><li>Electrical drafter </li><li>Mechanical drafter </li></ul><h4 id="section---AdvancedDegrees">Advanced Degrees</h4> <p>You could pursue an advanced degree after graduation, either in drafting or in the field your drafting work is in. For example, if you do architectural drafting, you could pursue a degree in architecture. An advanced degree could provide several benefits, including the opportunity to learn new skills or advance current skills, and the possibility of more job opportunities or more responsibilities at work. </p> <ul><li>Associate of Applied Science in Computer-Aided-Design Drafting Technologies </li><li>Associate of Science in Architecture </li><li>Associate of Science in Civil Engineering Technology</li></ul>