Golden West College or GWC, is a community college providing two-year associate of arts degrees, and lower-division classes transferable to other colleges and universities.

GWC is located in Huntington Beach, California, about 35 miles (58km) south of Los Angeles, California. It is about five miles from the famous beach where the surfing occurs. It is 30 minutes from Disneyland, and from two hours to a half day from the mountains and ski regions of Southern California.

The college is one of three of the Coast Community College District, a regional organization providing administrative services and funding for post-secondary education. The district is chartered by the state of California to provide community college services.

The mission of GWC is to provide inexpensive education in the trades, licensed trades and skilled professions. as well as remedial and transferable lower-division courses for students who plan to transfer to either a California State university, or a campus of the University of California.

GWC offers associate of arts (2 year) degrees in:

• Law Enforcement and Forensic Science
• Cosmetology
• Nursing- a two year program for Licensed Vocation Nurse, and a three year program for a Registered Nurse
• Business Data Processing
• Accounting
• Construction
• Welding
• Automotive Repair
• Diesel Repair
• Business
• Television Technician (GWC operates the public TV station KOCE)
• Music Studio Technician
• Stage Management (GWC has a 500-seat auditorium with a full proscenium stage)
• Real Estate Sales
• Real Estate Management

GWC also has complete, transferable lower-division undergraduate programs in:

• Mathemetics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Phislosophy
• English (an emphasis on creative writing, include script-writing, is available)
• French
• German
• Russian
• Music (an emphasis on commercial music is available)
• Painting
• Sculpting
• Acting (an emphasis on commercial acting is available)
• Dance
• Physical Education

GWC has active clubs, but some people find the campus community disappointing because it is primarily a commuter college serving local people.

On-campus housing is not available, and local housing is expensive, approximately $900 per month for a small single-bedroom apartment. Local rooms in houses rent for about $350 per month. The minimum wage of $5.75 is about half of the income equired to live in Huntington Beach.