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Program at a Glance

60 Credit Hours
15 Months Associate's Degree

1 - 2 Courses Per Term
5 week terms

On Campus
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Baking and Pastry Arts Overview

Baked goods and pastries offer culinary professionals the chance to blend their cooking skills with a dash of creativity and a pinch of artistry. If creating sumptuous tarts and clever cakes sounds like a recipe for your future, consider the Culinary Institute of Virginia (CIV), ECPI University’s College of Culinary Arts. Here, award-winning chefs with real-world experience are prepared to help you enter this dynamic segment of the food service industry.

Through CIV’s hands-on baking and pastry arts program, you could earn an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts in as little as 15 months. Experienced chef instructors will guide you through the science and art of creating delectable baked items and pastries as you prepare for an intensive but exciting externship.

If interested, students could also earn a Baking and Pastry Arts diploma in as little as 40 weeks.

Institute Benefits

Graduate Faster

Our year-round, accelerated, programs let you earn your degree in just 15 months

Simplified Scheduling

Your degree path is pre-scheduled, so you can focus on learning, not course registration.

Possible Career Paths

Graduates of this program pursue many different career paths. Some of the most common are:

Artisan Baker/Bread Baker

Focuses on producing high-quality breads using traditional methods and carefully selected ingredients, often in artisan bakery settings.

Bake Shops & Pastry Shops

You could use your new skills in baking, pastry creation, dessert presentation, and kitchen production to craft high-quality treats and memorable customer experiences.

Catering Pastry Chef

Prepares desserts and pastry items for large events, weddings, and hospitality settings, with a focus on quality, presentation, and efficient large-scale production.

Campus Locations

Norfolk, VA Virginia Beach, VA Richmond, VA

Baking and Pastry Arts Curriculum

Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry Arts

Featured Courses

Artisan Breads and Viennoiserie BPA130

This course provides students with the methodology used to prepare Artisan Breads, sweet dough and puff pastry.

Advanced Pastry Design BPA235

This advanced course emphasizes the creation of modern cakes and entremets using contemporary pastry techniques.

Program Requirements

To receive the Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry Arts, students must earn 60 semester credit hours. The program requires a minimum of four semesters, 15 months or 60 weeks of instruction. The program requirements are as follows:

Fulfill ALL of the following requirements:

Complete ALL of the following Courses:

Course IDCourse NameCredit Hours
BPA110Principles of Baking and Pastry Arts2
BPA120Basic Cakes and Tarts2
BPA130Artisan Breads and Viennoiserie4
BPA228Retail Baking2
BPA235Advanced Pastry Design2
BPA245Alternative Baking2
BPA265Petit Fours2
BPA275Baking and Pastry Capstone4
CAA101Culinary Skills2
CAA111Culinary Techniques2
CAA115Kitchen Essentials3
CAA201Banquet and Buffet Service2
CAA255Procurement and Food Service Cost Control3
CAA260Culinary Nutrition3
CAA270Supervision for Food Service3
CAA280Externship-CUL I-a1
CAA285Externship-CUL I-b1

AND

Complete ANY of the following Courses:

Course IDCourse NameCredit Hours
CAA130Pantry Kitchen2
CAA145Retail Production2

Complete ALL of the following Courses:

*For allowable substitutions of arts and sciences courses, see the Arts & Sciences Department page.

Course IDCourse NameCredit Hours
COM115Principles of Communication3
ENG110College Composition3
HUM205Culture, Thought, and the Human Experience3
MTH120College Mathematics3
PSY105Introduction to Psychology3

Complete ALL of the following Courses:

Course IDCourse NameCredit Hours
CAA100Essentials for Success3

Baking and Pastry Arts Outcomes

The objective of the Baking and Pastry Arts Degree program is to educate and train prospective bakers with the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to compete for employment in the baking and pastry field. Upon successful completion of this degree program graduates are expected to:

  • Apply sound judgment and ethical practices in the professional baking and pastry environment.
  • Apply ServSafe standards to insure a safe and secure bakeshop.
  • Apply learned baking and pastry technical and analytical skills.
  • Communicate effectively to various audiences.
  • Practice continuous improvement in the Baking and Pastry Arts.
  • Collaborate effectively with team members to achieve success.

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