Baking and Pastry Arts, Associate of Applied Science
The mission of the Associate of Applied Science in Baking and Pastry Arts program is to give students the skills necessary to pursue careers as pastry chefs. This program stresses the general skills required of all food service professionals from critical thinking and professionalism to an understanding of food safety, nutrition, and service, while emphasizing baking and pastry specific skills. The American Culinary Federation (ACF) accredits this program at the Alexandria, Glen Allen, Newport News, and Virginia Beach campuses. This program requires students to purchase a culinary kit and chef uniform from the University. Students are required to pass the ServSafe exam or possess a food handler’s license during introductory culinary courses.
At the end of program, students are able to:
- Use a broad range of principles and practices in baking and pastry arts to operate or function in a commercial bakery.
- Use safety and sanitation measures necessary to maintain a safe food service facility.
- Demonstrate various communication strategies to relate to customers, coworkers, managers, and diverse populations within the baking industry.
- Summarize how information from various sources is used to make decisions within the baking industry.
Graduates of this program may use associate’s degree courses towards an upgraded bachelor’s program.
This program typically takes 32 months to complete for part-time enrollment and 16 months to complete for students enrolled full-time.
Required courses for AAS Baking and Pastry Arts (13 core, 7 arts and sciences) = 20 courses or 90 credit hours
Core Requirements (13 courses or 58.5 credits)
Arts and Sciences Requirements (7 courses or 31.5 credits)
| SCI 210 | Environmental Science | 4.5 |
| SCI 212 | Nutritional Science | 4.5 |
| Additional Arts and Sciences Requirements: (5 courses) | |