Earn an Associate of Applied Science in Baking & Pastry Arts

To most food and cooking enthusiasts, there are two distinct separations in cuisine. On one hand are the savory items, which are typically made with a personal touch and don’t necessarily need careful instructions and ingredients. On the other hand are the sweet and baked goods, which are scientific to make and involve specific measurements and careful preparation in order to create the perfect dessert.

If you have a flair for creativity but love making and decorating sweet treats and desserts,  consider earning an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts. Here is your guide to the degree, how you can earn it, what your course curriculum might look like and what career possibilities await you after graduation.

Understanding Pastry Arts and Baking

This culinary field involves baked goods, pastries, cakes, donuts and desserts. Although making candy is often regarded as a separate field entirely, some courses will include basics like melting sugar and tempering chocolate within the pastry arts and baking degree courses. Although baking is certainly a type of food preparation, it is much more of an exact science than cooking generally is. An extra spoonful of baking powder can ruin a cake, so precise measurements are vital. If you love making sweet treats, enjoy desserts and have the desire to make a living in the field of baking, then you should definitely consider earning a degree to get you started.

How To Earn This Culinary Degree

There are two potential types of schools where you can earn an associate degree in pastry arts and baking. You might choose to attend a culinary school that offers degree programs rather than just certificates and diplomas. Otherwise, you can attend a college or university that offers the program. It is traditionally a two year program, and students can take daytime or even evening classes to fit into their schedule. Some schools offer online components to the degree program, but all will require at least some classroom time learning the hands on aspect of baking and cooking in a kitchen. Prerequisites for this degree are minimal, but some schools will require potential students to be over the age of 18 and have either a high school diploma or a general education degree.

A Glimpse at a Typical Course Curriculum

Since an associate degree from a college or university typically includes a selection of varied classes, even culinary students should expect to take courses in subjects like communications, English, history or math. The focus of the degree program, however, will be on preparing and baking breads and desserts. A sample of the courses you might get to enjoy include food safety and sanitation, kitchen hygiene, wedding cake decorating, making basic breads, knife skills, food preparation techniques and using chocolate in desserts. Essentially, you will be completely prepared to make hundreds of different baked goods on your own after graduation.

Potential Career Paths for Graduates

After graduation, culinary students have two options. They can either find entry level employment right away, or they can pursue a bachelor’s degree in the same subject. Those who want to begin working might work in a retail bakery, as a dessert chef in a large restaurant, as an assistant to a chocolate maker, as a dessert caterer or even as a cake decorator in a retail grocery store. Some successful graduates might even go on to open their own bakeries or dessert shops.

If you love baking delicious desserts and tasty breads and want to make it your career,  a degree like the Associate of Applied Science in Baking and the Pastry Arts may be the perfect choice for you. Explore all of your options to earn a culinary degree at Cooking Culinary Arts Schools.