Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor does not offer a baking or pastry certificate or degree. Baking is taught as coursework inside its Culinary Arts program. The 2026–27 catalog lists one dedicated pastry course, the 3-credit Classical European Pastry Arts in the final semester of the associate degree. Introductory and intermediate baking methods are taught within the first-year Culinary Arts I and II courses rather than as separate classes.
Two culinary credentials are available: a 62-credit Culinary Arts Associate in Applied Science and a 30-credit Culinary Arts – Food Service Specialist Certificate, which matches the first two semesters of the degree. This page is for students in the Bangor area who want broad kitchen training and need a clear picture of how limited the stand-alone baking coursework is.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Eastern Maine Community College |
| Location | 354 Hogan Road, Bangor, Maine |
| Credentials | Culinary Arts, AAS; Culinary Arts – Food Service Specialist, Certificate |
| Baking credential | None; baking is coursework within Culinary Arts |
| Credits | 62 (AAS); 30 (certificate) |
| Catalog sequence | Four semesters plus a summer externship (AAS); two semesters (certificate) |
| Baking coursework | One pastry course, 3 credits, AAS only; baking methods also within Culinary Arts I and II |
| Training restaurant | The Rangeley Café, operated by second-year students |
Culinary Program Options
Both credentials appear on the Culinary Arts program page, with semester plans in the 2026–27 College Catalog.
Culinary Arts, AAS
The degree totals 62 credits. Year one is built around Culinary Skills Development, Culinary Sanitation and Theory, Food Service Management, and the 5.5-credit Culinary Arts I and II courses, each paired with a half-credit small-group instruction course. A 240-hour paid externship follows in the summer. In year two, students take Advanced Culinary Skills, Classical French Cuisine, International Cuisine, and Classical European Pastry Arts while running the college’s in-house restaurant, The Rangeley Café. General education adds writing, oral communication, mathematics, nutrition, and two electives.
Culinary Arts – Food Service Specialist, Certificate
The certificate is 30 credits over two semesters and uses the same courses as the first year of the AAS. The catalog says graduates may continue into the Culinary Arts degree or the Restaurant and Food Service Management degree. It has no separate baking or pastry course, so baking in the certificate is limited to what Culinary Arts I and II cover. A valid ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification is required to graduate from either credential.
Baking Courses in the Curriculum
The catalog identifies one pastry course and two broader courses that include baking methods:
- CUL 218 Classical European Pastry Arts (3 credits): classical European pastry items and a wide variety of desserts, including old world and new world examples, taught through lecture, demonstration, and practice. Fourth semester of the AAS; requires the externship first.
- CUL 127 Culinary Arts I (5.5 credits): introductory cooking and baking methods, with product and equipment identification, culinary mathematics, and sanitation. A general culinary course, in both credentials.
- CUL 129 Culinary Arts II (5.5 credits): intermediate cooking and baking methods, recipe testing, plate and platter presentation, and an American regional cuisine buffet. A general culinary course, in both credentials.
The catalog does not say how many hours of Culinary Arts I and II are spent on baking. The remaining coursework covers menu development and food costing, ServSafe sanitation, food service management, advanced garde manger, mixology and wine service, and French and international cuisine with tableside cookery and dining room management.
Tuition and Additional Costs
For 2026–27, the college charges $96 per credit hour for Maine residents, $144 for New England Regional Student Program participants, and $192 for non-residents. All students also pay a $29 comprehensive fee and a $13 student services fee per credit hour, along with a mandatory $16 annual accident insurance fee. The estimates use two academic years for the AAS and one for the certificate.
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated New England regional tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culinary Arts, AAS (4 semesters plus summer) | 62 | $8,588 | $11,564 | $14,540 |
| Culinary Arts – Food Service Specialist, Certificate (2 semesters) | 30 | $4,156 | $5,596 | $7,036 |
These totals include tuition, both per-credit fees, and accident insurance. They leave out books, uniforms, knives, housing, and meals. The regional rate is for qualified residents of other New England states.
The catalog lists no culinary lab or course fee, and the college does not publish uniform or knife kit prices for the program. Books and supplies are bought directly by the student, and the college requires a laptop. The tuition and fees page lists current rates and links to a calculator.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Applicants need a high school diploma or equivalency and must meet program prerequisites. The program page lists Algebra I, Algebra II, and a lab science for the AAS, and Algebra I for the certificate. Eastern Maine uses rolling admissions for most programs and reviews an application once it has the form and official transcripts. The catalog advises applying early because programs have enrollment limits.
Federal and state aid starts with the FAFSA. The catalog does not state aid eligibility for each credential, so certificate applicants should confirm it with the financial aid office.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
Students can earn ServSafe certification through the sanitation course and a Food and Beverage Management certificate from the American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institute through Food Service Management. The catalog says degree graduates work as cooks, sous chefs, chefs, and kitchen managers.
The catalog does not state American Culinary Federation accreditation for the program. It notes that graduates may transfer to four-year colleges but names no specific agreement for Culinary Arts. With a single pastry course, the degree is unlikely to suit someone whose main goal is bakery or pastry work, though an externship in a bakery could add experience.
Who This Program May Fit
| Student goal | How the program may fit |
|---|---|
| Train as a cook in the Bangor area | The AAS covers French, international, and American regional cuisine with restaurant service |
| Qualify for kitchen work in one year | The 30-credit certificate takes two semesters and applies fully to the degree |
| Add some pastry to culinary training | The AAS includes one 3-credit pastry course in the final semester |
| Earn a baking-titled credential | This program does not provide one. See the Maine baking schools page and the online baking programs page for other options |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- How much of Culinary Arts I and II is spent on baking, and which products are covered?
- What do the uniform and knife kit cost, and when must I have them?
- Could my 240-hour externship be completed in a bakery?
- Do students prepare the desserts and breads served at The Rangeley Café?
- Is the Food Service Specialist certificate eligible for federal and state grants?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Eastern Maine Community College before applying.