Pellissippi State offers a Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science with a Baking and Pastry Arts concentration. It combines hands-on pastry courses with food service operations and general education.
Students can also complete a one-semester General Culinary Arts certificate. That certificate introduces culinary work; the A.A.S. is the route that names a baking and pastry concentration.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Pellissippi State Community College |
| Credential | Culinary Arts A.A.S., Baking and Pastry Arts concentration; General Culinary Arts certificate |
| Location | Knoxville area, Tennessee; confirm the baking lab campus |
| Credits | A.A.S. pathway reaches 60 or more semester credits; confirm the current catalog total with an advisor |
| Length | Approximately two years for the A.A.S.; one semester for the general culinary certificate |
| Format | Campus-based baking labs; some other coursework may have different delivery options |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Baking and Pastry Arts A.A.S.
The baking concentration follows a staged degree map. Students begin with food safety, culinary fundamentals, business, and writing. Later terms add dedicated baking classes, cost control, communication, and internship work. It is a career-oriented associate degree that extends beyond production skills.
General Culinary Arts certificate
The shorter certificate covers sanitation and food safety, Culinary I, nutrition, and professional catering. These classes appear in the degree pathway, which can make the certificate a useful first step. It does not include the full bread, cake, and plated-dessert sequence.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
The published program information includes the following areas. Check the current catalog for the exact required classes and electives:
- Fundamentals of Baking and Advanced Baking and Pastry
- European Cakes and Tortes; Artisan and Special Breads
- Plated Desserts and Presentations
- Sanitation, nutrition, purchasing, and food and beverage management
- Culinary internship and general education courses
Tuition and Additional Costs
The college’s fall 2026 and spring 2027 resident fee chart charges $197 per credit through 12 credits, then $44 for each additional credit in the term. Its published 15-credit total is $2,688, including standard listed fees.
| Item | Cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| One 15-credit resident semester | $2,688 | Published 2026–27 tuition and standard fees |
| Four 15-credit resident semesters | $10,752 | Planning estimate: 4 × $2,688, before extra expenses |
A 60-credit plan may require more than four terms if a required class runs only in a particular term or prerequisites alter the schedule. The estimate excludes culinary lab fees, equipment, uniforms, books, supplies, housing, transportation, and aid. Nonresident tuition and online charges can differ.
Admissions and Financial Aid
- Complete Pellissippi State’s enrollment checklist and orientation, and meet with an advisor before selecting a degree map.
- The pathway says there is no specific curriculum to complete before starting. Ask which baking classes have prerequisites and when the internship is available.
- Confirm the location and meeting times for each required lab. A general education class offered online does not make the degree fully online.
Aid depends on the student’s circumstances and the selected credential. Complete the FAFSA if you want to be considered for federal aid, and ask the school’s financial aid office which state and institutional programs apply.
Learning Format and Campus Experience
The degree map combines lab-based baking with other culinary and general education work. Check the current schedule to determine which courses require campus attendance.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The concentration covers production skills and purchasing, costing, and management that can matter in a bakery or pastry operation. The internship provides structured workplace experience. Ask how the A.A.S. courses would transfer if your eventual goal is a bachelor’s degree.
Which Pathway May Fit You?
Choose this route if you want several named baking and pastry classes in an associate degree. If you mainly want a short culinary introduction, compare the one-semester certificate. For a shorter dedicated pastry credential, compare the other Tennessee profiles.
Compare other Tennessee baking schools before applying.
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Which campus offers each baking lab, and how often do upper-level classes run?
- What are the equipment, uniform, ingredient, and lab fees?
- Which certificate courses apply to the A.A.S. under my catalog year?
- What internship placement and schedule options are available?
- Will another college accept the courses if I plan to transfer?