Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills offers a 64-credit Baking and Pastry A.A.S. and a 26-credit Baking/Pastry Arts Certificate. The programs are connected: all seven certificate courses are required in the degree, so a certificate can serve as the first step toward the A.A.S.
Most baking labs here are 4-credit, 8-week courses, which lets students take two labs back to back in one semester. The certificate plan runs two semesters and a summer session, because Artisan Breads is offered only in summer. The degree adds management courses in menu writing, nutrition, supervision, and cost control. Details come from the 2026–27 catalog.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Moraine Valley Community College |
| Location | Palos Hills, Illinois |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry A.A.S. (curriculum code 1359); Baking/Pastry Arts Certificate (curriculum code 1323) |
| Credits | 64 for the A.A.S.; 26 for the certificate |
| Suggested schedule | 5 terms including a summer for the A.A.S.; 3 terms including a summer for the certificate |
| Lab format | Mostly 4-credit, 8-week courses |
| Division | Business |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Both credentials appear in the Moraine Valley catalog program list with the college’s Culinary Arts Management and Restaurant/Hotel Management programs. The college’s Baking and Pastry program page says the degree takes about two years of full-time study.
Baking and Pastry A.A.S.
The Baking and Pastry A.A.S. requires 15 credits of general education and 49 credits of career courses. General education includes Composition I, Speech Fundamentals, Mathematics for Career Programs, and one course each from physical and life sciences and from humanities, fine arts, or social sciences.
The catalog frames the degree as preparation for overseeing baking and pastry operations in hotels, health care, cruise ships, catering, and manufacturing. Its capstone is Baking/Pastry III, which covers multi-component French and American pastries and plated desserts.
Baking/Pastry Arts Certificate
The Baking/Pastry Arts Certificate prepares students for entry-level baking and pastry positions. It has no general education and consists of seven required courses: sanitation, Quantity Food Production I, Baking/Pastry I and II, Artisan Breads, Chocolate and Confectionary Artistry, and Cake Decorating.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Baking and pastry courses across the two programs include:
- Baking/Pastry I: yeast breads, sweet doughs, quick breads, pies, and tarts
- Baking/Pastry II: specialty breads, classic desserts, marzipan, chocolate work, and showpieces
- Artisan Breads: sourdoughs, pre-ferments, and a range of flours and grains
- Chocolate and Confectionary Artistry: tempering, candies, and a chocolate showpiece
- Cake Decorating: buttercream, rolled fondant, gum paste, tiered cakes, and bakery pricing
- Baking Science and Recipe Development, and Baking/Pastry III (A.A.S. only)
The 2-credit sanitation course is a 4-week class that meets the educational requirements for Illinois Department of Public Health certification. Several course descriptions state that American Culinary Federation guidelines were used in designing them. That statement describes the course content, not program accreditation.
Tuition and Additional Costs
For Fall 2026 through Summer 2027, Moraine Valley charges $143 per credit hour in-district, $346 out-of-district, and $404 out-of-state. Mandatory fees add $25 per credit hour ($11 technology, $10 construction and infrastructure, and $4 college activities), for totals of $168, $371, and $429. With no flat term fee, the estimates do not depend on the number of terms:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry A.A.S. | 64 | $10,752 | $23,744 | $27,456 |
| Baking/Pastry Arts Certificate | 26 | $4,368 | $9,646 | $11,154 |
Excluded from these figures are the $25 admissions fee, course fees, textbooks, uniforms, tools, transportation, and living costs. Online sections carry a $20 online course fee.
The catalog marks most baking labs, including Baking/Pastry I, II, and III, Artisan Breads, Chocolate and Confectionary Artistry, and Cake Decorating, as requiring a course fee, but it does not publish the amounts. The catalog tuition section explains that program fees may cover supplies and equipment. Current rates are on the tuition and fees page.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Moraine Valley follows an open-door admission policy. According to the admission section of the catalog, students complete the enrollment form, pay the $25 nonrefundable admissions fee or submit a waiver, and send a final high school transcript or equivalency certificate plus any college transcripts. A welcome letter then explains placement testing and New Student Orientation.
The transcript is not strictly required for admission, but it is needed for financial aid. Students should file the FAFSA and confirm with the financial aid office that their chosen credential is aid eligible. The college does not state certificate Pell eligibility on the program pages. District 524 nonresidents employed full time in the district may qualify for in-district tuition.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
According to the program page, the degree prepares students for entry-level to mid-level hospitality positions such as baker, cake decorator, pastry chef, bakery manager, and dessert production specialist. The certificate targets entry-level baking and pastry roles.
The A.A.S. is a career degree. Its general education courses carry common titles, but students who hope to earn a bachelor’s degree later should have the receiving school review each course.
Which Moraine Valley Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking/Pastry Arts Certificate | Seven hands-on courses, including chocolate, cake decorating, and artisan breads, in two semesters and a summer |
| Baking and Pastry A.A.S. | The same labs plus baking science, a Baking/Pastry III capstone, and management courses for supervisory roles |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- What is the course fee for each baking lab, and what does it cover?
- Which uniforms, knives, and tools do I need to buy?
- Can I start in spring, and how does that affect the summer Artisan Breads course?
- Are evening sections of the baking labs available?
- Is the Baking/Pastry Arts Certificate eligible for Pell Grants and the MAP Grant?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Moraine Valley Community College before applying.