Dallas College offers three for-credit bakery and pastry credentials: the 16-credit Bakery/Pastry Foundations Certificate, the 40-credit Bakery/Pastry Specialist Certificate, and the 60-credit Bakery/Pastry A.A.S. Both certificates are designed as building blocks toward the degree, and the catalog states that the A.A.S. is accredited by the American Culinary Federation.
Although related courses are available at all seven Dallas College campuses, the hands-on cooking and pastry labs take place at El Centro in downtown Dallas and at the Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality Center on Webb Chapel Road. The longer credentials build in workplace practicums, and the Specialist Certificate requires students to hold a bakery or pastry kitchen job for one semester. Information below comes from the 2026–27 Dallas College catalog and program pages.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Dallas College |
| Lab locations | El Centro Campus and the Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality Center (11830 Webb Chapel Road), Dallas, Texas |
| Credentials | Bakery/Pastry A.A.S. (AAS_CUL_BAK_PSTRY); Bakery/Pastry Specialist Certificate (C1_CUL_BAK_PST_SP); Bakery/Pastry Foundations Certificate (C1_CUL_BAK_PST_FD) |
| Credits | 60; 40; or 16 credit hours |
| Length in catalog plan | Five semesters; three semesters; or two semesters |
| Accreditation | A.A.S. accredited by the American Culinary Federation, per the catalog |
| In-county tuition | $99 per credit hour, including learning materials |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
The Culinary and Pastry Arts program page groups these credentials with culinary arts, food and beverage, and hospitality awards. All three share the same opening courses, so a student can start with the Foundations Certificate and decide later whether to continue.
Bakery/Pastry A.A.S.
The Bakery/Pastry A.A.S. prepares students for head baker and pastry chef roles and later supervisory work. The 60-credit plan adds a co-op in restaurant and catering management, two bakery practicums, Advanced Pastry Competition, and general education in composition, math, psychology or sociology, speech, and humanities. The catalog says completers qualify for entry-level pastry chef certification.
Bakery/Pastry Specialist Certificate
The Bakery/Pastry Specialist Certificate is a 40-credit Level I certificate laid out over three semesters. It includes quantity baking through El Centro’s student-operated restaurant and an external learning experience in which students must hold a bakery or pastry kitchen job and work at least 21 hours a week that semester. Quantity Bakeshop Production is the capstone.
Bakery/Pastry Foundations Certificate
The Bakery/Pastry Foundations Certificate is a 16-credit, two-semester option aimed at baker or pastry cook jobs or a cottage bakery business. It covers sanitation, fundamentals of baking, basic and advanced food preparation, and two levels of cake decorating, with Advanced Food Preparation as the capstone.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Across the three credentials, the 2026–27 catalog lists these baking and pastry courses:
- Fundamentals of Baking (3 credits): doughs, quick breads, pies, cakes, cookies, tarts, and doughnuts
- Cake Decorating I and II (2 credits each)
- Advanced Pastry Shop (3 credits): classical and international pastries, ice creams, and chocolate work
- Breads and Rolls, and Bakery Operations and Management (3 credits each)
- Quantity Bakeshop Production (4 credits) and Advanced Pastry Competition (3 credits)
- Baking and pastry practicums (2 credits each) and a restaurant management co-op (3 credits)
- Sanitation and Safety, Culinary Foundational Skills, Basic and Advanced Food Preparation, Principles of Healthy Cuisine, and Hospitality Human Resources Management
All CHEF and PSTR courses require a C or better. Students need a Texas food handler certification by the fourth class day of Fundamentals of Baking, and advanced classes require Sanitation and Safety and Culinary Foundational Skills plus at least a food handler’s certificate. Course descriptions note that labs involve long periods of standing and lifting up to 60 pounds.
Tuition and Additional Costs
The 2026–27 catalog tuition schedule and the cost and tuition page list $99 per credit hour for Dallas County residents, $169 for out-of-district Texas residents, and $250 for out-of-state students. Dallas College does not add a per-credit or flat semester fee, and the tuition rate includes learning materials and textbooks through the IncludED program. With charges purely per credit, these estimates do not depend on the number of semesters:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery/Pastry A.A.S. | 60 | $5,940 | $10,140 | $15,000 |
| Bakery/Pastry Specialist Certificate | 40 | $3,960 | $6,760 | $10,000 |
| Bakery/Pastry Foundations Certificate | 16 | $1,584 | $2,704 | $4,000 |
These in-county figures match the totals on the program page. They leave out uniforms, knives and tools, food handler certification, testing charges, cap and gown rental, and the $50 per-credit charge for a third attempt at a course. Students who opt out of IncludED pay a reduced rate but buy their own materials.
The catalog’s tuition and fees section does not list a baking lab fee or kit price. Students in the Specialist Certificate and A.A.S. should also plan for travel to an outside employer during practicum and co-op semesters.
Admissions and Financial Aid
New students apply through the Dallas College application or ApplyTexas, then submit transcripts, TSI or other test scores, and meningitis vaccination proof if younger than 22. After orientation, a success coach helps with advising and registration. The college posts registration dates on its admissions pages.
Both certificates are waived from TSI standards if the student completes the TSI waiver form before enrolling, though course prerequisites still apply. The A.A.S. requires students to meet TSI standards. Dallas College encourages every student to apply for financial aid and scholarships, but the program pages do not state Pell eligibility for each certificate, so confirm it with financial aid.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
Several pastry courses list the American Culinary Federation Educational Institute as the licensing or certification agency. The college’s published outcomes show 100% job placement for Bakery/Pastry from 2020–21 through 2023–24. Students interested in ACF certification should ask how the program prepares graduates for it.
The A.A.S. is a workforce degree. The catalog advises students planning to transfer to a four-year school to consult an advisor, since technical coursework may not carry over the way English, speech, and other general education courses might.
Which Dallas College Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Bakery/Pastry Foundations Certificate | A two-semester start in baking, cake decorating, and kitchen basics, or skills for a cottage bakery |
| Bakery/Pastry Specialist Certificate | Advanced pastry, bread, and quantity production plus a required semester working in a bakery or pastry kitchen |
| Bakery/Pastry A.A.S. | An ACF-accredited degree with competition work, two practicums, a co-op, and general education |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Will my pastry labs be at El Centro or the Culinary, Pastry and Hospitality Center?
- Does the college help place students in bakery jobs for the practicum and co-op?
- Which courses run in 8-week sessions, and can I attend part time?
- What uniform and tool kit do I need, and what does it cost?
- Is each bakery/pastry certificate eligible for Pell Grant funding?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Dallas College before applying.