South Texas College teaches baking and pastry through its Culinary Arts program in the Division of Business, Public Safety, and Technology. The 2026–27 catalog lists two baking credentials: a 24-credit Commercial Baking Certificate and a 60-credit Culinary Arts Associate of Applied Science with a Specialization in Baking and Pastry Arts. The culinary faculty and department offices are on the Pecan Campus in McAllen.
What stands out is how cleanly the two options stack. All eight courses in the certificate also appear in the baking and pastry degree plan, so a student can finish the certificate in a fall and spring semester and then keep going toward the associate degree. STC also charges a single flat rate per credit hour, which makes costs easy to estimate.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | South Texas College (STC) |
| Location | McAllen, Texas; culinary department on the Pecan Campus |
| Credentials | Culinary Arts AAS, Specialization: Baking and Pastry Arts; Commercial Baking Certificate |
| Credits | 60 or 24 credits |
| Typical length | Four semesters (AAS) or two semesters (certificate) in the catalog plans |
| Tuition model | Flat rate per credit hour by residency |
| Program area | Culinary Arts |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Both baking credentials are listed on the Culinary Arts catalog page, alongside a Commercial Cooking Certificate, a general Culinary Arts AAS, and a Restaurant Management specialization. The college’s Culinary Arts program page describes the full lineup as two certificates and three associate degrees.
Culinary Arts AAS, Specialization: Baking and Pastry Arts
This 60-credit degree combines lecture and lab courses in culinary arts, baking, nutrition, and supervision with a practicum and general education. The suggested plan spreads the work over four 15-credit semesters. General education covers Composition I, a speech elective, a social and behavioral sciences elective, a humanities elective, and either Nutrition and Diet Therapy or Principles of Food Science.
The final semester includes Cake Decorating II, Plated Desserts, Quantity Bakeshop Production, and a two-credit capstone practicum. The catalog points graduates toward jobs such as baker assistant, assistant pastry chef, cake decorating assistant, or bakery supervisor.
Commercial Baking Certificate
The 24-credit Commercial Baking Certificate prepares students to work as bakery support staff and commercial bakery workers under the supervision of pastry chefs and bakers. The plan of study runs 12 credits in the fall and 12 in the spring, and the catalog marks it as TSI Exempt, while the associate degree is TSI Liable. Advanced Pastry Shop serves as the capstone, and passing it is required to complete the certificate.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Baking courses carry the PSTR (Baker/Pastry Chef) prefix. The certificate requires Sanitation and Safety plus seven of them, and the AAS adds three more:
- Fundamentals of Baking
- Cake Baking and Production; Cake Decorating I
- Pies, Tarts, Teacakes and Cookies
- Breads and Rolls
- Chocolates and Confections
- Advanced Pastry Shop
- AAS only: Cake Decorating II, Plated Desserts (4 credits), Quantity Bakeshop Production, and the Capstone Practicum
The degree also includes Basic Food Preparation, Principles of Food and Beverage Controls, and Business Principles. According to the PSTR course descriptions, Breads and Rolls, Chocolates and Confections, and Advanced Pastry Shop require Sanitation and Safety and Fundamentals of Baking first, so the fall courses matter for spring enrollment.
Tuition and Additional Costs
For fiscal year 2026–27, the catalog’s tuition and fees schedule sets a flat rate of $164 per credit hour in-district (Hidalgo and Starr County residents), $174 out-of-district (other Texas residents), and $254 for non-residents. STC does not add separate per-credit or per-semester mandatory fees to that rate, so the number of semesters does not change these estimates:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culinary Arts AAS, Baking and Pastry Arts | 60 | $9,840 | $10,440 | $15,240 |
| Commercial Baking Certificate | 24 | $3,936 | $4,176 | $6,096 |
These figures cover tuition only. Textbooks, uniforms, tools, incidental fees such as installment plan charges, transportation, and living costs are extra. Repeating a course for a third time adds $125 per credit hour.
The fee schedule lists a Culinary Arts program insurance fee charged at cost recovery rather than a fixed amount, and STC’s tuition page names Culinary Arts among programs with added fees for equipment, supplies, and insurance. The college does not publish a baking kit or uniform price, so ask the department for a current supply list.
Admissions and Financial Aid
STC admits high school graduates, GED completers, and applicants 18 or older who submit Texas Success Initiative Assessment placement scores. The admission requirements also call for an official transcript from the last high school attended, plus college transcripts for transfer students. The college posts deadlines for each term, and a Guided Pathway Specialist on the Pecan Campus handles program questions.
STC takes part in the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, and Federal Work-Study programs, and it offers state aid such as the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant. Students file the FAFSA to be considered. The catalog does not say whether the 24-credit certificate is a Title IV eligible program, so certificate students should confirm that with financial aid.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The certificate targets entry roles in retail and commercial bakeries, while the degree reaches toward supervisory and assistant pastry chef positions in restaurants, hotels, resorts, catering, and cake shops. The degree’s capstone practicum is a workplace training course built around a learning plan developed by the employer, college, and student. STC lists the American Culinary Federation and ServSafe as program resources but does not state ACF accreditation for the program.
The AAS is a workforce degree, and students planning a bachelor’s degree should ask a receiving school which courses will count.
Which STC Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Commercial Baking Certificate | A two-semester, baking-only plan aimed at bakery production jobs |
| Culinary Arts AAS, Baking and Pastry Arts | Advanced pastry, plated desserts, a practicum, and general education for supervisory roles |
| Certificate, then AAS | An early credential without losing progress, since every certificate course is in the degree plan |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Are baking labs held only on the Pecan Campus, or are sections offered at other STC locations?
- Can I start the certificate in spring, given the course prerequisites?
- What does the Culinary Arts insurance fee cost this year, and what uniform and tool kit is required?
- Is the Commercial Baking Certificate eligible for Pell Grants?
- How are practicum placements arranged for the baking and pastry degree?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with South Texas College before applying.