Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst offers baking and pastry training through its Culinary and Pastry Arts Department. The 2026–27 catalog lists a 70-credit Baking and Pastry Arts AAS and two 16-credit certificates: a general Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate and a Therapeutic Baking Certificate focused on special diets.
The therapeutic option pairs bread and baking fundamentals with Nutrition for Foodservice and a course on ingredient substitutions for dietary needs. All three credentials start in the fall and use a summer term, and the college identifies each one as financial aid eligible.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Sandhills Community College |
| Location | Pinehurst, North Carolina (Moore County) |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry Arts AAS (A55130); Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate (C55130); Therapeutic Baking Certificate (C55130B) |
| Credits | 70; 16; or 16 credits |
| Typical length | AAS: five semesters, including one summer; certificates: fall, spring, and summer |
| Entry | Published plans begin in fall |
| Financial aid | All three listed as financial aid eligible |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Sandhills describes its bakeshop as equipped with industry-standard specialty baking equipment, and its Baking and Pastry Arts page notes that the lead instructor is a fifth-generation baker who ran a bakery for more than 20 years. Each credential has its own catalog page.
Baking and Pastry Arts AAS
The Baking and Pastry Arts AAS requires at least 70 credits across fall, spring, summer, fall, and spring terms. The first semester is broad culinary training, including Culinary Skills I and Food and Beverage Service. Pastry work builds from there through breads, hot and cold desserts, European cakes, petit fours, two levels of cake decorating, and dessert and bread production. The degree also requires cooperative work experience with an approved employer.
Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate
The Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate covers 16 credits over three terms: sanitation and Baking I in the fall, Artisan and Specialty Bread plus Hot and Cold Desserts in the spring, and European Cakes and Tortes in the summer. The catalog names pastry or bakery assistant and area pastry cook as target roles.
Therapeutic Baking Certificate
The Therapeutic Baking Certificate shares its fall courses and artisan bread course with the general certificate. It swaps in Nutrition for Foodservice and ends with a summer Therapeutic Baking course on nutritional balance, ingredient substitutions, and baked goods for specialty diets.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Across the three credentials, the 2026–27 catalog includes these baking and pastry courses:
- Baking I
- Artisan and Specialty Bread
- Hot and Cold Desserts
- European Cakes and Tortes
- Petit Fours and Pastries
- Cake Design and Decorating; Advanced Cake Design and Decorating
- Dessert and Bread Production
- Therapeutic Baking (therapeutic certificate)
- Pastry and Baking Marketing (AAS)
The AAS adds Garde Manger I, Purchasing, and Human Resource Management for Hospitality. Students must also meet physical standards, such as lifting 50 pounds and standing for up to eight hours in the kitchen.
Tuition and Additional Costs
Sandhills charges $76 per credit in-state and $268 per credit out-of-state. Every semester adds a $35 student activity fee, a $48 technology fee, and a $25 CAPS fee, for $108 per term. None of the published semester plans exceeds the tuition cap, so the estimates use the full credit totals and the catalog’s term counts:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts AAS (5 semesters) | 70 | $5,860 | $19,300 |
| Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate (3 semesters) | 16 | $1,540 | $4,612 |
| Therapeutic Baking Certificate (3 semesters) | 16 | $1,540 | $4,612 |
These totals cover tuition and the three per-semester fees only. The college’s tuition page still labels its rate table 2025–26, though the program page quotes the same per-credit rates. Course fees, textbooks, uniforms, and supplies are extra.
Sandhills’ 2026–27 course-specific fees include $100 each for Culinary Skills I, Baking I, and Garde Manger I, $125 for Cake Design and Decorating, and $68.99 in inclusive access materials for the ACA-115 success course. For the AAS, the program page estimates about $400 in additional program fees, $3,000 for textbooks, $400 for uniforms, and $250–$300 for supplies over two years. Current rates are on the tuition and fees page.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Sandhills uses its general enrollment steps rather than a separate baking application. New students complete the North Carolina Residency Determination Service (RDS) process and the college application, then receive next steps by text, set up a student account, and connect with a college navigator. Applicants submit high school or equivalency transcripts and any college or military transcripts, then meet with an academic advisor to plan a schedule, according to the enrollment steps page.
The college lists the AAS and both certificates as financial aid eligible. Students should complete the FAFSA along with the Sandhills scholarship application, which is part of the first enrollment step.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The catalog points AAS graduates toward jobs as pastry or bakery assistants, area pastry chefs, and assistant pastry chefs, and says American Culinary Federation certification may be available. Sandhills also cites ties with local chefs and employers who recruit graduates, and the required cooperative work experience gives degree students employer contact before finishing.
Both certificates use courses from the AAS, so they can serve as a first step toward the degree. Students aiming for a bachelor’s degree should have the receiving school review the AAS general education courses before assuming they will transfer.
Which Sandhills Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate | A one-year introduction to breads, desserts, and European cakes |
| Therapeutic Baking Certificate | Baking skills built around ingredient substitutions and special-diet products |
| Baking and Pastry Arts AAS | Full pastry training with cake decorating, production, and cooperative work experience |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Can I start a certificate in spring, or only in fall?
- Which cooperative work experience employers are currently approved?
- What uniforms and supplies do I need before the first lab?
- How do the therapeutic baking courses handle specific allergens in a shared kitchen?
- How many certificate credits apply directly to the AAS?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Sandhills Community College before applying.