Navajo Technical University (NTU), a tribal university chartered by the Navajo Nation, offers two Professional Baking credentials at its main campus in Crownpoint: a 44-credit certificate and a 63–64-credit Associate of Applied Science. NTU lists both among its programs accredited through the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF).
The baking core is built around two eight-credit labs, Professional Baking I and II, which cover breads, sweet breads, pastries, cakes, and cake decorating. Both credentials also include Diné Studies coursework, and NTU charges tuition by tribal enrollment status rather than by state residency.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Navajo Technical University |
| Location | Crownpoint, New Mexico (main campus) |
| Credentials | Professional Baking AAS; Professional Baking Certificate |
| Credits | 63–64; or 44 credits |
| Program area | School of Culinary Arts, Hospitality, and Tourism |
| Accreditation | Both listed by NTU as ACFEF-accredited |
| Format | Campus-based |
| Catalog | 2026–2027 Undergraduate Catalog |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Both credentials appear in the NTU 2026–2027 Undergraduate Catalog and on the university’s accreditation page, which lists the Professional Baking certificate and AAS with NTU’s Culinary Arts programs under ACFEF accreditation. They share the same first-year baking courses.
Professional Baking Associate of Applied Science
The Professional Baking AAS requires 63–64 credits: 18–19 in general education and 45 in the core. NTU describes it as training for higher levels of commercial baking. The core adds two advanced baking labs, one on plated desserts with chocolate and pulled sugar and one on advanced cake decorating, plus ServSafe, food and beverage management, banquets and catering, and supervision courses.
Professional Baking Certificate
The Professional Baking Certificate totals 44 credits and prepares students for entry-level commercial baking. It combines 13 credits of technical communication, technical math, Diné Studies, computers, and college success with a 31-credit core. That core includes both Professional Baking labs, nutrition, cooking basics, management and supervision, and a three-credit professional internship.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Across the two credentials, the catalog lists these baking and culinary courses:
- BKG 101 Professional Baking I (8 credits): breads, sweet breads, assorted pastries, cakes, and cake decorating
- BKG 111 Professional Baking II (8 credits): fillings, tarts, pies, specialty desserts, Genoese, international buttercreams, and sugar and chocolate decoration
- BKG 201 Art of Grand Finale (4 credits, AAS): plated single-serving and banquet desserts, chocolate, and pulled sugar
- BKG 202 Advanced Cake Decorating (4 credits, AAS): single-portion cakes through wedding and banquet cakes
- CUL 103 Food Safety and Sanitation, which includes a Food Handler’s Permit and ServSafe certification
- CKG 208 Professional Cooking Basics, CUL 105 Nutrition, and CUL 207 Management and Supervision
Professional Baking II requires Baking I and Food Safety and Sanitation, and the two AAS advanced labs are taken together after Baking II. The catalog shows Professional Baking I and II and both advanced labs offered in fall and spring.
Tuition and Additional Costs
NTU has no separate out-of-state rate. Tuition is $77 per credit for enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe with a Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB) and $154 per credit for all other students, charged for 12 credits when a student takes 12–15. Credits over 15 are billed per credit. Full-time students also pay a $125 program fee and $50 each for activity, athletic, technology, and library fees, or $325 per semester. The certificate plan does not assign its general education courses to terms, so the estimate assumes three full-time semesters. The AAS uses its four published semesters, with three credits of overload at the 63-credit minimum:
| Program | Credits | Estimated tuition and fees, CIB holders | Estimated tuition and fees, non-CIB students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Baking AAS (4 semesters) | 63–64 | $5,227 | $9,154 |
| Professional Baking Certificate (3 semesters assumed) | 44 | $3,747 | $6,519 |
The CIB column is the lowest published rate. A New Mexico resident without tribal enrollment pays the non-CIB rate. A 64-credit AAS would add $77 or $154. Housing, meals, books, and supplies are excluded.
Several required courses carry a $100 course fee: BKG 101, BKG 111, and CKG 208 in both credentials, plus BKG 201, BKG 202, and CUL 206 in the AAS. That adds $300 for the certificate and $600 for the degree. NTU’s program pages estimate $2,600 a year for books and supplies. Current charges are on the NTU tuition page.
Admissions and Financial Aid
New students apply for general admission and submit an official high school transcript or GED results. Transfer students send transcripts from previous colleges. Incoming students take the Accuplacer, or submit ACT or SAT scores, for English and math placement. To qualify for the tribal-member rate, students provide a CIB or other official proof of enrollment in a federally recognized tribe.
NTU participates in federal student aid, including Pell Grants, and its catalog describes Navajo Nation scholarship funding. The catalog also lists the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship and Legislative Lottery Scholarship among state aid for New Mexico residents. Students should ask the financial aid office which programs apply to their credential and enrollment level.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The certificate targets entry-level commercial baking, and its required internship gives students on-the-job training before they finish. The AAS aims at higher-level bakery and pastry work, with banquet, catering, and fine-dining dessert skills and management coursework. NTU’s culinary faculty includes ACF-certified pastry chefs.
Unlike the certificate, the AAS plan does not list an internship. It does include college-level English, math, and science, but students planning a bachelor’s degree should ask the receiving school how the career-focused AAS would transfer.
Which NTU Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Professional Baking Certificate | A 44-credit route into commercial baking with a required internship |
| Professional Baking AAS | Advanced plated desserts, sugar and chocolate work, cake decorating, and catering and management courses |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- How many semesters does the certificate usually take once general education is included?
- Where are internship placements, and are they available near my home community?
- Which baking courses, if any, are offered outside the Crownpoint campus?
- What uniform, tools, and supplies must I buy beyond the $100 course fees?
- Is campus housing available for baking students, and what does it cost?
- How do certificate credits apply if I continue to the Professional Baking AAS?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Navajo Technical University before applying.