Mott Community College runs its baking programs out of the Culinary Arts Institute in downtown Flint, a 36,000-square-foot building with multiple baking laboratories and a dedicated chocolates and confections lab. The 2026–27 catalog lists two baking credentials: the 34-credit Professional Baking Certificate and the 85-credit Baking and Pastry Arts AAS.
The AAS is heavy on kitchen time, with 47 of its 85 credits in BAKE courses. Students in Bake Shop II rotate through the bakeshop making desserts for sale at Applewood, the restaurant that students operate in the same building. Details below come from the 2026–27 Mott catalog, the college’s degree pathway page, and its 2026–27 tuition and fee schedule.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Mott Community College |
| Location | Culinary Arts Institute, 550 S. Saginaw St., Flint, Michigan |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry Arts, A.A.S. (BAKE2); Professional Baking Certificate (BAKE1) |
| Credits | 85 or 34 |
| Published sequence | AAS pathway: seven semesters, including two summers. No sequence is posted for the certificate |
| First courses | Introduction to Baking and Food Safety and Sanitation, before any lab class |
| Graduation standard | 2.0 cumulative GPA; at least 15 credits earned at Mott |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Mott describes its food programs on the Culinary Arts Institute page. The two baking credentials are stacked. All nine certificate courses are also required in the AAS, so the certificate works as the first 34 credits of the degree.
Baking and Pastry Arts, A.A.S.
The Baking and Pastry Arts A.A.S. combines 67 credits of occupational courses with at least 18 credits of general education, for 85 in total. The college’s degree pathway lays the courses out over seven semesters that run fall, winter, and summer, with loads of 6 to 16 credits. Beyond the certificate courses, the degree adds two more cake courses, Plated Desserts, Chocolates and Confections, nutrition, purchasing, management, and a cooperative education internship. Students must also show computer competency through a course or a test.
Professional Baking Certificate
The Professional Baking Certificate is 34 credits with no general education. The catalog aims it at people entering bakeries, pastry shops, restaurants, hotel pastry kitchens, and healthcare and assisted living kitchens, as well as working bakers who want to validate foundational skills. Mott calls it a one-year certificate but does not post a semester sequence, and the course prerequisites affect how quickly it can be finished.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
The 2026–27 catalog lists these courses. At Mott, credits and billable contact hours are the same for each one:
- Introduction to Baking (3 credits), Orientation to Food Services (1 credit), and Food Safety and Sanitation (2 credits), which leads to the ServSafe Food Protection Manager exam
- Bake Shop I and Bake Shop II (6 credits each): doughs, breads, pastries, creams and icings, then European-style cakes and cheesecakes
- Basic Cake Decorating, Artisan Breads, Modern Desserts, and Pastry Techniques (4 credits each)
- AAS only: Intermediate Cake Decorating, Wedding Cakes and Sugar Work, Plated Desserts, and Chocolates and Confections (4 credits each)
- AAS only: Nutrition and Menu Planning, Food Service Math, Automated Purchasing and Cost Control, and Food Service Organization and Management
- AAS only: Cooperative Education/Internship (4 credits) in a commercial food service operation
The catalog’s program pages show both Introduction to Baking and Bake Shop I under the number BAKE-102, while the degree pathway page lists the introductory course as BAKE-101. Students should confirm course numbers with an advisor when registering. Several labs note that an approved uniform and baking kit are required.
Tuition and Additional Costs
Mott bills per contact hour. Its 2026–27 schedule lists $164 for in-district students (residents of the Genesee Intermediate School District), $220 for out-of-district Michigan residents, and $306 for out-of-state students. Two fees are added to every contact hour: a $12.51 student administrative fee and a $9.38 technology fee. A $164 student services fee is charged each semester. The college labels these rates as subject to change pending Board approval.
The AAS estimate uses the catalog’s 85 contact hours and the seven semesters in the degree pathway. Since no sequence is published for the certificate, its estimate assumes two semesters:
| 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 Arts, A.A.S. (7 semesters) | 85 | $16,949 | $21,709 | $29,019 |
| Professional Baking Certificate (2 semesters assumed) | 34 | $6,648 | $8,552 | $11,476 |
These figures cover tuition, the two per-contact-hour fees, and the semester fee. Course fees, books, the uniform, the baking kit, and downtown parking are not included. Each extra semester adds $164, and the pathway’s suggested four-credit math course would bring the degree to 86 credits.
Mott says course fees of $1.75 to $500 apply to classes that use specialized equipment or laboratory supplies, but it does not list the amounts for BAKE courses on its public fee page. Uniform and baking kit prices are not published either. The college’s tuition calculator can model a specific schedule.
Admissions and Financial Aid
The catalog lists no separate program application for either credential. Students apply to Mott and complete placement, because nearly every course requires placement into at least ACRD 080, a reading placement level. Introduction to Baking and Food Safety and Sanitation must be completed before any lab class, so a first semester is built around those two courses.
The catalog attaches Gainful Employment disclosure data to the Professional Baking Certificate, a federal reporting category tied to aid-eligible certificate programs. It does not spell out Pell eligibility, so confirm with the financial aid office before relying on a grant. Residency for the in-district rate must be established 30 days before a semester begins.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
Mott points baking graduates toward bakeries, hotel bake shops, catering, health care, resorts and cruise ships, and bakery ownership. Along with Applewood, students help operate the Coffee Beanery locations as part of their coursework. The AAS internship requires at least 12 credits of program courses first and places students under a professional chef or manager.
The college states that it is an ACF Certified Testing Site and lists a ServSafe certificate among the degree details. It does not state ACF program accreditation for either baking credential. Mott also offers Culinary Arts and Food Services Management degrees at the same site, and its transfer office can advise on bachelor’s options.
Which Mott Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Professional Baking Certificate | Bread, pastry, dessert, and basic cake skills without general education |
| Baking and Pastry Arts, A.A.S. | Advanced cake, chocolate, and plated dessert labs, plus an internship and management courses |
| Certificate first, then the AAS | A credential partway through, with every certificate course counting toward the degree |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- How many semesters does the certificate take once prerequisites are counted?
- What do the approved uniform and baking kit cost, and where are they purchased?
- Which course fees apply to each BAKE lab?
- Are the labs offered every semester, including summer?
- Is the Professional Baking Certificate eligible for Pell Grants?
- How is the internship site arranged?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Mott Community College before applying.