Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill lists two baking credentials in its 2026–27 catalog: a 30-unit Certificate of Achievement in Baking and Pastry and an Associate in Science in Baking and Pastry with a 39-unit major. Both sit in the hospitality (HOSP) department, whose program page describes a teaching lab, a fully equipped kitchen, a retail pastry shop, and a restaurant open to the public.
What sets the DVC plan apart is its prerequisite chain. Baking I leads to Baking II, and Baking II is required before Frozen Desserts, Survey of Bread, or Cake Decorating. A new student should plan on at least three semesters for the 30-unit certificate.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Diablo Valley College (Contra Costa Community College District) |
| Location | Pleasant Hill, California; main campus at 321 Golf Club Road |
| Credentials | Certificate of Achievement in Baking and Pastry; Associate in Science in Baking and Pastry |
| Units | 30 (certificate); 39-unit major within a degree of at least 60 units (A.S.) |
| Format | Campus-based lecture and kitchen lab courses |
| Length | No term-by-term plan is published; the prerequisites point to three semesters or more for the certificate |
| Health requirement | A current, satisfactory tuberculosis (TB) screening on file with the Culinary Department Office by the start of classes |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
DVC links both awards from its Culinary Arts program page. Each requires a grade of C or higher in every required course.
Certificate of Achievement in Baking and Pastry
The Certificate of Achievement in Baking and Pastry is a state-approved credit certificate of ten 3-unit courses, for 30 units. Five are baking labs: Baking I, Baking II, Frozen Desserts, Survey of Bread, and Cake Decorating. The other five cover hospitality, sanitation, purchasing, a first cooking lab, and nutrition.
Associate in Science in Baking and Pastry
The Associate in Science in Baking and Pastry is a local A.S. degree, not a transfer degree. Its 39-unit major contains all ten certificate courses, then adds Candies and Chocolates, Applied Accounting, and one 3-unit management course, either Restaurant Management or Production Management. Students also complete general education and electives to reach the 60 degree-applicable units DVC requires, with a 2.0 grade point average in the degree coursework.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Each baking course is 3 units and combines lecture with kitchen lab time. The catalog describes them this way:
- Baking I: yeast and quick breads, cakes, cookies, pies, pastries, decorating, and icings, produced in a time-restricted setting
- Baking II: intermediate commercial baking as practiced in hotels, restaurants, and retail bakeries
- Frozen Desserts: ice creams, sorbets, mousses, and ice-based desserts
- Survey of Bread: artisan breads, recipe development, and starter development
- Cake Decorating: cake baking and modern decorating with a variety of icings and fondants
- Candies and Chocolates (A.S. only): brittles, toffees, meringues, truffles, and bonbons
- Support courses: Introduction to Hospitality, Sanitation and Safety, Purchasing, Kitchen I, and Nutrition: Science and Applications
Sanitation and Safety is a corequisite for Baking I and for Kitchen I, so it belongs in the first term. Baking II requires Baking I. Frozen Desserts, Survey of Bread, and Cake Decorating each require Baking II. Candies and Chocolates requires Survey of Bread or Cake Decorating, which puts it last in the A.S. sequence. The catalog also warns that not every course is offered every term.
Tuition and Additional Costs
The student fees page of the 2026–27 catalog lists an enrollment fee of $46 per unit for California residents and $429 per unit for non-residents, which is the $46 fee plus a $383 non-resident fee. A student union fee of $1 per unit is capped at $10 per student per academic year.
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Achievement in Baking and Pastry (three semesters assumed) | 30 | $1,399 | $12,889 |
| Associate in Science in Baking and Pastry (four semesters assumed) | 60 | $2,780 | $25,760 |
Each estimate multiplies units by the per-unit rate and adds the student union fee. DVC publishes no term-by-term plan, so the certificate is spread over three semesters of 12, 9, and 9 units to respect the Baking I and Baking II prerequisites. That brings $19 in union fees over two academic years. The A.S. assumes four semesters and $20 in union fees. Figures are before financial aid and leave out the voluntary $5 student activity fee and $2 student representation fee charged each fall and spring, as well as parking, books, uniforms, tools, and living costs.
Program costs are not priced in the catalog. It says only that culinary students supply their own equipment and uniforms, depending on the class. The college’s tuition and fees page adds that some courses carry materials fees shown in the course notes. The catalog estimates books and supplies at $250 to $350 per term for full-time students.
Admissions and Financial Aid
DVC admits anyone who has a high school diploma or equivalent or is at least 18 years old. The application page directs new students to create a CCCApply account and complete the online application, which the college says is processed within 24 hours. Registration follows once the application is accepted. The catalog lists no separate program application; the TB screening is the only program-specific requirement.
The college’s free tuition page explains that the California College Promise Grant waives per-unit enrollment fees for full-time or part-time students with financial need. Full-time students who do not qualify may be eligible for the Full-Time Free Tuition Award, which requires at least 12 units and covers fall and spring terms for up to two years. The student union fee is not covered by the Promise Grant.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The program page lists food preparation worker, chef and head cook, restaurant manager, and head pastry chef among the roles the culinary arts programs prepare students for. It also says students can intern outside the college and that many work in bakeries, restaurants, and resorts.
Because the A.S. is a local degree, it is not built to guarantee transfer. General education can be met through the DVC general education pattern of 21 units or through a transfer pattern. Students who expect to pursue a bachelor’s degree can ask a counselor about DVC’s separate Associate in Science for Transfer in Hospitality Management.
Which DVC Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Achievement in Baking and Pastry | Five baking labs plus sanitation, purchasing, a cooking lab, and nutrition, with no general education |
| Associate in Science in Baking and Pastry | The full certificate plus candy and chocolate work, accounting, a management course, and general education for a degree |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Which baking courses are scheduled each fall and spring, and how many semesters do most certificate students need?
- What uniforms, knives, and tools must I buy, and which courses carry a materials fee?
- Which non-resident rate applies? The 2026–27 catalog lists $383 per unit, while the college’s tuition web page lists $401.
- Are the retail pastry shop and the restaurant operating this term, and which classes staff them?
- Is the program accredited by the American Culinary Federation? The current program page does not name a programmatic accreditor.
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Diablo Valley College before applying.