Pasadena City College names its baking credential after the job: Certified Baker. The 2026–27 catalog offers it as a 19-unit Certificate of Achievement and as an Associate in Science degree, both housed in the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management department of the Business Division.
The certificate is broader than its title suggests. Two of its six courses are baking labs, and the other four cover sanitation, culinary principles, cooking foundations, and kitchen production management. The college’s main campus is at 1570 E. Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Pasadena City College |
| Location | Pasadena, California; main campus at 1570 E. Colorado Blvd. |
| Credentials | Certified Baker Certificate of Achievement; Certified Baker A.S. |
| Units | 19 (certificate); at least 60 (A.S.) |
| Baking courses | Industry Baking Foundations I and II, 3 units each |
| Program entry | No program application and no prerequisite skills; classes are listed under HOSP |
| Required purchases | Lab fees, uniform, and tool kit, per the catalog |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Both options share one Certified Baker catalog page. The department’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality page lists Certified Baker next to Certified Culinarian and several hospitality certificates, and it is the only one with a baking title.
Certified Baker Certificate of Achievement
The certificate requires six courses and 19 units, each passed with a C or better. The catalog aims it at entry and mid-level positions in the baking industry, including bakers, production bakers, pastry cooks, and decorators. Students are encouraged to pass the Manager Food Safety and Sanitation Certification exam with a score of at least 75%. The name Certified Baker is the title of the college’s award. The catalog does not link it to an outside industry certification.
Certified Baker Associate in Science
The A.S. uses the same 19-unit major and adds general education, either PCC’s local pattern or Cal-GETC. The catalog’s degree requirements set a minimum of 60 semester units for every associate degree, so about 41 units come from general education and electives. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution are deemed to have met the general education and elective requirements.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
The HOSP course descriptions in the 2026–27 catalog give these details:
- Industry Baking Foundations I (3 units): ingredient functions, weights and measures, yeast-raised and roll-in doughs, pie dough, basic cakes, fillings, icings, and pastry cream; 36 lecture and 54 lab hours
- Industry Baking Foundations II (3 units): piping, laminated doughs, fried pastries, tarts and specialty pastries, mousses and souffles, fruit desserts, and frozen dessert foundations; 36 lecture and 54 lab hours
- Survey of Hospitality Management and Manager Sanitation and Safety (3 units): an industry overview with preparation for the ServSafe Manager exam
- Culinary Principles (3 units): professionalism, nutrition, tools and equipment, flavor basics, and culinary math
- Industry Culinary Foundations I (3 units): cooking fundamentals, recipe costing, and commercial kitchen standards
- Culinary Production and Operation Management (4 units): 108 lab hours in a commercial kitchen operation, with menu planning, costing, and scheduling
The sanitation survey course is the prerequisite for Industry Baking Foundations I, which in turn comes before Industry Baking Foundations II. Culinary Production and Operation Management requires both the survey course and Culinary Principles. The department notes that students need a uniform before attending the production lab.
Tuition and Additional Costs
The catalog’s costs of attending page lists an enrollment fee of $46 per unit. Non-residents also pay $409 per unit in tuition and a $26 capital outlay fee, or $481 per unit. Per semester, the catalog lists a $28 health fee, a $2 student representation fee, a $10 student activity fee, and a $7 transportation fee.
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Baker Certificate of Achievement (three semesters assumed) | 19 | $1,015 | $9,280 |
| Certified Baker A.S. (four semesters assumed) | 60 | $2,948 | $29,048 |
Each estimate multiplies units by the per-unit rate and adds $47 in fees per semester. PCC publishes no term-by-term plan for either award. The certificate estimate assumes three semesters because the baking prerequisites run in a three-course chain, and the A.S. assumes four. The college’s fees and tuition web page shows a $26 health fee and no transportation fee, which would lower each semester by $9. Figures are before financial aid and exclude parking ($64 per semester on the main campus), books, and living costs.
The catalog states that the program has required lab fees, a uniform, a tool kit, and possible food safety exam fees. The department puts the uniform at roughly $100 to $200. Course and materials fees vary by class and are not listed in the catalog.
Admissions and Financial Aid
PCC has an open enrollment policy, and the department says students do not apply to the culinary program itself. New students apply to the college, complete the enrollment steps, and register for HOSP classes in LancerPoint. The catalog says no prerequisite skills are required, though course prerequisites still apply.
The college’s financial aid pages describe the California College Promise Grant as a waiver of enrollment fees for eligible California residents. It does not remove lab fees, uniforms, or tool kits. The catalog page does not state whether the certificate is eligible for federal aid, so confirm that with the Financial Aid Office.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The catalog lists restaurants, hospitals, retail, catering, lodging, theme parks, clubs, and cruise lines among the settings where graduates may work. Program outcomes include the working habits of a professional baker, food safety practice, and ingredient conversions, food costing, and yield management. The department also advertises a foodservice apprenticeship.
The four non-baking courses are marked for CSU transfer credit, and three carry C-ID numbers. The two baking courses show no transfer notation in the catalog. PCC also offers a Hospitality Management transfer degree, so students who plan on a bachelor’s degree should compare it with the Certified Baker A.S.
Which Pasadena City College Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Certified Baker Certificate of Achievement | Two baking labs plus sanitation, cooking, and kitchen production in 19 units, with no general education |
| Certified Baker A.S. | The same major with general education for an associate degree of at least 60 units |
| Individual HOSP baking courses | A first look at baking; the department says courses can be taken one at a time |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- In which terms are Industry Baking Foundations I and II offered, and can the certificate be finished in two semesters with an intersession?
- What are the lab fees for each course, and what does the tool kit cost?
- Where on campus do the baking labs meet, and are evening sections available?
- Which per-semester fees apply this year? The catalog and the college fees page differ.
- Is the program accredited by the American Culinary Federation? The catalog does not name a programmatic accreditor.
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Pasadena City College before applying.