HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, offers one baking credential, the 33-credit Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate (program code 1321). It is taught in person at the Harrisburg Campus, and the college states that the certificate is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF).
Three four-credit kitchen courses carry the hands-on baking, and a 280-hour internship at an approved bakery worksite closes the program. The rest of the plan is food service coursework shared with HACC’s culinary degree. Details below come from the Fall 2026 program guide, the 2026–27 catalog, and the 2026–27 tuition and fee charts.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College |
| Location | Harrisburg Campus, One HACC Drive, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |
| Credential | Baking and Pastry Arts, Certificate (1321) |
| Total credits | 33 |
| Recommended sequence | Fall, spring, and summer for full-time students |
| Grade standard | C or higher in BAKE 101, 111, and 201 |
| ACF accreditation | Stated by the college for this certificate |
| Continuation path | Culinary Arts, AAS (66 credits) |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
HACC’s program list shows three food credentials, and only this certificate is baking-specific. The college has no baking and pastry associate degree, so the two-year option is the culinary AAS.
Baking and Pastry Arts, Certificate
The Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate requires 33 credits: 31 in major courses plus a 2-credit program elective. The program guide recommends a three-term sequence for full-time students, with 14 credits in fall, 12 in spring, and 7 in summer. HACC says graduates who hold an American Culinary Federation membership are awarded the Certified Pastry Culinarian (CPC) designation.
Baking courses are restricted to students in the baking certificate and the culinary programs, so applicants should use program code 1321 on the application. The Fall 2026 class schedule lists Baking I on two weekday evenings and Advanced Baking and Pastry Arts on Saturday mornings, both at the Harrisburg Campus.
Continuing Into the Culinary Arts AAS
HACC encourages certificate graduates who want a degree to move into the Culinary Arts AAS, a 66-credit program also based in Harrisburg. Six certificate courses totaling 16 credits (Culinary Math, Nutrition for Food Service, Sanitation and Safety, Food Purchasing, Hospitality Supervision, and Introduction to the Hospitality Industry) are also required in the degree. The BAKE courses are not part of the AAS plan.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
The catalog’s course descriptions show a sequence in which each kitchen course builds on the one before it. Required courses include:
- BAKE 101 Baking I (4 credits): quick breads, yeast doughs, enriched and laminated doughs, cookies, and baker’s math, with a graded gingerbread showpiece
- BAKE 111 Pastry Arts I (4 credits): layered and tiered cakes, tortes, custards, pies and tarts, frozen desserts, chocolate work, and basic cake decorating
- BAKE 201 Advanced Baking and Pastry Arts (4 credits): sourdough and artisan breads, specialty dietary baking, gum paste and fondant, confections, and plated desserts
- BAKE 291 Baking and Pastry Arts Internship (3 credits): 280 hours of on-the-job training with weekly reports and a portfolio
- CULI 102 Culinary Math, CULI 113 Sanitation and Safety, and CULI 107 Nutrition for Food Service (7 credits combined)
- CULI 122 Food Purchasing, CULI 251 Hospitality Supervision, and HTMT 101 Introduction to the Hospitality Industry (9 credits combined)
- Program elective (2 credits): BAKE 205 Bakery Operations I is recommended, with business, marketing, and management courses as alternatives
Pastry Arts I requires a C or higher in Baking I and a passed ServSafe certification. The catalog describes Bakery Operations I as work in a commercial bakery at The Hotel Hershey, HACC’s partnering culinary teaching facility, and entry needs the program director’s approval.
Tuition and Additional Costs
HACC bills by residency. For 2026–27, students from one of the college’s 22 sponsoring school districts pay $189.75 per credit in tuition plus a $34.50 institutional fee and a $12.75 technology fee, or $237.00 per credit. Other Pennsylvania residents pay $290.00 in tuition plus the same two fees and a $5.00 capital outlay fee, or $342.25 per credit. Out-of-state students pay $430.00 plus the fees and a $10.00 capital outlay fee, or $487.25 per credit. All of these charges are per credit, with no flat term fees, so the total is the same at any pace.
| Program | Credits | Estimated sponsored-district tuition and fees | Estimated non-sponsored Pennsylvania tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts, Certificate | 33 | $7,821 | $11,294 | $16,079 |
These figures leave out course fees, the $35 admissions application fee, textbooks, uniforms, and equipment kits. The class schedule lists a “Bake fee” of $257 for Baking I and $297 for Advanced Baking and Pastry Arts in Fall 2026. Pastry Arts I carried a $251 fee in Spring 2026, the most recent term it appears with a fee listed. At those amounts, course fees add about $805 to the program.
Students buy an approved uniform and a designated small equipment kit for the kitchen courses. HACC does not publish prices for either on the program page, so ask the program for the current list. Sponsored-district rates require a Certificate of Residence from the student’s school district each academic year. The tuition and due dates page has the full rate charts.
Admissions and Financial Aid
HACC describes a four-step start: create an admissions account and apply, complete the FAFSA, submit transcripts where required, and activate a myHACC account after the acceptance email arrives. New students may also need placement assessments in math and English.
Federal aid requires enrollment in an eligible degree, certificate, or diploma program, and most grants other than Pell require at least six credits in a term. The program page does not say whether this certificate is aid eligible, so confirm that with the financial aid office.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The program guide points graduates toward work as retail and wholesale bakers, pastry chefs, or assistants. Beyond the internship, the college describes hands-on experience in a commercial operation for 12 hours a week, with bakeshop production and retail rotations.
HACC presents the certificate as a route into the workforce, not a transfer program. Students aiming at a bachelor’s degree would normally finish the Culinary Arts AAS first and plan transfer courses with an advisor.
Which HACC Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate, full time | Bread, pastry, and decorating training plus an internship in three consecutive terms |
| Certificate at a part-time pace | One or two courses a term around a job, at the same per-credit cost |
| Certificate, then Culinary Arts AAS | Pastry skills first, followed by a degree with savory kitchens, restaurant operations, and general education |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Which terms will Baking I, Pastry Arts I, and Advanced Baking and Pastry Arts be offered in the coming year?
- What do the uniform and equipment kit cost, and where are they purchased?
- Is the certificate eligible for federal and state financial aid?
- Is Bakery Operations I at The Hotel Hershey being offered, and how are students approved for it?
- Does my school district sponsor HACC, and how do I file the Certificate of Residence?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College before applying.