Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) teaches baking and pastry at its Academy of Culinary Arts in Punxsutawney, a regional campus separate from the main campus in Indiana. The academy’s one baking credential is a 60–61 credit Baking and Pastry Arts Associate in Applied Science, built as four semesters in Punxsutawney followed by a fifth semester on a full-time, paid externship.
IUP’s trustee materials note that no other university in Pennsylvania’s State System has a culinary or baking and pastry program. Students here pay university tuition and fees, not community college rates. Details here come from the 2026–2027 IUP Undergraduate Catalog, the academy’s culinary cost page, and the Office of Student Billing’s 2026–27 schedules.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Academy of Culinary Arts |
| Location | 125 South Gilpin Street, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania |
| Credential | Baking and Pastry Arts, AAS (program code BKPS-AAS) |
| Total credits | 60–61 (39 in the major, 21–22 in Crimson Core) |
| Length | Five semesters: four on campus, one on externship |
| Externship | Full-time and paid, in the final semester |
| Accreditation | The academy states ACFEFAC accreditation |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
IUP’s 2026–2027 catalog lists two academy programs, the Baking and Pastry Arts AAS and the Culinary Arts AAS. No separate baking certificate appears in the current catalog. The academy recently moved from a clock-hour certificate model to credit-bearing degrees, and some pages on the IUP website still describe the older certificate-plus-degree structure.
Baking and Pastry Arts, AAS
The Baking and Pastry Arts, AAS requires 39 credits of baking and pastry program coursework and externship plus 21–22 credits of Crimson Core, IUP’s general education curriculum. The catalog describes four semesters of competency-based instruction in professional kitchen labs, then a final semester working in industry. The academy’s program page says its instructors are certified executive pastry chefs.
Several academy courses double as general education. The catalog treats the program’s math, nutrition, and computer courses as equivalent to specific Crimson Core courses, which is how a 39-credit major and a 21–22 credit core fit inside about 60 credits.
Continuing Toward a Bachelor’s Degree
IUP says academy credits can be applied toward its four-year degrees in hotel, restaurant, tourism, and event management, in food and nutrition, or in family and consumer science education.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
The catalog’s program page does not itemize the 39 major credits course by course. Its 2026–2027 course descriptions show these baking and foundation courses under the BKPS and CULN prefixes:
- CULN 121 Foundations of Cooking and Baking (4 credits) and CULN 131 Baking I (4)
- BKPS 245 Artisan Breads and Patisserie (4): lean, enriched, and laminated doughs, viennoiserie, pâte à choux, and puff pastry
- BKPS 231 Specialty and Artistic Techniques (4): chocolate tempering, sugar confections, isomalt, pastillage, and plated desserts
- BKPS 270 Advanced Cakes and Decorating (4): cake design matched to theme and occasion
- BKPS 250 Baking Bistro (4): production for commercial operations, merchandising, and customer service in a live event
- CULN 111 Culinary Math (3), CULN 143 Introduction to Hospitality Business and Computers (3), and CULN 221 Nutritional Cooking and Baking (3)
- CULN 293 The Academy Practicum (3): the capstone, taken after the lab sequence is complete
Each BKPS lab lists Baking I (CULN 131) as a prerequisite. Liberal studies courses in English, humanities, natural science, and social science follow a traditional college schedule and are offered in Punxsutawney, in Indiana, or online. Ask the academy for the semester-by-semester plan for your entry term, since the website’s course list predates the new course numbers.
Tuition and Additional Costs
For 2026–27, full-time tuition (12–18 credits) is $4,169 per semester for Pennsylvania residents and $6,045 for non-residents. Part-time tuition is $347 or $500 per credit. Mandatory fees at 15 or more credits total $1,935 per semester for residents (technology $276, instructional $444, activity $585, student services $630) and $2,706.60 for non-residents. Academy students also pay a $500 culinary and baking lab fee each semester, charged at $250 per lab.
IUP does not publish a program total. The estimate below assumes four full-time campus semesters with full fees and lab fees, plus an externship semester billed per credit for the 3-credit practicum ($488 per credit for residents, $705.30 for non-residents).
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts, AAS (4 campus semesters plus externship) | 60–61 | $27,880 | $39,122 |
Each campus semester works out to $6,604 for residents and $9,251.60 for non-residents. The estimate leaves out housing, meals, books, uniforms, tools, and the $150 enrollment deposit. How IUP bills the externship semester is not stated on the cost page, so that part of the estimate could change. The billing office also notes a reduced student services fee for Punxsutawney students, which would lower the total slightly.
On-campus housing at the IUP Punxsutawney Living Center is listed at $4,723 per semester. The academy’s culinary costs page says books, uniforms, and supplies are required and not billed by IUP, without giving amounts. Full fee tables are on the undergraduate tuition and fees page.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Applicants use IUP’s online culinary application and submit a high school transcript or GED scores. An unofficial transcript is accepted for review, with the official final transcript due before classes start. SAT or ACT scores and recommendations are optional but can count toward scholarships. IUP says decisions are made within two weeks of a complete file. ENGL 101 requires a placement test.
Prior college coursework may satisfy some or all of the liberal studies requirements once IUP’s transfer office evaluates official transcripts. For aid, the academy directs students to file the FAFSA and review IUP’s culinary scholarships, and it lists outside awards from the ACF, the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, and others.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The externship is the program’s main bridge to work. Each spring, chefs and human resources staff from resorts, clubs, and hotels visit the Punxsutawney campus over three weeks to present and interview students. Sites named by the academy include the Biltmore, The American Club, Hotel Hershey, and the Duquesne Club.
IUP states that the Academy of Culinary Arts is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission. Under ACF rules described by the academy, graduates who hold ACF membership at graduation can receive the Certified Pastry Culinarian credential by applying within one year.
Which IUP Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts AAS as designed | A campus-based, full-time pastry program that ends in a paid externship |
| AAS with transfer credits | To apply earlier college courses to the liberal studies portion |
| AAS, then an IUP bachelor’s degree | Pastry training first, then hospitality management, nutrition, or teaching |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- What is the term-by-term course plan, and how many credits is each semester?
- How are tuition and fees billed during the externship semester?
- What do uniforms, knives, and books cost for baking students?
- Does the program admit students in spring as well as fall?
- Which of my existing college credits would count toward Crimson Core?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Indiana University of Pennsylvania before applying.