Trident Technical College teaches baking and pastry through its Culinary Institute of Charleston division, and the 2026–27 catalog lists three baking credentials there: a 60-credit Baking and Pastry Arts AAS, a 15-credit Baking and Pastry Certificate, and a 12-credit Cake Decorating Certificate. The college describes bakery kitchens on its Thornley Campus in North Charleston that seat no more than 16 students, each at a fully equipped workstation, plus an artisanal baking lab at the Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston.
The catalog lists 16 separate BKP courses, from artisan breads to chocolate and sugar work, and degree students finish in a capstone built around a retail bakery that sells to the public. Costs below use Trident Tech’s published 2026–27 tuition schedule.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Trident Technical College, Culinary Institute of Charleston |
| Location | North Charleston, South Carolina (Thornley Campus); additional culinary facility at the Palmer Campus in downtown Charleston |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry Arts, AAS; Baking and Pastry Certificate; Cake Decorating Certificate |
| Credits | 60; 15; or 12 |
| Length | Five semesters, including one summer, in the recommended AAS sequence; the catalog gives no separate sequence for the certificates |
| Admission | High school diploma or GED and qualifying SAT, ACT, or TTC placement scores |
| Lab size | Bakery kitchens hold a maximum of 16 students |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Trident Tech groups its credentials on the Baking and Pastry Arts program page. The catalog treats the Baking and Pastry Certificate as a related certificate inside the degree and says all certificates can also be completed on their own.
Baking and Pastry Arts, AAS
The Baking and Pastry Arts AAS combines 15 credits of general education with 45 major credits. Students take thirteen required courses and choose two baking electives. The recommended course sequence runs five semesters at 12 credits each, with a summer term for general education.
Baking and Pastry Certificate
The Baking and Pastry Certificate is a 15-credit Certificate in Applied Science made up of five courses: Introduction to Culinary Arts, Kitchen Fundamentals, Introduction to Baking, Introduction to Pastries, and Introduction to Cakes and Decorating. All five count toward the AAS, where they fall across the first fall and spring semesters.
Cake Decorating Certificate
The Cake Decorating Certificate is a 12-credit certificate written for pastry students who want decorating skills. It requires Cake Calligraphy, Advanced Cakes, Wedding Cakes and Decorating Techniques, and Specialty Cakes. These courses carry prerequisites from outside the certificate, including Introduction to Pastries and Introduction to Cakes and Decorating, so new students should plan on the Baking and Pastry Certificate courses first.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Each BKP course in the 2026–27 catalog is 3 credits with 75 contact hours, split between lecture and lab. Courses include:
- Introduction to Baking and Introduction to Pastries, which both require the two introductory culinary courses
- Introduction to Cakes and Decorating, followed by Advanced Cakes
- Candies and Confectionaries, covering chocolate, sugar, pastillage, and marzipan
- Artisan Breads, using sponges, wild yeast, bigas, and poolish
- Baking and Pastry Capstone, in which students produce and sell baked goods in a retail bakery
- AAS electives (choose two): Laminated Doughs and Pastries; Plated Desserts; Savory Baking; Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts; Chocolate and Sugar; Wedding Cakes and Decorating Techniques; Jams, Jellies, Chutneys and Tarts
- AAS support courses in nutritional cooking, purchasing, and food service management, plus a supervised work experience
Two catalog details are worth raising with an advisor. The capstone lists Plated Desserts as its prerequisite, although Plated Desserts is an AAS elective. The catalog also describes the Cake Decorating courses as part of the AAS, yet only Advanced Cakes and Wedding Cakes appear in the degree requirements.
Tuition and Additional Costs
Trident Tech’s tuition and payment page lists one schedule for Fall 2026, Spring 2027, and Summer 2027. Tuition is $200 per credit for Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester county residents, $221.89 per credit for other South Carolina residents, and $378.64 per credit for out-of-state students. The schedule adds an $18.34 registration fee each semester and shows no full-time cap through 18 credits. The estimates below use five semesters for the AAS and assume two semesters for each certificate, based on the course prerequisites:
| Program | Credits | Estimated tri-county tuition and fees | Estimated other South Carolina tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Arts, AAS (5 semesters) | 60 | $12,092 | $13,405 | $22,810 |
| Baking and Pastry Certificate (2 semesters) | 15 | $3,037 | $3,365 | $5,716 |
| Cake Decorating Certificate (2 semesters) | 12 | $2,437 | $2,699 | $4,580 |
These figures are before financial aid and cover tuition and the registration fee only. They leave out books, uniforms, tools, and the prerequisite courses behind the Cake Decorating Certificate. The tuition page also notes that some classes have additional course fees, which it does not itemize.
The same schedule shows South Carolina Lottery Tuition Assistance for eligible residents taking six or more credits, at $75 per credit up to $1,125 a semester. Trident Tech also promotes the SCWINS scholarship for culinary and hospitality programs, worth up to $5,000 per academic year for qualifying residents.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Admission to all three baking credentials requires proof of high school graduation or a GED, along with qualifying scores on the SAT, ACT, or the TTC placement test. The college says its online admission application has no fee.
Students apply for aid through the FAFSA, and the 12-credit semesters in the AAS sequence meet Trident Tech’s full-time threshold. The college does not state whether the two short certificates qualify for Pell Grants on their own, so certificate-only students should ask the financial aid office.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
The catalog says the AAS prepares professional bakers for hotels, bakeries, confectionery shops, resort restaurants, and catering operations, with externships at Charleston-area food service establishments. The certificate is aimed at fine dining restaurants and retail bakeries. The catalog does not state American Culinary Federation accreditation for the baking programs.
For students who want a bachelor’s degree, Trident Tech lists Baking and Pastry Arts among the AAS programs in its EPIC Scholars partnership with the College of Charleston. It offers guaranteed admission to the online Bachelor of Professional Studies program.
Which Trident Tech Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Certificate | Five foundation courses in culinary basics, baking, pastry, and cakes that all count toward the degree |
| Cake Decorating Certificate | Focused work in calligraphy, advanced, wedding, and specialty cakes after completing introductory pastry and cake courses |
| Baking and Pastry Arts, AAS | Breads, confections, electives, an externship, and a retail bakery capstone, with a route to the College of Charleston |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Which baking courses meet at the Thornley Campus and which at the Palmer Campus?
- Do I need Plated Desserts as one of my two electives to enter the capstone?
- What course fees, uniforms, and tools will I need to budget for?
- Are the Baking and Pastry and Cake Decorating certificates eligible for Pell Grants and SCWINS on their own?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Trident Technical College before applying.