Central Texas College in Killeen groups four baking credentials under a dedicated Baking and Pastry program area: the 18-credit Baking Skills certificate, the 27-credit Baking certificate, the 42-credit Baking and Cake Decorating certificate, and the 60-credit Baking and Pastry Specialization AAS. Each certificate is stackable toward the degree, so a student can stop after one semester or keep building toward the associate.
Cake work is a stronger theme here than at many Texas colleges. Two levels of cake decorating and a wedding cake course appear in the longer certificate and the AAS, alongside breads, advanced pastry, and hospitality management courses. Details below come from CTC’s 2026–27 catalog.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Central Texas College |
| Location | Killeen, Texas |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry Specialization AAS (HMBP.AAS); Baking and Cake Decorating certificate (HMB19.CC1); Baking certificate (HMBK9.CC1); Baking Skills certificate (HMBP.CC1) |
| Credits | 60; 42; 27; or 18 |
| Catalog plan | 4 semesters (AAS); 3 semesters (Baking and Cake Decorating); 2 semesters (Baking) |
| Certificate level | Level I certificates, exempt from TSI requirements |
| Program area | Hospitality Management, Baking and Pastry |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
CTC’s Baking and Pastry catalog page lists all four credentials. The college’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality department also publishes a pathway chart that shows the order: Baking Skills first, then Baking, then Baking and Cake Decorating, then the AAS.
Baking and Pastry Specialization AAS
The Baking and Pastry Specialization AAS requires 60 credits over four semesters. It combines the full PSTR sequence with sanitation, basic food preparation, menu management, purchasing, and hospitality supervision. General education covers English Composition I, Federal Government, a speech course, a math course, a humanities or fine arts course, and an academic elective. In the final semester, students choose between a hospitality internship and Entrepreneur and Business Plan Development.
Baking and Cake Decorating Certificate
At 42 credits over three semesters, the Baking and Cake Decorating certificate is the longest certificate. It includes every PSTR course in the AAS, including Wedding Cakes and Advanced Pastry Shop, and ends with the same internship or business plan choice. It leaves out only the degree’s general education courses.
Baking Certificate
The two-semester Baking certificate totals 27 credits. The first semester covers sanitation, the hospitality industry, menu management, basic food preparation, and Fundamentals of Baking. The second adds cake production, Cake Decorating I, breads and rolls, and purchasing.
Baking Skills Certificate
The 18-credit Baking Skills certificate is the entry point. Its six courses are sanitation and safety, the hospitality industry, basic food preparation, menu management, Fundamentals of Baking, and Cake Baking and Production.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
The 2026–27 catalog lists these pastry (PSTR) courses across the four credentials:
- Fundamentals of Baking, which includes the National Restaurant Association food production exam
- Cake Baking and Production
- Breads and Rolls
- Cake Decorating I and Cake Decorating II
- Wedding Cakes, covering marzipan, rolled fondant, chocolate garnish, flower making, and royal icing
- Advanced Pastry Shop, covering French and international pastries, ice creams, and chocolate work
Several courses carry prerequisites. Cake Baking and Production and Advanced Pastry Shop require Fundamentals of Baking, while Cake Decorating II and Wedding Cakes require Cake Decorating I. Following the published semester order keeps those sequences in place.
Tuition and Additional Costs
CTC’s 2026–27 tuition schedule charges $125 per credit in-district, $163 per credit for Texas residents outside the district, and $250 per credit for nonresident and international students. The catalog’s required fee list adds no general per-credit or per-semester fee, and the PSTR, CHEF, HAMG, and RSTO courses do not appear on the differential tuition list. That makes the estimate straightforward:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-district tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baking and Pastry Specialization AAS | 60 | $7,500 | $9,780 | $15,000 |
| Baking and Cake Decorating certificate | 42 | $5,250 | $6,846 | $10,500 |
| Baking certificate | 27 | $3,375 | $4,401 | $6,750 |
| Baking Skills certificate | 18 | $2,250 | $2,934 | $4,500 |
The estimates cover tuition only because no separate mandatory fees are listed. They leave out textbooks, uniforms, knives or tools, TSI assessment ($25) if needed, transportation, and living costs. Students who attempt the same course a third time are charged the nonresident rate for it.
The catalog does not publish a culinary lab fee, uniform, or kit list for the baking program. Applicants should ask the department what those items cost before the first lab. The complete rate chart appears on the 2026–27 tuition schedule.
Admissions and Financial Aid
CTC has open admission, and students apply online through the college or ApplyTexas. The catalog notes that admission to the college does not guarantee a seat in a specific program. Texas students under 22 must show a bacterial meningitis vaccination. All three certificates are Level I certificates. The catalog exempts Level I certificate students from TSI requirements, but the waiver ends if they take a course outside the certificate plan. AAS students follow the usual TSI rules.
For aid, students file the FAFSA. The catalog states that federal aid covers only classes on a student’s degree plan that fall within the official semester. CTC does not say on its program pages whether each baking certificate is Pell eligible, so confirm that with financial aid. Because CTC also teaches at Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) and other military installations, its catalog explains how to use military tuition assistance and VA education benefits.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
CTC’s pathway chart links each credential to a level of work. Baking Skills points to prep cook, line cook, and baker roles. The Baking certificate leads toward basic cake decorator, apprentice, and bread baker work. Baking and Cake Decorating targets supervisor, pastry chef, advanced cake decorator, and head baker jobs, while the AAS aims at executive pastry chef, bakery manager, and business owner.
Transfer options are unusually well documented. The catalog lists articulation agreements that carry the AAS into applied or business bachelor’s degrees at Texas A&M University-Central Texas, Midwestern State University, South Texas College, Excelsior University, and SUNY Empire State. It also lists agreements with the University of Alaska Fairbanks for the Baking and the Baking and Cake Decorating certificates.
Which CTC Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Baking Skills certificate | A low-cost first step in baking and cakes, with credits that count toward the longer options |
| Baking certificate | Two semesters that add breads, cake decorating, and purchasing |
| Baking and Cake Decorating certificate | The complete pastry and cake sequence, including wedding cakes, without general education |
| Baking and Pastry Specialization AAS | A degree with management courses and documented routes to a bachelor’s |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- Which campus holds the baking labs, and are day or evening sections offered?
- Which PSTR courses run each fall, spring, and summer?
- What do uniforms, knives, and baking tools cost, and are any course fees charged?
- Is each baking certificate eligible for Pell Grants on its own?
- How are internship sites arranged for the final-semester option?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Central Texas College before applying.