St. Philip’s College is the only Alamo Colleges District school that lists baking and pastry credentials in its 2026–27 catalog, and teaches them in the Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts (THCA) Building on its MLK Campus. The college offers five options: a 60-credit Baking and Pastry Arts AAS, a 32-credit Baking Principles Level 2 Certificate, and three Level 1 certificates in Artisan Breads and Specialty Desserts, Baking Principles, and Cake Decorating.
The program page states that baking and pastry holds accreditation from the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission with exemplary status through June 30, 2029. Graduates who are ACF members at graduation receive the Certified Pastry Culinarian (CPC) credential without extra fees or exams, the college says.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | St. Philip’s College (Alamo Colleges District) |
| Location | MLK Campus, THCA Building, 1801 Martin Luther King Drive, San Antonio, Texas |
| Credentials | Baking and Pastry Arts AAS; Baking Principles Level 2 Certificate; Artisan Breads and Specialty Desserts Level 1 Certificate; Baking Principles Level 1 Certificate; Cake Decorating Level 1 Certificate |
| Credits | 60; 32; 23; 20; or 18 semester credit hours |
| Length | Four semesters in the catalog plan for the AAS; three semesters for each certificate |
| Accreditation | ACF exemplary status through June 30, 2029, per the program page |
| Program area | Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
All five credentials appear on the Baking and Pastry Arts program page. The AAS lists the Artisan Breads and Cake Decorating certificates as stackable awards, while the two Baking Principles certificates stack with each other.
Baking and Pastry Arts AAS
The Baking and Pastry Arts AAS (major code BKPA) requires 60 credits over four semesters. General education covers Composition I, Introduction to Ethics, Business Computer Applications, a psychology or sociology choice, and College Algebra or Contemporary Mathematics. The catalog notes that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recognizes it as an Exemplary Workforce Education Program.
Baking Principles Level 1 and Level 2 Certificates
The Baking Principles Level 1 Certificate (20 credits) prepares students for baker’s helper work. It pairs Fundamentals of Baking and Advanced Pastry Shop with sanitation, basic food preparation, professional cooking and dining room service, and a baking practicum. The Level 2 Certificate (32 credits) keeps those courses and adds hospitality, food and beverage cost control, legal issues, and nutrition coursework.
Artisan Breads and Specialty Desserts Level 1 Certificate
Aimed at in-store, boutique, and commercial bread bakers, the 23-credit Artisan Breads and Specialty Desserts certificate builds from Fundamentals of Baking into Breads and Rolls, Pies, Tarts, Teacakes and Cookies, and Laminated Dough, Pate a Choux, and Donuts. Every course also counts toward the AAS.
Cake Decorating Level 1 Certificate
The 18-credit Cake Decorating certificate ends with Cake Decorating I and II and Wedding Cakes, covering piping, rolled fondant, marzipan, modeling chocolate, gum paste flowers, and royal icing. The catalog says these three courses run as block sessions of 6.4 hours a day for 10 days each.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Each credential starts with Sanitation and Safety, Basic Food Preparation, and Introduction to Foods. The PSTR baking courses listed across the five programs include:
- Fundamentals of Baking, the milestone course in every credential
- Breads and Rolls; Pies, Tarts, Teacakes and Cookies
- Laminated Dough, Pate a Choux, and Donuts
- Cake Decorating I and II, and Wedding Cakes
- Chocolates and Confections, and Plated Desserts
- Advanced Pastry Shop (Baking Principles certificates only)
- Practicum in Baking and Pastry Arts
Grades matter here: the catalog requires a B or better in Introduction to Foods, and most PSTR courses list a B or better in Basic Food Preparation, Introduction to Foods, and Fundamentals of Baking as prerequisites.
Tuition and Additional Costs
The Alamo Colleges District schedule of tuition and fees for 2026–27 sets tuition at $109 per credit in-district (Bexar County), $180 out-of-district, and $327 out-of-state, plus a $3 per credit student activity fee. Each semester adds a $25 student support service fee and a $1 international education fee. St. Philip’s also charges $18 per credit in special program tuition on THCA courses, which the catalog attaches to every CHEF, PSTR, and RSTO course in these programs. Estimates below use the semesters in each catalog plan:
| 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 Arts AAS (4 semesters) | 60 | $7,454 | $11,714 | $20,534 |
| Baking Principles Level 2 Certificate (3 semesters) | 32 | $4,004 | $6,276 | $10,980 |
| Artisan Breads and Specialty Desserts Level 1 Certificate (3 semesters) | 23 | $3,014 | $4,647 | $8,028 |
| Baking Principles Level 1 Certificate (3 semesters) | 20 | $2,606 | $4,026 | $6,966 |
| Cake Decorating Level 1 Certificate (3 semesters) | 18 | $2,364 | $3,642 | $6,288 |
The totals cover tuition, special program tuition, and mandatory fees. The support service fee is capped at $50 per academic year, so a student who takes three semesters within one year may pay $25 less. Uniforms, knives and tools, parking, transportation, and living costs are extra.
Textbooks are covered through AlamoBOOKS+, which the fee schedule includes in tuition. Neither the program page nor the catalog lists a uniform or tool kit price.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Applying is free through ApplyTexas. According to the How to Apply page, new students then submit transcripts, test scores, and any required vaccination record, complete the ACES portal checklist, attend New Student Orientation, and meet with an advisor to register. Several PSTR courses list reading and math basic skills prerequisites, so placement results can affect the first semester.
The baking pages do not say whether each Level 1 certificate qualifies for Pell Grants, so certificate students should confirm eligibility with financial aid.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
According to the catalog, graduates are prepared for restaurants, hotels, commercial bakeries, grocery store bakery departments, catering businesses, and banquet halls. The AAS and both Baking Principles certificates include a two-credit baking practicum, and the CPC credential gives graduates an industry certification at graduation if they hold ACF membership.
The Baking Principles certificates line up closely with the college’s 60-credit Culinary Arts AAS, which also requires Professional Cooking and Dining Room Service, Hospitality Legal Issues, Fundamentals of Baking, and Advanced Pastry Shop. Anyone planning a bachelor’s degree should ask a receiving university which PSTR courses it will accept.
Which St. Philip’s Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Cake Decorating Level 1 Certificate | A short route into decorated and wedding cakes through block courses |
| Baking Principles Level 1 Certificate | Entry-level baker’s helper training that includes Advanced Pastry Shop and a practicum |
| Artisan Breads and Specialty Desserts Level 1 Certificate | Bread, pastry dough, and laminated dough skills that count fully toward the AAS |
| Baking Principles Level 2 Certificate | Baking training plus hospitality, cost control, and nutrition courses |
| Baking and Pastry Arts AAS | The full sequence, from breads to chocolates and wedding cakes, plus general education |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- In which semesters can I start each baking credential, and are evening sections offered?
- What do uniforms, knives, and baking tools cost, and when must I buy them?
- Which baking certificates are eligible for Pell Grants and other federal aid?
- If I earn a Baking Principles certificate, which courses would apply to the Baking and Pastry Arts AAS or the Culinary Arts AAS?
- When do the Cake Decorating block sessions run?
- What must I do to receive the CPC credential at graduation?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with St. Philip’s College before applying.