Lakeshore College, formerly Lakeshore Technical College, offers two short baking-focused credentials at its campus in Cleveland, Wisconsin. The 9-credit Culinary and Baking Basics technical diploma is a one-term introduction that points students toward entry-level baking jobs. The 11-credit Baking and Pastry certificate goes further into bread, cakes, confections, and bakeshop operations.
The two programs share their first courses, and the technical diploma matches the opening of Lakeshore’s Culinary Arts associate degree course for course. Details below come from the 2026–27 program sheet, the college’s program pages, and its 2026–27 tuition and fees page.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| School | Lakeshore College (formerly Lakeshore Technical College) |
| Location | Cleveland, Wisconsin; 1290 North Avenue |
| Credentials | Culinary and Baking Basics technical diploma (30-316-2); Baking and Pastry certificate (19-316-4) |
| Credits | 9 or 11 credits |
| Length | One term for the diploma; courses in two terms for the certificate |
| Start | Fall for the diploma |
| Format | In person, with day availability Monday through Friday for the diploma |
Baking and Pastry Program Options
Both credentials sit in Lakeshore’s Hospitality, Events, and Tourism career area, next to the Culinary Arts associate degree and the Culinary technical diploma. Neither baking option includes general education courses.
Culinary and Baking Basics Technical Diploma
The Culinary and Baking Basics technical diploma is a 9-credit, one-term program that starts in fall. Lakeshore’s 2026–27 program sheet describes it as an introduction to the baking industry that prepares learners for entry-level work in baking and food service. Only one of its four courses is a baking lab, so about a third of the credits are baking-specific; the rest cover kitchen skills, product identification, and sanitation.
The program page describes the diploma as accredited by the American Culinary Federation. It is an intensive, hands-on schedule that requires daytime availability on weekdays. Lakeshore notes that high-demand programs may use a waitlist.
Baking and Pastry Certificate
The Baking and Pastry certificate is an 11-credit program that the college says prepares students to work as baking and pastry professionals in restaurants or commercial bakeries. Its course list spreads the work over two terms. The first term covers sanitation, Introduction to Baking and Pastry, and culinary math. The second term adds three 2-credit courses in bakeshop operations, artisan breads, and pastry, confections, and cakes.
Curriculum and Baking Courses
Across the two credentials, Lakeshore lists these courses:
- Sanitation for Food Service (1 credit; both programs)
- Introduction to Baking and Pastry (3 credits; both programs)
- Product Identification and Purchasing (2 credits) and Skills Development (3 credits); diploma only
- Culinary Math (1 credit); certificate only
- Bakeshop Operations, Artisan Breads, and Pastry, Confections, and Cakes (2 credits each); certificate only
Introduction to Baking and Pastry covers breads, muffins, biscuits, custards, pies, cakes, and specialized desserts. Artisan Breads adds sour starters, bagels, pretzels, and flatbreads, and the pastry course includes cakes, fillings, buttercreams, and sugar work. The sanitation course includes the ServSafe Manager exam, and a passing score earns the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification.
Tuition and Additional Costs
Lakeshore’s tuition and fees page lists 2026–27 tuition of $157.45 per credit for Wisconsin residents plus a $9.45 per-credit student activity fee. The college says out-of-state students pay nonresident tuition but does not print that rate; the estimate uses the WTCS out-of-state rate of $236.18 per credit. With no flat per-term fees, the number of terms does not change these totals:
| Program | Credits | Estimated in-state tuition and fees | Estimated out-of-state tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culinary and Baking Basics technical diploma (1 term) | 9 | $1,502 | $2,211 |
| Baking and Pastry certificate (2 terms) | 11 | $1,836 | $2,702 |
Course material fees vary and are not included, along with books, supplies, uniforms, and living costs. Lakeshore does not charge an application fee.
For the diploma, Lakeshore publishes its own total that includes material fees: $2,187.09 in tuition, $295 for books, and $183 for supplies, or $2,665.09 altogether. The college does not post a comparable total for the certificate. Program counselors share program-specific supply, tool, and uniform requirements during enrollment.
Admissions and Financial Aid
For the diploma, the program sheet lists these steps: submit the online application, complete the Student Success Questionnaire and the Technical Standards form, and attend a Get Started at Lakeshore appointment. High school and college transcripts are optional but recommended, and official copies are needed for transfer credit and financial aid. Students then meet any academic preparedness requirements before registering for program courses. Lakeshore does not publish separate admission steps for the certificate.
Neither program page states whether the credential is eligible for federal financial aid. Students planning to use Pell Grants should confirm eligibility with financial aid before enrolling, especially for the 11-credit certificate.
Career Preparation and Transfer Considerations
Lakeshore links the diploma to baker jobs and reports a district median income of $36,438 for that occupation, based on labor market data rather than graduate outcomes. The certificate targets restaurant and commercial bakery roles with more bread and pastry depth.
All four diploma courses appear in the first term of the 60-credit Culinary Arts associate degree, which Lakeshore states is accredited by the American Culinary Federation. That degree also includes Advanced Patisserie and Desserts. The college says its credits transfer to more than 30 universities, but students should confirm how occupational courses would count.
Which Lakeshore Pathway May Fit You?
| Pathway | May fit students who want |
|---|---|
| Culinary and Baking Basics technical diploma | A one-term fall start with baking and general kitchen skills, leading directly into the Culinary Arts degree |
| Baking and Pastry certificate | More baking depth in artisan bread, cakes, confections, and bakeshop operations |
| Culinary Arts associate degree | A full ACF-accredited culinary program that starts with the diploma courses |
Questions to Ask Before Applying
- When does the Baking and Pastry certificate start, and are its courses held in Cleveland?
- Is either baking credential eligible for federal financial aid?
- Does the ACF accreditation noted on the diploma page apply to the diploma itself or only to the associate degree?
- What material fees, uniforms, and tools will I need?
- Is there currently a waitlist for fall entry?
- Can I earn both credentials, and how do the shared courses count?
Program details and costs can change. Confirm current requirements with Lakeshore College before applying.