Program highlights
Sweeten your future with an associate degree in baking and pastry.
The Culinary Institute of Michigan’s Baking and Pastry associate degree program focuses on both the art and the business behind baking. Interested in a career as a pastry chef, assistant chocolatier, cake designer, or bread baker? Through this program you’ll get an up-close look at how bakeries operate, inside and out while learning about inventory control, staff selection, and employee training.
- Learn how to create the beautiful and irresistible treats that delight visitors at bakeries, fine restaurants, country clubs, and elegant hotels.
- Train in state-of-the-art facilities that are equipped with the same tools professionals work with on the job.
- Get hands-on instruction from experienced culinary professionals in small classes that allow you the attention you deserve.
Join Us for a Day in the Kitchen!
Experience firsthand what it’s like to be a CIM student. Tour campus and learn more about the admissions process, financial aid, and student housing. You’ll also be able to roll up your sleeves and work alongside our award-winning chef instructors.
Credit hours
Semesters (Avg.)
Of CIM alums are employed within six months of graduating
Why study baking and pastry?
As a CIM student, you’ll learn advanced baking skills and techniques through a combination of classroom learning and hands-on workshops in our state-of-the-art facilities. Once you graduate, you’ll be prepared to take your Certified Pastry Culinarian certification exam and launch a career you’ll love.
Career Facts
Median yearly income
Outlook 2014 - 2024
Median salary for executives
Curriculum
CIM’s baking and pastry degree program is a two-year program consisting of 60 credit hours (48 hours of major courses and 12 hours of general education requirements). Our curriculum includes classic pastry fundamentals, chocolate and confections, and a showpiece and specialty cake design lab.
Additional requirements
Students must complete the following courses with a grade of C or better to graduate: Classic Pastry Fundamentals, Petit Fours and Plated Desserts, and Cafe and Bakery Operations. The Baking and Pastry program also includes a 200-hour supervised work experience requirement.
Accreditation
CIM’s Baking and Pastry program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation Accrediting Commission (ACFEFAC). Graduates are eligible to become Certified Pastry Culinarians upon graduation. CIM is the only institution statewide and one of the only four in the U.S. to earn the “Recognition of Quality Culinary Education” designation from the World Association of Chefs Societies. 
Classes available
This program is offered in-person on our campuses in Muskegon and Port Huron. In Michigan, our students come from Ann Arbor, Auburn Hills, Cadillac, Dearborn, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Owosso, Traverse City, and many other locations. Beyond Michigan, our online graduates hail from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and other states.
On Campus Available
View campus locationsUnavailable on Baker Online
Core courses for this degree program are not offered through Baker Online.
For those interested, a selection of general education and prerequisite courses are available through Baker Online each semester.
Baker OnlineUnavailable on Online Live
Core courses for this degree program are not offered through Online Live.
For those interested, a selection of general education and prerequisite courses are available through Online Live each semester.
Online Live