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Professional Baking and Pastry Arts

CREDENTIAL: Diploma
START DATES

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START DATES
September 2025
January 2026
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Tuition: 39687*
Credential: Diploma
Length: 2 0 years
Hours: Full-time
Delivery: Class-based
Program Flyer: Download
Campus: Downtown Downtown
Start Dates: Jan, May, Sep
 

What you will learn

  • Health, sanitation, and safety
  • Use of bakery equipment including scales, mixers, proofers, and ovens
  • Knife skills
  • Theoretical baking principles and processes
  • Ingredients and methodology
  • Biscuits and muffins
  • Cookies
  • Pie and pastry doughs
  • Pies and tarts
  • Croissants, Danish pastries, and puff pastries
  • Cake mixing and baking
  • Cake fillings, icings, and decorating
  • Dessert plating and presentation
  • Principles of design and colour theory
  • Frozen desserts
  • Pastries, slices, and squares
  • Quick breads and loaf cakes
  • Deep-fat frying
  • Yeast doughnuts, cake doughnuts, French crullers
  • Fermentation, leavening, gluten development
  • Wild yeast, sourdough starters, biga, poolish
  • Hearth baking
  • Grains and flours
  • Bread shaping and molding
  • Mixing and portioning
  • Baking for special diets and ingredient substitutions
  • Meat and vegetable pies
  • Cultural roots of baking
     
  • Flatbreads and sandwiches
  • Precision and accuracy
  • Environmental conditions
  • Daily production planning
  • Standard math functions
  • Professional etiquette and personal hygiene
  • Troubleshooting and problem solving
  • Merchandising, inventory, and cost control
  • Waste management
  • Effective communication

What to expect

  • Sixteen months of full-time study over four terms with a four-month break between Terms 2 and 3.
  • Classes are scheduled Monday to Thursday a.m. or p.m. (schedule is predetermined based on start date); 25 hours/week. Each day students will spend approximately 5 hours learning in the baking lab and 1.25 hours learning baking theory in the classroom. 
  • Textbooks and baking tools must be purchased on day 1 or 2 of the program (available at the VCC Bookstore)
  • Mandatory closed-top, non-slip footwear
  • Technical skills taught in a fully operational kitchen environment
  • Instruction based on an experiential and interactive model
  • Instructor-led demonstrations
  • Classroom theory lectures and facilitated discussions.
  • Problem-solving
  • Active participation
  • Self-directed learning
  • Four-week unpaid industry work experience
  • Opportunity to take exams for STBC Levels 1, 2, and 3 certification
 
 

Admission requirements

Program-specific

General

  • Seats are offered to applicants who have met all admission requirements, on a first-qualified, first-served basis.
  • International applicants must be 17 years of age or older or a graduate of a secondary school. (Some exceptions may apply.)
  • Applicants must submit official transcripts and educational documents as required by their course or program.
  • All VCC applicants are required to function successfully in an English-speaking classroom. English requirements vary by program. For details, visit VCC International - English Requirements.   

Recommended Characteristics

  • Physical condition and stamina to meet the demands of the program

  • Ability to communicate effectively

  • Responsible 

  • Self-motivated 

  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team

  • Good personal hygiene 

  • Interest in baking and pastry arts

  • Creativity is an asset

  • Applicants should be able to physically handle all wheat, dairy, egg, and nut products and all associated by-products required to meet the program outcomes. Any other known food allergies must be disclosed.

  • The Professional Baking & Pastry Arts Diploma Program has been designed to strengthen and encourage interpersonal skills and a team approach to course work. Students work with fellow students, members of the college community, baking and pastry employers and their workers, and the public. Students must have a mindset and the desire to work effectively in a team and in an environment that embraces diversity and inclusion.

Courses *

Classes are usually held from Monday to Thursday, in the morning (7:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) or in the afternoon (12:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.). Class times are subject to change.

Prior learning assessment and recognition

Prior learning assessment and recognition is not available for this program.

* This information is intended as a guideline only. Program and course details are subject to change with the approval of VCC's Board of Governors.

Fees and other costs *

Tuition deposits are payable usually within three weeks after a Letter of Offer is issued.

Tuition Deposit

11500 (10000 non-refundable)

Tution deposits are payable usually within two (2) weeks after a Letter of Offer is issued.
Application fee145
Tuition Tuition 39687
Tuition Breakdown
0 - 1
0 - 2
0 - 3
0 - 4
0 - 5
Student union283
College initiative195
Materials0 not including textbooks
Campus resource397
Laundry269
Tools (deposit)0
Coverall (deposit)0
Uniform (deposit)0
Medical and Dental 285
Temporary Medical Insurance 149
U-PASS 690
Graduation45
Program-specific extra fees0
Total

This is an international cohort program. As international cohorts are exclusively for international students, international fees apply throughout the duration of the program.

* Fees are approximate and subject to change with the approval of VCC's Board of Governors. Students are required to pay any applicable fee increases. Application and assessment fees are non-refundable. 

Fees listed are for international students. For domestic programs, visit vcc.ca.

Any refunds are issued according to VCC's international refund policy.

Apply now

STATUS INFORMATION

  • Apply Now: Qualified applicants may receive offers of admission if seats are available, or placed on waitlists if seats are full.
  • Closed: Applications are not accepted.
  • For details about application availability based on study permit status and recommendations if the application status is closed, visit the Availability Status page.
ONLINE
Apply to VCC international programs online. Check the application availability status for your desired program and intake before applying.

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