Professional Baking and Pastry Arts
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
Program Duration and Maximum Time for Completion
The program is 64 weeks. Students must complete the credential within 5 years.
Students who successfully complete this credential and the required work based training hours will be eligible to write the interprovincial Baker Red Seal exam.
- 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
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Composition 10 or equivalent
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Workplace Math 10 or equivalent
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Valid BC FoodSafe Level 1 Certificate or equivalent (certification must remain valid for the duration of the program)
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
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Physical condition and stamina to meet the demands of the program
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Ability to communicate effectively
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Responsible
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Self-motivated
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Ability to work independently and as part of a team
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Good personal hygiene
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Interest in baking and pastry arts
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Creativity is an asset
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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.
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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.
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Term One | Credits | |
BAKG 1040 | Basic Cakes & Cookies | 4 |
BAKG 1060 | Basic Pastries & Desserts | 4 |
BAKG 1070 | Basic Yeast Breads | 4 |
BAKG 1080 | Cultural Traditions in Baking | 4 |
Credits | 16 | |
Term Two | ||
BAKG 1240 | Specialty Cakes & Cookies | 4 |
BAKG 1260 | Specialty Pastries & Desserts | 4 |
BAKG 1270 | Specialty Yeast Breads | 4 |
BAKG 1280 | Baking for Dietary Needs | 4 |
Credits | 16 | |
Second Year | ||
Term Three | ||
BAKG 2170 | Advanced Yeast Breads | 4 |
BAKG 2140 | Advanced Cakes & Cookies | 4 |
BAKG 2160 | Advanced Pastries | 4 |
BAKG 2165 | Advanced Desserts | 4 |
Credits | 16 | |
Term Four | ||
BAKG 2240 | Advanced Viennoiserie | 4 |
BAKG 2260 | Chocolate & Sugar Confections | 4 |
BAKG 2270 | Advanced Decorating | 4 |
BAKG 2280 | Baking & Pastry Arts Work Experience | 4 |
Credits | 16 | |
Total Credits | 64 |
* 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.
Tuition Deposit |
11500 (10000 non-refundable) Tution deposits are payable usually within two (2) weeks after a Letter of Offer is issued. |
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Fee description | Fee Amount | Notes |
---|---|---|
Application fee | 145 | |
Tuition Tuition | 39687 |
Breakdown
Tuition Breakdown
0 - 1
0 - 2
0 - 3
0 - 4
0 - 5
|
Student union | 283 | |
College initiative | 195 | |
Materials | 0 | not including textbooks |
Campus resource | 397 | |
Laundry | 269 | |
Tools (deposit) | 0 | |
Coverall (deposit) | 0 | |
Uniform (deposit) | 0 | |
Medical and Dental | 285 | |
Temporary Medical Insurance | 149 | |
U-PASS | 690 | |
Graduation | 45 | |
Program-specific extra fees | 0 | |
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
MONTH/TERM APPLICATION
OPEN DATE APPLICATION STATUS*
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.
For more information and tips, see Apply page