The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Culinary Arts degree is designed to train students for entry-level positions in diverse food service operations. The program focuses on the preparation of cuisine for full-service, buffet, banquet, a la carte, and bakery operations. Students are exposed to all areas of professional food service including culinary techniques, safety, and sanitation, food service management, professionalism and ethics, teamwork and communication. Students will apply their knowledge and skills in a practical dining environment. Certificates of Completion (CCL) in Culinary Arts I and Culinary Arts II or Certificates of Completion (CCL) in Culinary: Foundations and Culinary: Professional are embedded as required elements of the two program specializations available in the AAS. Additionally, graduates may pursue university transfer.
Details
Field of Interest
Business, Entrepreneurialism, and Management
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Culinary Arts (DEG)
Total credits required
60-67
Admissions criteria
*SCC Culinary Arts Program:
Students applying to the Scottsdale Community College Culinary Program will need to submit a formal application prior to setting up a kitchen tour and interview.
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
Students with transfer credits must meet with an advisor to initiate the review process.
Students must obtain a Maricopa County Food Handlers Card before the start of required courses, and must maintain the card throughout the program.
Courses for Specialization 1 are only available at EMCC.
Courses for Specialization 2 are only available at SCC.
*SCC Culinary Arts:
SCC students must enroll concurrently in all courses in a block, regardless of previously completed coursework.
What You'll Learn
This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:
- Utilize classical and modern culinary techniques in the effective production of savory foods and baked/pastry products.
- Apply national standards to the safe and sanitary handling of food and industrial kitchen equipment.
- Demonstrate comprehensive procedures for front and back of house operations that address purchasing, inventory, cost controls, menu planning, nutritional guidelines, and staffing.
- Demonstrate professional and ethical behavior in the hospitality industry.
- Apply effective critical thinking and communication skills to facilitate teamwork, customer service, and time management.
- Compose multiple flavors, textures, and colors into food and beverage products that are marketable to the appropriate food sector and reflective of industry trends.
- Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.
Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Maricopa County-based annual median wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.
Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.
Typical Education Level
a high school diploma or less
Hourly Median Wage
$13.57
Annual Median Wage
$28,235
Number of People Employed
2,256
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 9.4 %
Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
Typical Education Level
a high school diploma or less
Hourly Median Wage
$12.78
Annual Median Wage
$26,595
Annual Job Openings
1,684
Number of People Employed
9,582
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 11.8 %
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.
Typical Education Level
a high school diploma or less
Hourly Median Wage
$14.55
Annual Median Wage
$30,285
Number of People Employed
5,053
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 0.9 %
Teach courses in childcare, family relations, finance, nutrition, and related subjects pertaining to home management. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Typical Education Level
a Doctoral degree or more
Hourly Median Wage
$30.45
Annual Median Wage
$63,340
Annual Job Openings
2,743
Number of People Employed
24,100
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 12.0 %
Teach vocational courses intended to provide occupational training below the baccalaureate level in subjects such as construction, mechanics/repair, manufacturing, transportation, or cosmetology, primarily to students who have graduated from or left high school. Teaching takes place in public or private schools whose primary business is academic or vocational education.
Typical Education Level
an Associate degree
Hourly Median Wage
$30.45
Annual Median Wage
$63,340
Annual Job Openings
2,743
Number of People Employed
24,100
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 12.0 %
Prepare meals in private homes. Includes personal chefs.
Typical Education Level
a high school diploma or less
Hourly Median Wage
$16.29
Annual Median Wage
$33,897
Number of People Employed
5
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 20.0 %
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
Typical Education Level
a high school diploma or less
Hourly Median Wage
$14.00
Annual Median Wage
$29,141
Annual Job Openings
3,957
Number of People Employed
19,953
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 32.2 %
Teach occupational, vocational, career, or technical subjects to students at the secondary school level.
Typical Education Level
a Bachelor's degree
Hourly Median Wage
$28.23
Annual Median Wage
$58,726
Number of People Employed
609
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 5.1 %
Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.
Typical Education Level
a high school diploma or less
Hourly Median Wage
$12.92
Annual Median Wage
$26,884
Number of People Employed
3,118
4-Year Employment Growth
Increase by 5.8 %
There are additional career opportunities associated with this degree that do not have occupational data available for Arizona at this time. These occupations are listed below: * Career and wage information provided by Lightcast using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources and Lightcast’s proprietary analytical processes. Lightcast’s data covers multiple classes of workers including QCEW, non-QCEW, and those who are self-employed. Disclaimer
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
- Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.
Pathway Map Options
There are multiple options available for this pathway map. These options vary depending on the locations, partners, and available tracks of the award.
These pathway map options may share some common coursework. To explore what additional coursework may be required, select your desired option from the list below. Once selected, the list of courses and any associated details will be automatically updated in the course sequence below. The differences between individual pathway map options may only be a few courses.
Note: You will have to select one of the options below to view available course sequences.
Pathway Map Option Details
No pathway map option has been selected. Please select from the pathway map options listed above.
The list of courses below has been updated
To view course sequences, select one of the pathway map options above.
Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1Fall Semester (Term 1)Spring Semester (Term 1) | Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
| CUL109 | Menu Design and Development | | | | 2 |
| CUL220 | Culinary Nutrition | | Gateway course | | 2 |
CUL115 or
ServSafe Certification | Food Service Sanitation or ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification | | | | 2 |
| CUL150 | Garde Manger I | | | | 6 |
| CUL175 | Restaurant Operations Management | | | | 6 |
ENG101 or
ENG107 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 |
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230 | Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites | | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 |
CUL115 or
ServSafe Certification | Food Service Sanitation, Safety And Stewarding or ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification | | Critical course | | 0–2 |
| CUL105 | Principles of Professional Cooking | | Critical course Gateway course | | 3 |
| CUL107 | Cold Food and Breakfast Production | Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in CUL105, or permission of Program Director. | | | 3 |
| CUL120 | Food Costing, Purchasing and Inventory Control | | | | 3 |
FYE101 or
FYE103 | Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | | | | 1–3 |
ENG101 or
ENG107 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). | | FYC or FYC | 3 |
| CUL105 | Principles of Professional Cooking | | | | 3 |
| CUL107 | Cold Food and Breakfast Production | Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in CUL105, or permission of Program Director. | | | 3 |
| CUL170 | Dining Room Operations I | | | | 3 |
| CUL223 | Food Service Management | | | | 3 |
FYE101 or
FYE103 | Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | | | | 1–3 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3Fall Semester (Term 3)Spring Semester (Term 3) | Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
FYE101 or
FYE103 | Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success | | | | 1–3 |
ENG101 or
ENG107 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). or Prerequisites: Writing test score or (C or better in ENG091 or ESL097or WAC101) or (B or better in ALT100) or (ALT100 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+) or (ESL202 & Corequisites: ENG101LL or ENG107LL or WAC101 or ENG100A+). | Critical course | FYC or FYC | 3 |
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230 | Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites | | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 |
| SB | Social-Behavioral Sciences | | | SB | 3 |
| MA | Mathematics | | Critical course MAT112 or any approved general education course from the Mathematics area. 3-6
Recommend MAT14+ or MAT15+ for students seeking university transfer. | MA | 3–6 |
SQ or
SG | Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General | | | SQ or SG | 4 |
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG095 or RDG100 or RDG111 or RDG112 or RDG113 or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor). | | L | 0–3 |
| CUL201 | International Cuisine | Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in CUL105, or permission of Program Director. | | | 3 |
| CUL213 | Buffet Catering | Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in CUL105, or permission of Program Director. | | | 3 |
SQ or
SG | Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General | | | SQ or SG | 4 |
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in (ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG095 or RDG100 or RDG111 or RDG112 or RDG113 or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor). | | L | 0–3 |
| CUL203 | American Regional Cuisine | Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in CUL105, or permission of Program Director. | | | 3 |
| CUL205 | French Cuisine | Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in CUL105, or permission of Program Director. | | | 3 |
| RE | Restricted Elective | | Complete additional CUL or HRM course(s) not counted in the required area as needed to reach a minimum of 60 credits. Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select restricted elective(s) that best meet your academic and career goals. | | 0–4 |
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4Spring Semester (Term 4)Fall Semester (Term 4) | Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
| CRE101 | College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in [(ENG101 or ENG107) and (RDG095 or RDG100 or RDG100LL or RDG111 or RDG112 or RDG113)] or a grade of B or better in ALT100 or an appropriate district placement or permission of Instructor. | | L | 0–3 |
ENG102 or
ENG108 | First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL | Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENG101. or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG107. | | FYC or FYC | 3 |
| HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | | | HU | 3 |
| RE | Restricted Elective | | Complete additional CUL or HRM course(s) not counted in the required area as needed to reach a minimum of 60 credits. Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select restricted elective(s) that best meet your academic and career goals. | | 0–4 |
SQ or
SG | Natural Sciences Quantitative or Natural Sciences General | | | SQ or SG | 4 |
| SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | | | SB | 3 |
| HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | | | HU | 3 |
| CUL170 | Dining Room Operations I | | | | 3 |
| CUL113 | Commercial Baking Techniques | | Critical course Gateway course | | 3 |
| CUL127 | Classical Desserts | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in CUL113, or permission of Program Director. | | | 3 |
| RE | Restricted Elective | | Complete additional CUL or HRM course(s) not counted in the required area as needed to reach a minimum of 60 credits. Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select restricted elective(s) that best meet your academic and career goals. | | 0–4 |
| SB | Social & Behavioral Sciences | | | SB | 3 |
| HU | Humanities, Fine Arts & Design | | | HU | 3 |
COM100 or
COM110 or
COM225 or
COM230 | Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication or Public Speaking or Small Group Communication | No requisites or No requisites or Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG101, or ENG107, or equivalent. or No requisites | | SB or SB or L or SB | 3 |
| CUL113 | Commercial Baking Techniques | | | | 3 |
| CUL127 | Classical Desserts | Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in CUL113, or permission of Program Director. | | | 3 |
Restricted Electives
To view course sequences, select one of the pathway map options above.
Part-time status is 11 credit hours or less.
A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Spring Semester (Term 10)Term 10 | Course Number | Course Name | Requisites | Notes | Area | Credits |
| RE | Restricted Elective | | Complete additional CUL or HRM course(s) not counted in the required area as needed to reach a minimum of 60 credits. Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select restricted elective(s) that best meet your academic and career goals. | | 0–4 |
CUL115 or
ServSafe Certification | Food Service Sanitation, Safety And Stewarding or ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification | | Critical course | | 0–2 |
| RE | Restricted Elective | | Complete additional CUL or HRM course(s) not counted in the required area as needed to reach a minimum of 60 credits. Consult with an academic, faculty, or program advisor to select restricted elective(s) that best meet your academic and career goals. | | 0–4 |
Restricted Electives
Course Area Key
Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.
Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.
- FYC = First Year Composition
- HU = Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design
- L = Literacy & Critical Inquiry
- MA = Mathematics
- SB = Social-Behavioral Sciences
- SG = Natural Sciences General
- SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.