About this program

Ready to pursue your passion for baking? You’ve come to the right place. At Penn College, you’ll get hands on with all things sweet and savory. Learn in small class sizes with expert faculty by your side and world-class equipment at your fingertips. And thanks to the condensed format, you’ll be ready to dive into your career in only a year!

Next steps...

You're on your way to becoming a tomorrow maker.

14

Average Class Size

Seamless Associate-to-Bachelor Degree Pathway

1

Year Format

Careers

  • Cake decorator
  • Baker
  • Pastry cook
  • Confectioner
Courses

At Penn College, we believe your educational experience should go beyond specialized skills. Real-world ready means taking a broader approach that builds communication skills, inspires collaboration, and encourages exploration of arts, history, and science.

​​Specialization requires in-depth knowledge and high-level proficiency. Students learn and apply major-specific concepts, skills, and methods.

  • Purchasing (FHD117)
  • Sanitation (FHD118)
  • National Sanitation Certification (NSC)
  • Introductory Baking (FHD137)
  • Cakes & Decorations (FHD138)
  • Professional Bakery Production (FHD214)
  • Foundations of Professional Cooking (FHD101)
  • Careers in Hospitality (FHD104)
  • Menu Planning & Cost Control (FHD125)
  • Directed Baking & Pastry Elective (BKP)
  • Principles of Chocolate Works (FHD141)
  • Classical & Specialty Dessert Presentation (FHD270)
  • Cakes, Pastries & Desserts (FHD276)
  • Baking & Pastry Arts Internship (FHD279)

​Perspectives are points of view, offering a variety of ways of understanding, interacting, and influencing the world. Students identify, explain, and utilize the approaches used by academics and professionals to study, analyze, or understand problems, and offer solutions.

​​Foundations are the practical, intellectual, and social skills: communication, collaboration, critical and ethical thinking, quantitative thinking, and technological literacy that are crucial to every student at every stage of education and at every stage of life.

  • Math Elective (MTH011 or Higher) (MPE)
  • Communications (ENL010) or
  • English Composition I (ENL111)
Virtual Tour

Baking & Culinary

Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchens used for instruction and Le Jeune Chef, our on-campus casual fine dining restaurant. The live labs give students an opportunity to put their talent on the table and work with real customers.

Baking & Pastry Arts Lab
Facilities

Baking & Pastry Arts Lab

Put your techniques to the test in our expansive lab—outfitted with world-class equipment like the MIWE Condo four-deck oven with integrated loader.

Le Jeune Patissier at the Market
Facilities

Le Jeune Patissier at the Market

Develop products from conception to the final sale in the Advanced Baking & Pastry Operations class. Students create items from their menu, then sell their products at Le Jeune Patissier at the Market - a small retail space on campus, open to the public.

Student Experience

"Penn College offers so many opportunities I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else! How many people can say they went to the Kentucky Derby to work every year with the support of their college and professors?!"

Gloria Boronow

Tour Schedule

Seeing is believing.

Think Penn College might be a good fit for you? Make plans to visit and discover what hands-on learning is all about.

Apr 7

Undergraduate Open House

Sunday, April 7 8:30 AM - 3 PM

More tour dates are on the way.

But let's customize a tour for you now. Call, chat, or email for options.

Need a different date?

Let's customize a tour for you now. Call, chat, or email for options.

Contact

Admissions Office

Industry Partners

Work with experts to become an expert

Penn College's strong partnerships impact every step of your journey – from your first day in the classroom and labs, to career placement (oftentimes before graduation) and beyond.

American Culinary Federation Logo
Guittard Chocolate Logo
Compass Group Logo
Wine Spectator Award
Student Life

Lead and put your skills to the test

American Culinary Federation

American Culinary Federation

This national organization promotes the image of American chefs. Students are encouraged to join and obtain their ACF certification. Graduates of this program who maintain an active Junior membership in the local ACF chapter are eligible to certify as a Certified Culinarian for free.

Student Organizations at Penn College

Student Organizations at Penn College

Your college experience is about more than the classroom. Join one of 70+ clubs and organizations, or create your own.

Penn College News
03.27.2024

'Eyewitness News' team visits culinary labs

WBRE’s “Eyewitness News” team visited Penn College’s culinary arts labs early Wednesday to broadcast live as students prepared for this evening’s Napa Valley dinner in Le Jeune Chef Restaurant. The restaurant, open to the public, is a live-learning lab for students. Additional pieces recorded in the kitchens are set to air on today’s 11 a.m., noon and 5:30 p.m. newscasts.

03.26.2024

WBRE to broadcast live Wednesday morning from Le Jeune Chef

Tune in to WBRE’s “Eyewitness News Daybreak” Wednesday morning for live broadcasts from Penn College’s Le Jeune Chef Restaurant. WBRE’s Sydney Kostus is set to visit the restaurant, where she will interview culinary arts students live at 5, 5:30, 6 and 6:30 a.m. Recorded segments will also be broadcast on WBRE’s “Eyewitness News” later in the day.

03.19.2024

Culinary arts students to present menus from across the U.S.

In the coming weeks, Pennsylvania College of Technology culinary arts students will practice kitchen management skills as they serve a series of dinners featuring American regional cuisine in Le Jeune Chef Restaurant. Served Wednesdays, March 20 to April 24, each week’s menu features signature cuisine from a different corner of the U.S. – from New Orleans’ Cajun and Creole flavors to New England’s famous seafood.

Internship

Your knowledge in practice

Show them what you've got. Internship experiences allow students to get a taste of career opportunities before they graduate. In fact, many lead to job offers!

 

Learn More
Student Experience

The community as their classroom

National Candy Show

National Candy Show

Faculty, students teach at Philadelphia National Candy Show.

Learn more

More Information

Professionalism is the signature of this Certificate, and is the expectation for performance and appearance. Uniform and personal appearance standards are strictly enforced. Students are required to be clean-shaven (neat mustache above the lip is allowed), have properly contained hair (top of ear and back of collar for men; tied up and under hat for women, utilizing a net if necessary - no protruding bangs). In labs, no excessive makeup and no jewelry are allowed, including rings, watches and earrings or visible piercings of any style.

View general transfer information

Alternative Credit refers to academic credits earned through means other than traditional college course completion, including: credit by exam, articulation, proof of competency gained in high school, work/life experience, and advanced placement.

Visit the Alternative Credit Options page in our Course Catalog for general requirements and procedures and for information on credit through Advanced Placement.

Students require a baking and pastry arts tool kit, and a professional culinary uniform when working in lab. Both items are currently available through The College Store and are consistent with the AAS degree program.

  • Ms. Tabitha H Barbarito, Project Manager, PASA Sustainable Agriculture
  • Mr. Francis A Daniele, Chef/Owner, Joanna's Italian Bakery
  • Ms. Diane L Dorner, '79, District Supervisor, Carrols Corporation
  • Mr. Joel Hough, Regional Manager, The Restaurant Store
  • Mr. Chris Kowalewski, Chief Growth Officer & Senior VP of Sales, Compass Group North America
  • Mr. George Logue, III, '10, Co-owner/Chef, Herman & Luther's
  • Ms. Erin Oggier, '06, Executive Chef, Brock & Company
  • Mr. Kristan T Patterson, Chief Artisan Baker, Penn State University Bakery

Already have certifications through ProStart?

Check out the credential/licensure chart to see if your certification qualifies for college credit.

View Chart
  • Career Fair Connections

    Career Fair Connections

    Penn College graduates are in high demand. Employer participation at the Career Fair is proof. Attracting 400+ organizations, this popular event is hosted twice per year and introduces students to all types of businesses from startups to Fortune 500 companies. 

    Learn More About Career Fair