Culinary Arts (AAS)

Degree: Associate of Applied Science
Major: Culinary Arts
Program Code: 1350

About This Major . . .

Students in the Culinary Arts Program learn the fundamental skills and techniques needed to succeed in the professional kitchen. Areas of study include; safety and sanitation, nutrition, food preparation, baking, dining room management, beverage service , hospitality supervision, cost controls, and purchasing. The curriculum meets the requirements of the American Culinary Federation for sanitation, nutrition, and supervision training.  Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared for an entry-level position in the broad and expanding hospitality industry, as well as prepared to continue for advanced study in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Hospitality Management.

For more information on what you can do with this major, visit CMU Tech's Programs of Study page.

All CMU/CMU Tech associate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy. In addition to these campus‐wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:

  1. Compare and contrast a variety of cuisines based on ingredients, preparation methods, serving styles, and culture to define key characteristics of a region or country's cuisine. (Applied Learning)
  2. Apply appropriate mathematical concepts to the field of culinary arts as a basis for menu planning, purchasing and recipe conversion. (Quantitative Fluency)
  3. Apply food safety concepts to demonstrate personal hygiene guidelines, consumer safety, and sanitation procedures for preparation, storage, and service of food. (Critical Thinking/ Specialized Knowledge)
  4. Demonstrate an ability to work as part of a team to prepare and serve food to established standards in a professional setting. (Applied Learning/ Communication Fluency)

Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements. 

To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity. 

Institutional Degree Requirements

The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU and CMU Tech Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.

  • 60 semester hours minimum.
  • Students must complete a minimum of 15 of the final 30 semester hours of credit at CMU/CMU Tech.
  • 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU/CMU Tech coursework.
  • A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
  • No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
  • Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed 20 semester credit hours for an AAS degree.
  • Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
  • Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
  • The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
  • See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.

Specific to this degree:

  • 62 semester hours total for the AAS, Culinary Arts.

Essential Learning Requirements

(15 semester hours)

See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below.  If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.

Communication
ENGL 111English Composition I-GTCO13
Select one of the following courses:3
English Composition II-GTCO2
Interpersonal Communication
Speechmaking
Mathematics
MATH 107Career Math (or higher)3
Other Essential Learning Core Courses
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course3
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course3
Total Semester Credit Hours15

Other Lower Division Requirements

Wellness Requirement
KINE 100Health and Wellness1
Select one Activity course1
Total Semester Credit Hours2

Program Specific Degree Requirements

(45 semester hours, must earn a grade of “C” or better in each course.)

  • Additional expenses - Students in Culinary Arts may be required to purchase or have cooking tools and appropriate chef's clothing.  This does not include required textbooks.  These costs vary with student needs and brand or quality of tools purchased.
Core Courses
CUAR 100Culinary Program Fundamentals3
CUAR 101Food Safety & Sanitation2
CUAR 115Introduction to Sustainable Cuisine3
CUAR 125Introduction to Foods3
CUAR 129Center of the Plate3
CUAR 145Introduction to Baking3
CUAR 156Nutrition for the Hospitality Professional3
CUAR 179Wines, Spirits and Beers3
CUAR 190Dining Room Management3
CUAR 238American Regional Cuisine3
CUAR 245International Cuisine3
CUAR 251Advanced Garde Manger and Hors D'Oeuvres3
CUAR 255Supervision in the Hospitality Industry3
or HMGT 200 Management and Supervisory Skills for the Hospitality Industry
CUAR 262Purchasing for the Hospitality Industry3
CUAR 293Restaurant Operations Practicum4
Total Semester Credit Hours45
Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterSemester Credit Hours
CUAR 100 Culinary Program Fundamentals (1st Mod) 3
CUAR 101 Food Safety & Sanitation (1st Mod) 2
CUAR 125 Introduction to Foods (2nd Mod) 3
CUAR 145 Introduction to Baking (2nd Mod) 3
ENGL 111 English Composition I-GTCO1 3
MATH 107 Career Math 3
 Semester Credit Hours17
Spring Semester
CUAR 115 Introduction to Sustainable Cuisine 3
CUAR 129 Center of the Plate (1st Mod) 3
CUAR 179 Wines, Spirits and Beers 3
CUAR 238 American Regional Cuisine (2nd Mod) 3
CUAR 262 Purchasing for the Hospitality Industry 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Second Year
Fall Semester
CUAR 156 Nutrition for the Hospitality Professional 3
CUAR 190 Dining Room Management 3
CUAR 245 International Cuisine 3
CUAR 251 Advanced Garde Manger and Hors D'Oeuvres 3
Select one of the following: 3
English Composition II-GTCO2 (Select one of the following:)
Interpersonal Communication
Speechmaking
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
CUAR 255
Supervision in the Hospitality Industry
or Management and Supervisory Skills for the Hospitality Industry
3
CUAR 293 Restaurant Operations Practicum 4
KINE 100 Health and Wellness 1
KINE Activity 1
Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course 3
Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences, Fine Arts or Humanities course 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
 Total Semester Credit Hours62

Advising Process and DegreeWorks

Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for their intended degree(s).

DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Graduation Process

Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:

  • Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
  • Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
  • Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
  • Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.

Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found on the Graduation web page.

If a student's petition for graduation is denied, it will be their responsibility to apply for graduation in a subsequent semester. A student's “Intent to Graduate” does not automatically move to a later graduation date.