Culinary Arts Certificate

Tom Campbell, Director

The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the hospitality field is America’s number one retail employer and predicts its growth will increase 30 percent over the next two years. Students entering the Culinary Arts Certificate program or Food Service Management degree program prepare for careers in the hospitality industry. Students develop the skills needed to then seek employment in hotels, restaurants, resorts, casinos, clubs, catering, and corporate dining. Culinary careers encompass hospitality management, sales, product development, and entrepreneurship.

To meet the growing demand of the hospitality industry, two program options are available. Students may earn a Culinary Arts Certificate of Applied Science or a Food Service Management Associate of Applied Science degree.

The Culinary Arts certificate program is three semesters and provides an introduction to the field of culinary arts. Students prepare for an entry-level position in the expanding and challenging food service industry. This program incorporates comprehensive hands-on learning experiences complemented by supportive courses designed to prepare students for a wide range of career opportunities. This program also allows for a seamless transition into the Food Service Management degree.

Certificate of Applied Science - Culinary Arts

Missoula College

Catalog Year: 2014-2015

Degree Specific Credits: 44

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Note: See Program Director for scope and sequence advising.
Please refer to online schedule for online course availability.


CAS Culinary Arts Certificate

Rule: All courses required.

Show All Course Descriptions Course Credits
Show Description CAPP 120 - Introduction to Computers
Offered autumn and spring. Introduction to computer terminology, hardware, and software, including wire/wireless communications and multimedia devices. Students utilize word processing, spread sheet, database, and presentation applications to create projects common to business and industry in a networked computing environment. Internet research, email usage, and keyboarding proficiency are integrated.
3 Credits
Show Description COMX 115S - Intro to Interpersonal Communc
Offered autumn and spring. An overview of the process of human communication with special emphasis on analyzing communication patterns and improving interpersonal communication skills. Credit not allowed for both COMM 110S and COM 150S.
3 Credits
Show Description CULA 101 - Introduction to Food Service
Offered every term. Introduction to fundamentals in food handling practice, history, cooking methods, tool and equipment skills, safety and sanitation, recipe and menu development.
5 Credits
Show Description CULA 105 - Food Service Sanitation
Offered autumn and summer. Introduction to fundamentals in safe and sanitary food handling practices. Emphasis on development of a well-designed food safety program centered on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP).
2 Credits
Show Description CULA 156 - Dining Room Procedures
Offered every term. Prereq., CULA 101 and CULA 105 with a "C" or better. Introduction to foundations of dining room service: such as American, French, English and Russian style services.  With buffet and tableside presentation along with beverage service and protocol for customer service, sanitation and menu design. Techniques include espresso service, fine dining service and tableside presentation. Personal hygiene, applied math, basic culinary terminology, beverage management, and tableside cooking methods are practiced.
3 Credits
Show Description CULA 157 - Pantry & Garden-Manager
Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., CULA 101 and CULA 105 with a "C" or better. Identification of fresh greens, vegetables, and fruits reviewed. General and specific knife skills and garnish techniques practiced. Standards of quality, preparation, and presentation discussed and practiced. Practice preparation of entrée salads, cold sauces, appetizers, finger sandwiches, pâtés, gelatins, mousses, ice carvings, as well as banquet and buffet presentation.
3 Credits
Show Description CULA 158 - Short Order Cookery
Offered every term. Prereq., CULA 101 and CULA 105 with a “C” or better. Hands-on experience in all facets of short order cookery. Emphasis on coordination, speed, presentation, and basic food preparation as well as cooking methods.
4 Credits
Show Description CULA 160 - Soups, Stocks, & Sauces
Offered every term. Prereq., CULA 101 and CULA 105 with a “C” or better. Hands-on preparation of basic soups, stocks, sauces, glazes, thickening agents, and garnishes.
3 Credits
Show Description CULA 161 - Meats & Vegetables
Offered every term. Prereq., CULA 101 and CULA 105 with a “C” or better. Hands-on experience with the fundamental cooking methods for meats, vegetables, grains, legumes, and pastas.
3 Credits
Show Description CULA 165 - Baking & Pastry
Offered every term. Prereq., CULA 101, CULA 105, M 095 with a “C” or better or consent of instr. Introduction to various ingredients and how they affect the finished product. Covers six basic functions of ingredients and the techniques of scaling, pan preparation, sifting, chocolate, and pastry bag work.
3 Credits
Show Description CULA 210 - Nutritional Cooking
Offered spring. Prereq., CULA 101 and CULA 105, M 105 or consent of instr. Principles of healthy and nutritious culinary procedures. Adjustment of classic methods to suit preparations designed to extend variety on “lighter” menus.
3 Credits
Show Description M 105 - Contemporary Mathematics
Offered every term. Prereq., M 090 with a grade of B- or better, or M 095, or ALEKS placement >= 3. An introduction to mathematical ideas and their impact on society. Intended for students wishing to satisfy the general education mathematics requirement.
3 Credits
Show Description PSYX 161S - Fund of Organizational Psych
Offered autumn and spring. Foundation in the psychological processes that influence behavior of people in organizational settings.
3 Credits
Show Description WRIT 121 - Intro to Technical Writing
Offered every term.  Course assumes a basic computer literacy.  Appropriate score on placement test or consent of instructor.  Introduction to technical writing situations with appropriate formats.  Emphasis is on writing with document design and graphic placement introduced.  Students are expected to write without major faults in grammar or usage. 
3 Credits
Minimum Required Grade: C- 44 Total Credits Required