While culinary arts degrees are only available at the associate's and bachelor's levels, you can earn a master's degree in a food-related area. Keep reading for more information about degrees, common courses offered, and career options.
What Degrees in Culinary Arts Can I Earn?
Master's degrees are not offered in culinary arts, but there are several related master's degrees you could pursue, such as food science, nutrition and food studies.
Degrees in culinary arts are offered at associate or bachelor's degree levels. Both of these degrees can prepare you for diverse work in the food service industry. Choose a program that will highlight areas you most want to develop, such as pastry arts, menu development or international cuisine. Due to the nature of these programs, with their extensive hands-on training, you will not find culinary arts degree programs available for online study.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Degree Levels Available</b> </td><td>Associate, bachelor's, master's in related fields</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Common Courses</b> </td><td>Preparation techniques, food safety, menu planning, food purchasing, kitchen management</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Career Options</b> </td><td>Pastry chef, sous chef, restaurant management, nutritionist, food production</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)*</b></td><td>$56,590 (for food service managers, restaurants and other eating places)</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)*</b></td><td>1% (for food service managers, all)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatWillIStudy">What Will I Study?</h3><p>When you study culinary arts, you learn practical skills relevant to many facets of the food service industry. Through supervised training in a test kitchen, you'll hone your cooking and baking skills. You'll also study food safety, sanitation and preparation techniques. You may study areas relevant to management of a restaurant or food business, such as menu planning, food purchasing and customer service. These programs often include business topics such as accounting, marketing and human resources.
</p><p>The master's programs will not further develop your practical skills in the kitchen, but will provide you with a deeper understanding of food and its role in society. You may learn about diet, healthy eating, the food production industry and animal science. These master's degree programs are more academically-focused than culinary arts programs, which are more career-focused.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCanIDoWithTheseDegrees">What Can I Do With These Degrees?</h3><p>Whether you earn an associate's or bachelor's degree in culinary arts, you will be qualified to work either in a kitchen or in a management role in a food service business. In a kitchen, you can be a head chef, sous chef, pastry chef or line cook. You may also be a personal chef who works for private clients.
</p><p>These degree programs also prepare you for positions in restaurant management, marketing and food research. Possible types of businesses you may work for include restaurants, catering companies and bakeries.</p>
