What Are the Types of Culinary Degrees and Diplomas?

Listen to This Article:

Deciding to earn your culinary arts degree could be a great first step toward building the career and life you’ve always wanted. But as you explore different schools and programs, your options can quickly get a bit confusing.

Culinary school or community college? Bachelor’s degree? Associate degree? Diploma? Which school and which program can help get you closest to your goals? And what are the differences between them?

The variety of programs in food and hospitality education means that no matter where you want to end up in the culinary industry, there’s a path to help you get there! Keep reading to discover more about the types of culinary arts degrees and diplomas, and which could be right for your goals.

Diploma vs. Degree at Escoffier: Which Path Fits Your Goals?

Get a Fast Education with a Culinary Diploma

A culinary diploma or degree signifies that a student has invested time to successfully complete a course of study from a food or hospitality-focused program.

Diploma programs are usually shorter than degree programs because they don’t include certain requirements like science or math courses. At Escoffier, our on-campus diploma programs can be completed in just 30 weeks, including a hands-on industry externship.

Online diploma programs take 60 weeks, but they also offer greater flexibility because students can complete their coursework on their own time, as long as they meet scheduled deadlines. Many online students even continue to work full-time.

Diploma programs can also be less expensive than degree programs. With the shorter time requirement, flexible online programs, and lower cost, culinary diplomas can be a great option for students who want to get to work as soon as possible.

Culinary diplomas are usually focused on culinary arts or baking & pastry arts.

Culinary arts is a broader culinary education and can help prepare students for entry-level jobs in restaurants, hotels, and catering companies or could help those already working in the industry advance in their careers. If you hope to one day become a chef, an education in culinary arts can be a good place to start. Culinary arts students could explore classical and contemporary culinary techniques, world cuisines, plant-based cooking, charcuterie, garde manger, and more.

Baking and pastry programs can help prepare students for their first jobs in bakeries or as entry-level pastry cooks. Students here can gain experience in artisanal breads, cake decorating, pies, tarts, and other baked goods.

Students at Escoffier can also start preparing for the business side of the culinary industry with Escoffier’s Food Entrepreneurship online, 60-week diploma program. This coursework can help aspiring entrepreneurs launch a food truck, restaurant, bakery, e-commerce business, or other business. Students can also explore a vast array of traditional and digital marketing concepts, business planning methods, and core culinary principles.

For students interested in holistic health, coaching, and how food affects our overall well-being, Escoffier offers an Online Holistic Nutrition and Wellness Diploma program. Students can explore how to create nutrient-dense meals and examine ways to help clients achieve their overall wellness goals.

In addition to these programs, students who exude a passion for plant-based foods can enroll in Escoffier’s Online Plant-Based Culinary Arts Diploma programs. This curriculum may explore topics like essential plant-based cooking techniques, cultural plant-based cuisine, seasonal menu planning, and much more!

Remember that culinary school graduates, new to the industry, don’t walk away from their programs with the title of chef. That appellation must be earned through education and experience. These programs are designed to help prepare students quickly for an entry-level position in a restaurant, resort, hotel, catering company, or other food service establishment.

Get an In-Depth Education with a Culinary Degree

To receive an associate degree, students must complete both culinary training and some lecture classes and coursework. At a community college, these types of classes will usually be somewhat generic, since they’ll be taken by students from all different specializations.

At Escoffier, Associate degree programs span the same core focus areas as Escoffier’s diplomas, but with additional business and academic coursework woven throughout. The broader requirements for an associate degree are satisfied with culinary-specific courses, which can include Technical Writing for the Hospitality Industry, The Science of Nutrition, and Foodservice Math & Accounting**.

This industry-specific training can be particularly valuable to students who hope to become managers or own their own culinary businesses one day.

In addition to the academic courses, associate degree programs may include additional coursework or have longer externship requirements. This is why these programs are usually longer than diploma programs. They can take up to two years, although at Escoffier, degree programs can be completed in 60-84 weeks.

**Items may vary depending on the program and location.

Escoffier graduate Amy Kimoto Kahn on how her associate degree helped build the foundation she needed for her culinary career.

Plant-Based Culinary Arts, Holistic Nutrition and Wellness, and Food Entrepreneurship degrees follow a similar structure: core culinary or nutrition training paired with business fundamentals. For students interested in launching plant-based restaurants, wellness coaching practices, or food startups, the degree pathway offers deeper preparation on the entrepreneurial and operational sides of their work.

Hospitality and Restaurant Operations Management is unique to the associate degree level. This program focuses on leadership, guest service, and day-to-day operational systems in restaurant and hotel settings, helping prepare students for supervisory and management positions.

All students at Escoffier, regardless of their programs, complete at least one hands-on industry externship as a requirement to graduate. This can allow them to continue learning in a professional setting while practicing the skills picked up during their studies. Graduates then have the opportunity to put this real-world experience on their resumes when they complete their programs, and some students have even been hired to full-time positions where they did their externships.

Why Accreditation Counts

Not all culinary schools are accredited, which is another important factor to consider as you explore your options. Accreditation is provided by neutral third parties to certify that a curriculum and quality of education meet certain pre-set criteria. These standards can help students assess the credentials of the college and the quality of education they can receive there. Along with these high standards, attending an accredited school could lead to better job prospects down the line as well.

Accreditation is also a requirement for students to be eligible for federal financial aid. So any student who needs some sort of tuition assistance should consider accredited schools that also participate in Title IV funding (federal financial aid).

Escoffier’s Boulder campus, which also offers online programs, is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET).

It’s also approved and regulated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE), Division of Private Occupational Schools. Escoffier in Boulder has been approved by CDHE to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA).

 

The Diploma and Associate degree programs in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts (residential only) are programmatically accredited by the American Culinary Federation Educational Foundation Accrediting Commission.

Escoffier’s Austin campus is nationally accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education. It’s also approved and regulated by the Texas Workforce Commission-Career Schools and Colleges, and is authorized as an Associate of Applied Science degree–granting institution through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The Diploma and Applied Associate degree programs in Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts programs are programmatically accredited by the American Culinary Federation Educational Foundation Accrediting Commission.

Understanding Which Program Serves Which Goals

As the comparison above shows, diploma and degree programs are designed to serve different needs and career timelines.

Diploma programs prioritize speed and focus. They’re built for students who want to develop core culinary skills and start working in the industry as quickly as possible. Whether you’re making a career change, managing a tight budget, or eager to get hands-on experience in a professional kitchen, diplomas can offer a direct path to entry-level positions without the extended timeline of a degree program.

Associate degree programs take a broader approach. Along with the same technical training diploma students receive, degree students explore the business side of the culinary world, and can include topics like financial management, nutrition science, and professional communication.

This additional coursework can help prepare students who have their sights set on eventually moving into management roles, opening their own restaurants or bakeries, or building expertise that extends beyond the kitchen itself.

Which Program Is Right for You?

Ultimately, both diploma and degree credentials require hands-on industry externships and both can help prepare you for a career in the culinary industry. The difference comes down to your preferred timeline, depth of study, and your long-term vision.

If you’re weighing which path aligns best with your professional goals, our team is available to help you compare program details and outcomes.

To find out more about the different programs offered at Escoffier, contact us today. We can help you assess the programs and decide which one will be the best choice to help you get where you want to go.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CULINARY EDUCATION? TRY THESE ARTICLES NEXT:

• Can You Start Culinary School Mid-Year? Understanding Enrollment Dates
• Associate Degree vs Diploma: What’s the Difference?
• How Long Does It Take to Finish Culinary School?

This article was originally published on March 17, 2021, and has since been updated.

FAQs