Make food your life in the CIA Associate in Culinary Arts degree program. You’ll not only build the core skills used by every chef; you’ll chart your own path toward a lifelong career doing what you love. Learn to prepare a wide variety of dishes and cuisines, manage people, and use state-of-the-art equipment—all in less than two years! Come make our trademark hands-on learning approach and expert, industry-proven faculty work for you.
Highlights:
Learn how to develop flavor, employ classic and contemporary culinary techniques, create menus, and prepare global cuisines.
Study the ways successful culinary professionals manage restaurants, high-end catering, food trucks, and other food-related businesses.
Gain real-world experience through a paid internship semester at one of CIA’s 2,000+ food industry partners. (Already have experience? Check out our Turbo Option.)
Develop food business smarts with study in management, communication, and finance.
Discover how real public restaurants are operated—hands-on, in our award-winning, live-action restaurant classrooms that serve thousands of customers annually.
Network with top food industry employers who recruit at the CIA throughout the year.
Become a Leader in the Food World
Whether at restaurants, hotels, casinos, or other dining venues, find the career path that’s just right for you:
Executive chef
Food and beverage management
Food writing
Media and public relations
Research and education
Hotel management
Restaurant ownership
With so many possibilities, our Career Services staff is ready to help you every step of the way. There’s no network like the CIA network, which includes some of the world’s most renowned culinary, beverage, and hospitality experts.
The 69-credit Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) in Culinary Arts degree program includes:
54 credits in culinary arts requirements
9 credits in liberal arts requirements
6 credits in business management requirements
You will get a hands-on experiential foundation in the culinary arts, including classic and contemporary cooking techniques, flavor and menu development, nutrition, wines, production cooking, and world cuisines.
As part of your degree program, you’ll get real-world experience during a semester-long internship at one of more than 2,000 CIA-approved businesses, as well as in the kitchens and dining rooms of the CIA’s award-winning public restaurants.