Kirkwood board approves baking and pastry arts program

Kirkwood Community College next fall will launch a one-year diploma program in baking and pastry arts, after the Kirkwood board of trustees approved the plan Thursday.

The baking and pastry arts program now goes to the state Department of Education for approval.

Baking and pastry arts classes now are embedded in the culinary arts curriculum at Kirkwood, and this change will make available to students a separate one-year degree or a shorter certificate in bakery and pastry arts.

It's expected that some students in Kirkwood's hospitality program who are earning a culinary arts degree would be interested in additional credential programs in baking and pastry arts, Kirkwood officials said. The new program also will be set up so students can take the one-year program at Kirkwood and then transfer to the two-year degree program in baking and pastry arts at sister college, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Canada.