Culinary Arts
Charlotte Campus
(College of Culinary Arts)
Associate in Science (A.S.) Degree
The associate degree program in Culinary Arts provides students with practical education in food production, while developing professionalism and excellence in academic achievement. Students progress through a program of study that builds proficiency in food production and cooking, cost control, nutrition, sanitation, food safety and food marketing. Hands-on training is paired with traditional academic courses resulting in a curriculum that is both dynamic and directly aligned with industry needs.
Upon completion of the program, graduates are expected to
- Demonstrate moist, dry and combination cooking techniques, baking/pastry skills, and plating and presentation techniques; demonstrate professional knife skills and proper use/care of small wares and kitchen equipment; and demonstrate the ability to identify ingredients and flavor profiles of the major world cuisines.
- Demonstrate dining and beverage service techniques, identify beverage classifications, and use proper terminology to perform sensory analysis.
- Apply safety and sanitation principles in the preparation and service of food and beverage products.
- Utilize healthful cooking techniques and ingredients to modify and develop flavorful recipes.
- Demonstrate professional leadership attributes necessary for operating responsibly in the food and beverage industry.
- Implement cost control measures needed to track goods, services and costs through the cycle of cost control and to evaluate revenue and expenses and their effects on profitability.
The focus of the first-year culinary lab classes is development and practice of cooking skills, complemented by the development of baking, dining and beverage service skills, which includes national certification in alcohol intervention procedures. The academic areas include mathematics, introduction to menu planning and cost control, English composition, community service, professional development and a national food safety certification.
Second-year laboratories include advanced techniques in classical and international cuisines, garde manger, patisserie/dessert and dining room, as well as the academic areas of leadership studies, personalized nutrition management and communication skills.
Students will experience one term of experiential education, which includes internships.
Culinary Internship
During culinary internships, students participate in actual public food service operations in preparation for future careers. Possible sites include university-owned or -operated practicum educational facilities, hotels, restaurants, country clubs, resorts, casinos, spas and contract food service providers. Eligibility requirements for certain sites include a 2.75 cumulative GPA and completion of all prerequisite coursework. Additionally, select students have the opportunity to participate in international internships at host company sites throughout the world, which are chosen by the university. In addition to meeting specific college eligibility requirements, students interested in completing an internship in a targeted country must maintain a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and have a minimum of one year of work experience in a full-service restaurant or similar experience in a hotel or resort.
Graduates of the associate degree program in Culinary Arts have the opportunity to gain employment in the food service industry, which would include a variety of positions in full-service restaurants, hotels, clubs and resorts catering operations, quantity food production facilities, health spas and cruise lines.
Graduates of this program are eligible, or may apply, for entrance into the following bachelor of science degree programs: Baking & Pastry Arts, Culinary Arts and Food Service Management, Culinary Nutrition or Food Service Entrepreneurship. Certain requirements pertain to each of these bachelor degree programs, which are noted in their respective program descriptions.
Culinary International Exchange
Each year, a select group of second-year students is chosen to participate in a student international exchange program with culinary arts schools in Ireland and France. For one term, JWU students attend classes in either of these countries. In exchange, students from these schools attend culinary classes at Johnson & Wales University. Selected students receive full academic credit for the term abroad.
Teaching Assistant and Fellow Scholarship Program
Each year, administrators at the College of Culinary Arts, in conjunction with the administration of university-owned or -operated practicum educational facilities, select Teaching Assistant candidates from among the top students of the graduating class in the Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts associate degree programs. Students who are continuing their education at the university as Teaching Assistants must be enrolled in a day school program. Qualified Teaching Assistants may advance to Fellow during their senior year. These opportunities allow students to help defray the costs of advanced study while developing their supervisory/management skills.
Culinary Arts
A two-year program leading to the associate in science degree:
Credits Major Courses | ||
| CUL1315 | Stocks, Sauces and Soups | 3 |
| CUL1325 | Essentials of Dining Room | 3 |
| CUL1335 | Traditional European Cuisine | 3 |
| CUL1345 | Introduction to Baking & Pastry | 3 |
| CUL1355 | New World Cuisine | 3 |
| CUL1365 | Principles of Beverage Service * | 3 |
| CUL1375 | Nutrition and Sensory Analysis | 3 |
| CUL1385 | Fundamentals of Food Service Production | 3 |
| CUL1395 | Purchasing and Production Identification | 3 |
| CUL1405 | Skills of Meatcutting | 3 |
| CUL2215 | Garde Manger | 3 |
| CUL2225 | Classical French Cuisine | 3 |
| CUL2235 | Advanced Dining Room Procedures | 3 |
| CUL2245 | International Cuisine | 3 |
| CUL2255 | Advanced Patisserie/Dessert | 3 |
| Culinary Arts Applications | ||
| CUL2626 | Culinary Arts Internship | 13.5 |
| Related Professional Studies | ||
| FSM1065 | Food Safety and Sanitation Management ** | 1.5 |
| FSM2045 | Introduction to Menu Planning and Cost Controls | 4.5 |
| General Studies | ||
| ENG1020 | English Composition | 4.5 |
| ENG1021 | Advanced Composition and Communication | 4.5 |
| ENG1030 | Communication Skills | 4.5 |
| LEAD2001 | Foundations of Leadership Studies | 4.5 |
| NUTR2001 | Introduction to Nutrition | 4.5 |
| Math | One math course 1000 level or higher based on student's placement assessment | 4.5 |
| Science | One SCI-designated course *** | 4.5 |
| Total Credits | 96.0 | |
| * | ServSafe Alcohol Certification course required. |
| ** | Students must pass a national exam that is recognized by the Conference for Food Protection as a graduation requirement. |
| *** | Students intending to continue for a B.S. degree in Culinary Nutrition must complete SCI1015 Introduction to Life Science. |
NOTE: Students must have MATH0010 Basic Mathematics or have equivalent placement scores to enroll in required math course(s).
Four-Year Options:
- Baking & Pastry Arts
- Culinary Arts & Food Service Management
- Culinary Nutrition
- Food Service Entrepreneurship
An Associate in Applied Science is offered at the Charlotte campus in lieu of an Associate in Science degree in accordance with North Carolina Higher Education Regulations.
