May 08, 2024  
PUBLISHED 2024-2025 Credit Catalog 
    
PUBLISHED 2024-2025 Credit Catalog

Baking and Pastry Arts

Location(s): In Person (Main Campus)


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Transform your passion for baking and pastry into a rewarding career. Our exceptional instructors come from both traditional and contemporary baking backgrounds worldwide. Combined with state-of-the-art facilities and an innovative curriculum, we have the top Baking and Pastry Arts program in Canada. 

If you’ve always loved baking, have an artistic touch, and dream of creating exquisite baked goods, we can elevate your skills. A career in baking and pastry arts combines the arts and science - precision, chemistry, creativity, and imagination.

Our graduates have diverse career prospects in an industry with high demand. You’ll be well-prepared for the field with experience in the craft of pastry, the art of baking, sugar artistry, and artisanal chocolate production. 

We prioritize your success through personalized attention, small class sizes, abundant hands-on training, and exciting facility upgrades, including specialized labs like the chocolate lab at our downtown Culinary Campus. 

In this two-year diploma program, you’ll master baking fundamentals, advanced techniques, and an array of specialties and recipes. You’ll master yeast goods and artisan bread and develop sugar artistry skills and wedding cakes.  

Additionally, you’ll gain vital management and industry skills, covering topics such as food regulations, customer service, pricing, and entrepreneurship. You’ll also learn how to leverage a brand on social media. 

Hands-on production environment 

Our primary focus is preparing you for the real world through hands-on experience. During your two-year journey, you’ll spend about 1,400 hours in bakery labs learning practical skills and about 20 hours a week on homework and review.  

You’ll also showcase your creations in our gourmet retail food outlets, including the esteemed Highwood restaurant, the Marketplace, and the downtown Culinary Campus. 

Learn from top international instructors 

Learn from world-class instructors with diverse backgrounds, including executive pastry chefs from prestigious New York, Hawaii, and Bermuda hotels and local entrepreneurial bakers.  

Professional paid internship and study tours 

Between your first and second year, you’ll participate in a professional paid internship to apply your skills in a real-world setting while building valuable connections.  

You also have the option to explore the world through international study tours to countries like France, Australia, Thailand, Germany, Spain, and Portugal. 

Work towards journeyman baker certification 

Upon completing the program, you can opt to write the journeyman baker exam, taking you a step closer to becoming a certified journeyman baker after completing the required working hours. 

The SAIT diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts prepares you for junior roles such as pastry chef, specialty cake decorator, retail or bakery manager, and chocolatier. Or you could start your own business in this dynamic industry. 

Traits, skills and aptitudes


Those in the baking and pastry arts industry tend to be methodical, objective, and directive.  

You need:  

  • good health and physical stamina to work early morning hours and be on your feet for long periods 
  • manual dexterity 
  • a responsible attitude  
  • respect for public health standards. 

You should enjoy creating things with your hands, stability and predictability, and security in your work. 

Academic path


This program aligns with the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) curriculum for all three technical training periods for Bakers.

You can challenge the first-year provincial exam after completing your first year in this program. You can challenge the second and third-year exams once you graduate.

Upon passing the exams, you can register as an apprentice and complete the 4,680 on-the-job training hours to earn your journeyperson designation. 

Practicum, co-op and work integrated learning opportunities


Between your first and second year, you’ll apply your skills in a professional paid internship for a minimum of 240 hours.  

The choice of worksite is flexible and can include hotels, restaurants, catering operations and other approved food service establishments.  

In addition to gaining experience in a real-world environment, internships provide valuable connections and opportunities to network with future employers.  

You can also take advantage of exciting international study tours. Previous tour locations have included France, Australia, Thailand, Germany, Spain and Portugal. Study tours are optional and include additional costs. 

Credential


After successfully completing this program, you’ll receive a SAIT Baking and Pastry Arts diploma.

Program length


2 years

Accepts international applicants - PGWP-eligible


This program accepts international applicants and meets the eligibility criteria for the Post-Graduation Work Permit program, as long as the student is registered in on-campus classes or completes more than 50% of the courses on campus (for blended options). 

International students attending all classes online will NOT be eligible for a Post-Graduate Work Permit. International students are responsible for maintaining their eligibility throughout their studies. 

Not eligible for CAJG


This program is not eligible for the Canada Alberta Job Grant

Related careers


Our graduates may work in the following occupations. Some careers require additional experience and education.

Potential careers (NOC):

  • Restaurant and food service managers (60030)
  • Food service supervisors (62020)
  • Chefs (62200)
  • Bakers (63202)
  • Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations (65201)

Admission requirements - Applicants educated in Canada


Applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency and completion of all the following courses or equivalents:

  • at least 50% in English Language Arts 10-1 or 10-2, and
  • at least 50% in Math 10C or Math 10-3.

SAIT accepts high school course equivalents for admission for applicants educated outside Alberta.

Admission requirements - Applicants educated outside of Canada


All applicants who were educated outside of Canada must demonstrate English language proficiency and provide proof they meet the program admission requirements with an international document assessment. Find accepted educational documents and assessment options

SAIT may also accept courses completed at certain international post-secondary institutions.

Program outline


The Baking and Pastry arts program requires 73.5 credits (26 courses) to complete.

The program spans two years, with two semesters each year.

Suggested schedule of study


Progression


You must attain a PGPA and/or a CGPA of 2.0 or better each semester and pass the prerequisite courses to progress through the program.

To qualify for graduation, you must pass all courses, attain a CGPA of 2.0 or better and complete course requirements within the prescribed timelines.

Review our grading and progression procedure > 

Books and supplies


Books and supplies are approximately $1,000 - $1,500 per full-time year.

This is a bring-your-own-device program with a standard computer hardware and software requirement. See the specific requirements on our computers and laptops page.

Find your booklist on the SAIT Bookstore’s website. The booklist will be available close to your start date. Can’t find your program or course? The bookstore didn’t receive a textbook list. Contact your program directly to determine if they’re still refining course details or if you’re in luck; no textbook purchase is required for that term.

Required uniform

One of your first steps to becoming a student in the Baking and Pastry Arts diploma program is to be sure you have the required uniform on your first day of class and dress appropriately throughout the entire program.

Baking and Pastry Arts student uniform

Your uniform includes:

  • a hair net. All hair must be tucked into the hair net at all times.
  • a pastry chef’s hat
  • your name tag
  • a pastry chef’s jacket, waist apron and pants are provided with an annual laundry fee of $250 (included in your tuition) and issued twice weekly from the laundry facilities in the John Ware building
  • a pair of professional, non-slip kitchen shoes. SAIT will have a vendor on site on the Orientation day, but shoes can also be purchased at any professional shoe vendor. We suggest purchasing a clog-style shoe.

Jewelry, including rings, bracelets and dangling earrings, are not to be worn in class. Wedding bands, stud earrings and watches are acceptable. 

Wearing your uniform is mandatory.

Required equipment/tools

You’ll require the following:

  • a calculator
  • 16-inch ruler
  • memory stick
  • digital scale - 5 kg capacity, 1 g increments
  • knife bag or toolbox
  • a professional baking kit. The cost is $745 and must be purchased through a dedicated website. You will receive an email within one month ahead of your start date to purchase the kit by credit card.

Hospitality and Tourism program advising


For any questions or to set up an advising appointment, please contact our School of Hospitality and Tourism.

Phone: 403.210.4343
Email: hospitality.info@sait.ca

Program outcomes


  1. Technical skills - Demonstrate technical competency in various production-based environments in baking and pastry. 
  2. Baking techniques - Create high-quality yeast goods and pastry products using skills, techniques and artistry. 
  3. Recipe creation - Create recipes to meet client preferences and dietary restrictions. 
  4. Food and beverage foundation - Apply foundational food and beverage knowledge.  
  5. Equipment safety - Operate and maintain equipment efficiently and safely. 
  6. Health and safety regulation - Adhere to current health and safety regulations for the baking and pastry industry. 
  7. Culinary management - Demonstrate competency in culinary management. 
  8. Financial foundation - Apply financial tools and principles to product costing and viable day-to-day culinary operations. 
  9. Brand development - Demonstrate social media competency to build personal and professional brands. 
  10. Culinary operation foundation - Apply foundational knowledge in sustainability related to culinary operations. 
  11. Professional communication - Adapt professional behaviour and respectfully communicate with people of diverse backgrounds and points of view. 
  12. Customer service - Demonstrate a hospitality mindset focusing on guest experience and problem-solving with the guest’s needs in mind.
  13. Client experience - Support a healthy lifestyle by adopting effective strategies to balance demanding industry needs with personal values and priorities. 

Graduate outcomes


  1. Safety - Awareness of safety standards relevant to the workplace
    • Safety awareness
  2. Responsible Leadership - Personal, ethical and respectful behaviour within the workplace and global community
    • Teamwork and multi-disciplinary collaboration
    • Self-Initiative
    • Ethical reasoning and action
    • Global awareness
    • Sustainability
  3. Communication - The exchange of information in a professional and effective manner
    • Language skills
    • Interpersonal skills
  4. Information Literacy - The strategies used to become informed, from recognizing an information need to accessing and evaluating information and using it effectively and ethically
    • Problem-solving and/or Critical thinking
    • Quantitative literacy
    • Technological literacy
  5. Technical Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - Technical competence specific to the discipline or industry
    • Specialized, technical skill set

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