Welcome to the Culinary Institute of America
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    CIA Culinary Arts Associate Degree

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  • For the Love of Food

    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 CIA throughout the year.

    Ready to get started? Apply Today!

    Earning a CIA associate degree is also a perfect way to seamlessly enter one of our bachelor’s degree programs.

    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 list of celebrated CIA alumni is as diverse as it is extensive. They’ve found success doing what they love. Now it’s your turn.

    Curriculum

    New York and California Campuses

    The 66-credit Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) in Culinary Arts degree program includes:

    • 51 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 CIA’s award-winning public restaurants.

    See catalog for curriculum details

    Texas Campus

    The 69-credit Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Culinary Arts degree program includes:

    • 48 credits in culinary arts requirements
    • 15 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, food systems, 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 CIA’s award-winning public restaurants.

    See catalog for curriculum details

    Requirements

    • A high school diploma or GED credential.
    • This program is offered for in-person, full-time study at all three of CIA’s domestic campuses: New York, California, and Texas.

    How to Apply

    Culinary School Costs

    CIA is very committed to making your CIA education as affordable as possible. Our costs are comparable to similar colleges, and here’s even better news—more than 90% of our students receive some form of financial aid.

    Don’t let applying for financial assistance keep you from going to the world’s premier culinary college. No matter what your individual circumstances are, we will work with you to help make attending CIA an affordable investment in your future in the world of food.

  • Frequently Viewed



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  • Questions? CIA Student Ambassadors Can Help! Chat now.

  • School of Culinary Arts Gonfalon

    School of Culinary Arts

    The School of Culinary Arts offers hands-on learning from the world’s premier culinary college in world-class kitchens and restaurants on campus. CIA’s unparalleled global network gives students a treasure trove of premium ingredients and products at their fingertips. They learn from a faculty whose collective industry experience and credentials are unmatched in culinary education. Our instructors wrote the text—The Professional Chef—used by many leading education institutions today. The college’s landmark Menus of Change research continues to advance the curriculum. Learn more about our faculty >

  • Cool Courses You’ll Take...

    Cool Courses in Culinary Arts

    Work with new ingredients and flavors in CIA culinary arts degree program, with courses that may surprise you.

    Check them out


  • Connect with us! Just try not to drool on your screen...

  • Kersti Bowser, CIA culinary arts alumni, is owner of Gourmet Butterfly Media & Special Events

    Alumni Spotlight

    Kersti Bowser ’01
    Owner, Gourmet Butterfly Media & Special Events
    “There is a clear difference in students who come out of the CIA versus other schools.”
    Read More  
    Michael Elegbede, CIA culinary arts alumni and owner, executive chef of ÌTÀN in Lagos, Nigeria.

    Alumni Spotlight

    Michael Elegbedé ’13
    Owner, Executive Chef, ÌTÀN
    “I chose to pursue my culinary education at the CIA because of the vast array of talented and knowledgeable chef-instructors and world-class facilities there. It uses a community approach towards education.”
    Read More  
  • Did You Know?


    Bachelor’s study-abroad opportunities let you add travel, culture and world cuisines to your college experience.
    Learn More