Program Overview

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Culinary Arts Associate Degree

Program Overview

The Culinary Arts associate degree program at Madison College offers students the opportunity to learn an industry that produces $400 billion in annual sales in the United States. This program holds the key to landing positions as purchasing agents, general managers, and executive chefs.

Program Details

• Students in the Culinary program can attend full or part-time.
• Culinary Arts degree classes are offered at the Madison College Truax campus.

Culinary Arts Careers

Prospective employers throughout Madison consider Madison College Culinary Arts graduates top candidates. Associate degree graduates are ready for a range of professional positions in the field of culinary arts, including:

• Prep Cooks/Cooks
• Line Cooks
• Broiler Chefs or Garde Managers
• Sous Chefs
• Executive Chefs or Owner/Operators

Curriculum and Experience

Prospective Program Students

The information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the academic year.

Current and Newly Admitted Program Students

Go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:

• Progress toward your specific requirements
• Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements

Prior to Start of Program

• Principles of Sanitation (1 credit)
• OR ServSafe Certification (1 credit)

First Semester

• Food Theory (2 credits)
• Culinary Baking Fundamentals (1 credit)
• Professional Cooking 1 (4 credits)
• Culinary Baking Lab (2 credits)
• Written Communication (3 credits)

Second Semester

• Professional Cooking 2 (4 credits)
• Garde Manger/Decorative Foods (2 credits)
• Catering (2 credits)
• Nutrition (1 credit)
• Math with Business Applications (3 credits)
• Oral/Interpersonal Communication (3 credits)

Third (Summer) Term

• Culinary Internship (2 credits)

Fourth Semester

• Advanced Skills Lab 1 (4 credits)
• Cost Control (3 credits)
• Waitstaff Training (2 credits)
• Food Purchasing Analysis (1 credit)
• Accounting Fundamentals (3 credits)
• Contemporary Amer Society (3 credits)
• Elective (2 credits)

Fifth Semester

• Hospitality Leadership (3 credits)
• Advanced Skills Lab 2 (4 credits)
• Dining Room Operations (2 credits)
• Menu Planning (1 credit)
• Psychology Of Human Relations (3 credits)
• Elective (1 credit)

Recommended Electives

• Americana Cuisine (2 credits)
• Breakfast Cookery (1 credit)
• Dessert Plating (2 credits)

Admission

To Apply

Earning a degree is a great way to advance your career development opportunities.

Application Dates

• Fall 2025: Application open, Application completion deadline is August 15, 2025

Admission Requirements

All materials must be submitted by the application deadline.

• Admission Application
• Education Completion: Official transcripts must be sent from the institutions you attended and indicate one of the following:
  • High school transcript (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
  • GED/HSED transcript
  • College transcript(s) showing:
    • Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
    • At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale

Transfer Opportunities

UW System Schools

• UW Oshkosh: The terms of the B.S in Human Services Leadership agreement are limited to students who complete selective A.A.S degrees and are admitted to the Human Services Leadership at UW-Oshkosh. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• UW Oshkosh: The terms of the B.S in Leadership & Org Studies agreement are limited to students who complete selective A.A.S or A.A.A. degrees and are admitted to the Organizational Studies emphasis at UW-Oshkosh. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Wisconsin Private Schools

• Concordia University: Students with an AA, AS or AAS are Advanced Core. Advanced Core requires students to have earned at least 60 credits. Students transferring prior to completion or with less than 60 credits are standard core and credits are evaluated course by course.
• Lakeland University: Student who earn an Associate Degree from Madison College can transfer a minimum of 60 credits and a maximum of 72 credits to Lakeland College to be applied to the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree.
• Milwaukee School of Engineering: Completion of an A.A.S. Degree at Madison College after 2015, and meeting admission requirements for the Rader School of Business (RSOB) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) can earn a B.B.A degree in Technical Sales at MSOE.

Out-of-State Schools

• Bellevue University: Students who complete any associate degree at Madison Area Technical College will have no additional general education core curriculum requirements to meet but must satisfy the Kirkpatrick Signature Series requirement.
• Capella University: Per the agreement, students must complete the associates of arts, associates of science or associates of applied science with an overall GPA of a 2.0 prior to transferring.
• Colorado State University Global Campus: Students graduating with an associate degree from MATC with a 2.0 GPA or higher are guaranteed admissions into CSU-Global and can transfer up to 64 semester credits from MATC to be applied toward earning a Bachelor’s Degree at CSU-Global.
• Franklin University: Franklin University will guarantee acceptance of Madison College graduates with an AA, AS, or AAS. Madison College graduates will have junior standing at Franklin University and may transfer up to 94 additional credits toward their baccalaureate degree.

Career Outcomes

After completing the Culinary Arts program at Madison Area Technical College, you will be able to:

• Apply principles of safety and sanitation in food service operations.
• Apply principles of nutrition.
• Demonstrate culinary skills.
• Manage food service operations.
• Plan menus.
• Analyze food service financial information.
• Relate food service operations to sustainability.

Graduate Summary

Graduate Report Summary Overview Count

Percents	2022	2023	2024
Number of Program Graduates	10	10	10
Number of Surveys Sent	10	10	10
Number of Surveys Returned	7	8	5
Percent of Surveys Returned
Available for Employment	7	7	4
Percent Available for Employment	100.0%	87.5%	80.0%
Not in Labor Market
Percent Not in Labor Market	0.0%	12.5%	0.0%

Graduate Employers

Graduate Employers for academic year: 2024

Employer(s)	Job Title	City	State	Positions
Central Alabama Veteran Health Care Systems	Cook Supervisor	Tuskegee	AL
Coopers Hawk Winery & Restaurant	Prep Cook	Middleton
Madison Area Technical College	Food Service Associate
Sultan	Cook

Related Programs

• Culinary Production Specialist
• Culinary Fundamentals
• Baking & Decorative Arts