Culinary Arts and Related Services Online Program

Culinary Arts and Related Services online college programs offer degrees like an Associate of Arts in Culinary Arts, Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts or a Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality and Restaurant Management. It takes about two years to complete the Associate’s degrees and four to five years to complete the Bachelor’s degrees if you attend school full-time.

Because you’ll be using videos to follow your professors’ instructions, you must insure that your computer meets the online college’s minimum requirements. For example, you might be required to have audio, a digital camera connection, printer and video software on your computer. To find out the specific computer requirements for the online college you attend, ask your professor or an admissions counselor.

Core courses you may be required to take to graduate from a Culinary Arts and Related Services online program may include courses like:

Menu Development
Food Safety
Human Resource Management
Global Cultures and Cuisines
Contemporary Nutrition
Practices in Food Preservation
Kitchen Operations Management
Culinary Entrepreneurship
Critical Issues in Leadership
Food and Wine Pairing

Furthermore, some accredited colleges and universities offer scholarships in Culinary Arts and Related Services. Check with the online college or university you’re thinking about enrolling in to see if they offer scholarships or other forms of financial aid you can take advantage of.

Skills You Will Gain in a Culinary Arts and Related Services Online Program

After you graduate with Culinary Arts and Related Services online degrees you can get hired to work in corporate cafeterias, bakeries, hotel restaurants and resort restaurants at places like Disney and Universal Studies. You can also work at private restaurants, start your own catering service or open your own restaurant or diner. If you work for an employer, you may work 40 hours a week. However, if you open your own restaurant, prepare to work long hours, particularly during the first years the restaurant is in operation.

Skills you gain from taking Culinary Arts and Related Services online college programs include nutrition knowledge, plating, cultural cuisine knowledge, critical thinking and strategic planning skills. You also gain skills such as communication, customer relations, marketing and time management skills. So you can manage teams of employees some online programs also teach courses that are designed to provide you with leadership, project management, team building and conflict resolution skills.

Future Employment Outlook for Culinary Arts and Related Services Online Programs

Jobs for chefs, head cooks, food preparation and serving supervisors are expected to grow by about 6 percent from 2008 through 2018. Employment opportunities at upscale restaurants are expected to be intense as these establishments generally pay higher salaries. Chefs and head cooks earned a median annual salary of $38,770 as of May 2008. Food preparation and serving supervisors earned $28,970 a year.