- Certificate Program
Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate
Program Overview
Know the Kitchen, Advance Your Career
You have the passion for food and the desire for career growth. Now all you need is the culinary knowledge to bring it all together. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you can advance your career with CIA’s Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate Program (ACAP). In just 30 weeks at CIA’s Napa location, you’ll gain advanced new skills and insight into the workings of the professional kitchen in the best way possible—hands-on, with the guidance of our industry-experienced faculty.
Quick Facts
Start Date: September
Location: CIA at Copia in Napa, CA
Bachelor’s Degree Required
Program Highlights
- Grow your career options alongside classmates who have a bachelor’s degree and share your culinary passion.
- Learn the culinary fundamentals, from knife skills to sauces to palate development.
- Explore flavor dynamics, ingredient function, baking and pastry, and healthy cooking techniques.
- Prepare a variety of world cuisines from Asia, the Americas, and the Mediterranean.
- Practice batch cookery, à la carte-style service, and a variety of cooking methods.
- Cook with the bounty of California’s Napa Valley and make professional connections with the region’s visionary leaders.
- Earn the credential that primes you to step into any kitchen, work with suppliers, and lead professionals across the foodservice industry.
Careers
A Savory Future
If you have a passion for food, adding culinary knowledge and skills to your degree can help diversify your skill set and make you more desirable to industry employers.
CIA’s ACAP program can open doors to many exciting fields, including:
- Restaurant Manager
- Food Technology
- Guest Services
- Nutrition Consultant
- Food Service Management
- Culinary Education
- Food Media Professional
- Culinary or Food Science
- Marketing
- Baking or Pastry Chef
- Sous Chef
Curriculum
Cutting-Edge Curriculum
In the ACAP, you will learn the culinary arts fundamentals—cooking methods, flavor development, fabrication techniques, world cuisines, baking and pastry, and more—that will give you a hands-on understanding of the professional kitchen and expand your career opportunities.
The 30-week Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate Program (ACAP) includes:
- 30 credits in culinary arts requirements
Learn by Doing
It’s within reach. Olive harvesting in the Napa Valley is the perfect example of the hands-on learning you’ll find in CIA Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate program.
Faculty
Learn From Top Industry Experts
We want you to become the best of the best, which is why our faculty members are masters in their fields. Learn from acclaimed chefs, industry executives, world-famous restaurateurs, restaurant owners, published authors, and sommeliers.
Admissions
Food is your future—and there’s no better place to start than here.
Throughout the year we offer admissions events where you can ask questions and learn more about our Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate program. You can also chat with Admissions Counselor Rebecca Rein, who specializes in assisting ACAP students.
Requirements
- This accelerated program is designed for individuals who possess a bachelor’s degree and have a serious interest in advancing their culinary knowledge.
- Students will study full-time and in-person in the Napa Valley with student support services provided at our a California campus.
Tuition and Financial Aid
The Value of a CIA Education
If you’re looking to advance your career in food, there is no better investment than a CIA education. From hands-on opportunities and expert faculty instruction to unique concentrations and exclusive networking events, our education and experiences are unparalleled. We are also committed to making your CIA education as affordable as possible. Our costs are comparable to similar colleges, with more than 90% of our students receiving some form of financial aid.