2024-2025 Student Catalog 
    
    Dec 06, 2024  
2024-2025 Student Catalog

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Culinary Skills, Certificate



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Contact Information

Program Requirements

Typical Program

Degree/Certificate:     Certificate
HEGIS Code:             5404
SUNY Code:              2380
Major Code:              CULS

The Career

According to the Occupational Handbook there are three million jobs available in the hospitality field. In the past, people obtained these through on-the-job training but in the 21st century, education is imperative. People now need post-high school education. Sanitation certification, the importance of nutrition, supervisory management and the use of modern equipment require formal education and training. This certificate at SUNY Niagara is a good place to start.

The SUNY Niagara Approach

Classes are taught in state-of-the-art kitchen facilities at the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute. The program will combine both classroom learning as well as laboratories.

In laboratory courses, lessons will be taught using rudimentary food preparation methods which will give students the ability to produce food in every situation possible from ‘scratch’ cooking to using more modern sophisticated food preparation ingredients.

The students gain valuable industry experience by spending time in courses directly connected with our NFCI’s restaurant “Savor.” The students will rotate through the restaurant experiencing all of the aspects of running a hospitality driven business. In addition, the students will get to experience the main campus of SUNY Niagara when they take a business management or accounting course to complete the certificate program.

The faculty have years of experience in the field with extensive education and are active in the American Culinary Federation of Western New York.

The program is designed to allow students to apply coursework in the certificate program to obtain an Associate in Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts.

The Culinary Skills program is accredited by the American Culinary Federation, Inc., 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL 32095, (800) 624-9458.

Admission

Students admitted in fall, spring and summer.

Program Goals and Objectives

Train students for immediate entry-level employment within the food service industry

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of kitchen etiquette and professionalism
  • Apply proper sanitation and safety techniques while demonstrating proper knife handling and care for equipment
  • Apply basic food preparation skills
  • Apply basic baking preparation skills

Program Requirements (CULS)


  1. A total of at least 25-credit hours with a minimum curriculum grade-point average of 2.0. Academic Foundations courses do not count toward the certificate.
  2. Because the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (NFCI) is not a branch campus, students enrolled at NFCI must take at least one course on the Sanborn campus that is required in the program.
  3. Culinary: A minimum of 19-credit hours to include:  
     
     
         
    CUL 223 - Restaurant Experience I  
    CUL 224 - Restaurant Experience II 
    CUL 130 - Sanitation and Safety  
    CUL 131 - Food Supervisory Management  
    CUL 142 - Nutrition  
  4. Hospitality: A minimum of 3-credit hours to include:
    HOS 133 - Service Styles and Techniques   OR
    HOS 143 - Front of the House Experience  
  5. Liberal Arts General Education elective: A minimum of 3-credit hours to be selected from:
    Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning (MATH)
    Diversity: Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice (DVRS)
    Natural Science & Scientific Reasoning (NSCI)
    Communication - Written (COMW)
    Communication - Oral (COMO)
    The Arts (ARTS)
    Humanities (HUMN)
    World Language (WLNG)
    World History & Global Awareness (GLBL)
    Social Science (SOCS)
    US History & Civic Engagement (USCV)
     

Typical Program


Because the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute (NFCI) is not a branch campus, students enrolled at NFCI must take at least one course on the Sanborn campus that is required in the program.

Total Credit Hours: 13


Second Semester


Total Credit Hours: 12


Note:


** A “C” grade in CUL 120, 121, 122, 142, 223, 224, HOS 133 and 143 is required for graduation.

Additional Costs


Students must purchase a chef’s uniform, a specific set of knives (available at the college bookstore) and additional utensils to be specified by the instructor. Detailed information can be obtained by contacting the division office at (716) 210-2540.

Scholarship Opportunities


There are several scholarships available to SUNY Niagara students. Scholarship deadline dates vary each semester.  For more information, please visit the scholarship webpage at www.niagaracc.suny.edu/scholarships. The SUNY Niagara Foundation/Scholarship Office is located within the Foundation Office, A-265 or by phone (716) 614-5910.

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