Culinary Arts High School Concurrent Program | NorthWest Arkansas Community College
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High School Concurrent

Culinary Arts

Brightwater Students Cooking in the Kitchen

Considering a career in culinary arts? Save time and money by earning an industry-recognized certificate while in high school. Take concurrent culinary classes now and earn certifications that can land you a job in the restaurant and food industry after you graduate.

In your concurrent culinary courses, you’ll gain skills in culinary arts, food safety, production and management, hospitality and tourism and more. Credits earned in high school can be applied toward an associate degree from NWACC's Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food once you graduate high school.

View the information below to learn more about the different concurrent culinary courses and certifications, as well as degree and career paths.

Application & Admissions


Courses, Cost, Certificates & Careers

Concurrent culinary courses include:

  • Food Safety & Nutrition
  • Culinary Arts I
  • Food Production, Management, & Services
  • Culinary Arts II
  • Culinary Arts Lab
  • Hospitality Administration
  • Arkansas Hospitality & Tourism Industry
  • Chemistry of Foods
  • Advanced Nutrition & Dietetics

Location of courses:

  • Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food

NWACC’s Treasurer’s Office offers updated information on tuition, fees and payment plans and deadlines. Typically, high school students pay directly to the high school and homeschool students pay directly to NWACC. Be sure to check with your high school counselor or email earlycollege@nwacc.edu to understand how your high school collects tuition from students.

Students are responsible for the purchase of textbooks and other required course materials. Textbooks and e-books can be purchased or rented from any local bookstore, online or from the NWACC Bookstore.

Applicable fees for online courses may include:

  • Distance learning fees
  • Lab fees
  • Digital course material fees
  • Proctoring fees

If you have any questions about tuition, please contact your high school counselor or email earlycollege@nwacc.edu.

By taking all culinary concurrent courses, you can earn the following certifications before graduating from high school:

  • Serv-Safe Manager Certification
  • Hazzard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Certification

Credits obtained while earning your culinary certifications in high school can be transferred to NWACC when you become a college student and be applied toward earning an associate degree in any of the following programs:

  • Artisanal Food
  • Baking & Pastry
  • Beverage Arts
  • Culinary Arts

Career Paths

  • By completing all concurrent culinary courses and earning the Serv-Safe Manager Certification and Hazzard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Certification, you’ll be better prepared for job opportunities in the restaurant and food services industry such as being a line cook or entry level supervisor.

  • By applying your earned college credits toward an associate degree in culinary arts, artisanal foods, baking and pastry or beverage arts at Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, you'll be prepared for careers in the following areas:

    • Restaurant Owner
    • Executive Chef
    • Chef Instructor
    • Product Developer
    • Cake Decorator
    • Recipe Developer
    • Caterer
    • Food Photographer
    • Butcher