Culinary Arts and Science BS

Major: Culinary Arts & Science
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 185.0 (Food and Beverage Management Concentration); 185.0 (Culinary Science Concentration)
Co-op Options: No Co-op (Four years); One Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code: 12.0509
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 35-2014

About the Program

The major in Culinary Arts and Science allows students to deeply explore cuisine—the practical techniques of cooking but also its science, history, culture, politics and economics. Students receive a broad overview of cooking and cuisine, specializing in food and beverage management or culinary science, which prepares students for leadership positions in the restaurant and food industry.

Students majoring in Culinary Arts and Science are prepared for careers in the food industry such as pastry chef, chef, research chef or food product developer.

This baccalaureate degree in Culinary Arts and Science is among the first of its kind in the United States. This program comprises approximately equal parts liberal arts, business, hospitality management, food science and culinary arts. The aim of the program is to prepare students as independent thinkers who can work collaboratively in the food industry.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, please email askcnhp@drexel.edu. Additional information can be found on the Culinary Arts and Science website.

Program Delivery Options

Drexel’s BS degrees include courses in the liberal arts, the humanities, sciences, hospitality management and culinary arts. Three business minors are also offered. The BS degree can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis:

Traditional four-year option, with one co-op experience:

This option includes one six-month period of full-time employment in the junior year.

Four plus one option BS/MBA combined degree, with co-op experience:

This option combines the four-year BS degree followed by the one-year Professional MBA to qualify freshmen applicants. Incoming freshmen will generally have a minimum of 1300 on the SAT, a GPA of 3.5 or higher and be in the top 10% of their high school graduating class. For MBA requirements visit the LeBow College Professional MBA website.

Part-time option without co-op experience:

Students work closely with academic advisors to develop a customized plan of study toward degree completion.

London option:

Students are invited to spend a term in their sophomore, junior or senior year in the Study Abroad Program, Drexel in London, while earning up to 18.0 credits. The program’s emphasis is on the global implications of and opportunities within the food hospitality industry. Other Study Abroad programs are also available. 

Degree Requirements

 Food & Beverage Requirements

Food & Beverage Management Concentration
General Education Requirements
CHEM 201Why Things Work: Everyday Chemistry3.0
or CHEM 101 General Chemistry I
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
MATH 101Introduction to Analysis I4.0
NFS 100
NFS 101
Nutrition, Foods, and Health
and Introduction to Nutrition & Food
3.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development1.0
UNIV NH101The Drexel Experience1.0
Arts & Humanities9.0
Social Science6.0
Food Science Courses
FDSC 100ServSafe1.0
FDSC 120Food and the Senses3.0
FDSC 154Science of Food and Cooking4.0
FDSC 270Microbial Food Safety and Sanitation4.0
FDSC 306Food Composition & Behavior3.0
FDSC 350Experimental Foods: Product Development3.0
FDSC 401Modernist Cuisine3.0
Culinary Arts Courses
CULA 115Culinary Fundamentals3.0
CULA 120Techniques and Traditions I3.0
CULA 121Techniques and Traditions II3.0
CULA 125Foundations of Professional Baking3.0
CULA 216A la Carte3.0
CULA 220Patisserie I3.0
CULA 291Culinary Arts Practicum II6.0
CULA 303Global Cuisine Studio (Course taken twice for 6.0 credits total)6.0
CULA 316Butchery Laboratory2.0
CULA 325Garde Manger Laboratory3.0
CULA 405 [WI] Culture and Gastronomy I3.0
CULA 410Culture and Gastronomy II3.0
CULA 421Senior Design Project I2.0
CULA 422Senior Design Project II2.0
FOOD 302Culinary Medicine3.0
Hospitality Management Courses
HRM 120Principles of Food-Service Management3.0
HRM 150Food & Beverage Customer Service3.0
HRM 215Commercial Food Production4.0
HRM 220Purchasing and Cost Controls for the Hospitality Industry3.0
HRM 330Hospitality Marketing and Branding3.0
HRM 335Beverage Management3.0
HRM 435Wine Regions of the World3.0
CULA or HRM Electives18.0
Free Electives12.0
Business/Minor Requirements24.0
Total Credits185.0

 Culinary Science Requirements

Culinary Science Concentration
General Education Requirements
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COM 230Techniques of Speaking3.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development1.0
UNIV NH101The Drexel Experience1.0
Arts & Humanities Electives9.0
Social Science Electives6.0
Math/Science
BIO 107
BIO 108
Cells, Genetics & Physiology
and Cells, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory
4.0
CHEM 101General Chemistry I3.5
CHEM 102General Chemistry II4.5
CHEM 103General Chemistry III4.5
CHEM 241Organic Chemistry I4.0
CHEM 242Organic Chemistry II4.0
MATH 101Introduction to Analysis I4.0
MATH 102Introduction to Analysis II4.0
NFS 100
NFS 101
Nutrition, Foods, and Health
and Introduction to Nutrition & Food
3.0
PHYS 170Electricity and Motion3.0
PHYS 172Experimental Lab for Electricity and Motion1.0
PHYS 175Light and Sound3.0
PHYS 177Experimental Lab for Light and Sound1.0
HSCI 345Statistics for Health Sciences4.5
Food Science Courses
FDSC 100ServSafe1.0
FDSC 120Food and the Senses3.0
FDSC 154Science of Food and Cooking4.0
FDSC 270Microbial Food Safety and Sanitation4.0
FDSC 306Food Composition & Behavior3.0
FDSC 350Experimental Foods: Product Development3.0
FDSC 401Modernist Cuisine3.0
FDSC 450Food Microbiology3.0
FDSC 451Food Microbiology Laboratory2.0
FDSC 456Food Preservation Processes3.0
FDSC 460Food Chemistry3.0
FDSC 487Food Engineering3.0
FDSC 490Seminar in Food Science1.0
Culinary Arts Courses
CULA 115Culinary Fundamentals3.0
CULA 120Techniques and Traditions I3.0
CULA 121Techniques and Traditions II3.0
CULA 125Foundations of Professional Baking3.0
CULA 291Culinary Arts Practicum II6.0
CULA 303Global Cuisine Studio (Course taken twice for 6.0 credits total)6.0
CULA 405 [WI] Culture and Gastronomy I3.0
CULA 410Culture and Gastronomy II3.0
CULA 421Senior Design Project I2.0
CULA 422Senior Design Project II2.0
FOOD 302Culinary Medicine3.0
Culinary Arts Electives9.0
Free electives (or Business Minor)25.0
Total Credits185.0

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.

Sample Plan of Study

Food and Beverage Concentration Plan of Study- 4 year, one co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CULA 1153.0CIVC 1011.0CHEM 201 or 1013.0VACATION
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CULA 1203.0CULA 1213.0 
FDSC 1001.0CULA 1253.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
MATH 1014.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0FDSC 1203.0 
UNIV NH1011.0NFS 100
NFS 101
3.0FDSC 1544.0 
  Program elective*3.0 
 12 13 19 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CULA 3162.0COM 2303.0CULA 3033.0COOP 1011.0
FDSC 2704.0FDSC 3063.0Minor elective**4.0CULA 2916.0
HRM 1203.0HRM 2154.0Program elective*3.0Minor elective**4.0
HRM 1503.0Minor elective**4.0Social Science elective+3.0Program elective*3.0
Arts & Humanities elective***3.0 Free elective3.0Social Science elective+3.0
 15 14 16 17
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CULA 3253.0CULA 2203.0COOP EXPERIENCE±COOP EXPERIENCE±
CULA 4053.0HRM 3303.0  
FDSC 3503.0HRM 3353.0  
HRM 2203.0Minor elective**4.0  
Free elective3.0Program elective*3.0  
Program elective*3.0   
 18 16 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CULA 3033.0CULA 4222.0CULA 2163.0 
CULA 4212.0FOOD 3023.0CULA 4103.0 
FDSC 4013.0HRM 4353.0Arts & Humanities elective3.0 
Free elective3.0Arts & Humanities elective***3.0Minor elective4.0 
Minor elective**4.0Program elective*3.0Free elective3.0 
 15 14 16 
Total Credits 185

Culinary Science Concentration Plan of Study- 4 year, 1 co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
CHEM 1013.5CHEM 1024.5CHEM 1034.5VACATION
CULA 1153.0CIVC 1011.0CULA 1213.0 
ENGL 101 or 1113.0CULA 1203.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
FDSC 1001.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0FDSC 1203.0 
MATH 1014.0MATH 1024.0FDSC 1544.0 
UNIV NH1011.0   
 15.5 15.5 17.5 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
FDSC 2704.0CHEM 2414.0BIO 1073.0COM 2303.0
NFS 1002.0CULA 1253.0BIO 1081.0COOP 1011.0
NFS 1011.0FDSC 3063.0CHEM 2424.0CULA 2916.0
PHYS 1703.0PHYS 1753.0CULA 3033.0Free elective3.0
PHYS 1721.0PHYS 1771.0Arts & Humanities elective***3.0Social Science elective+3.0
Free elective4.0 Free elective3.0 
 15 14 17 16
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
FDSC 3503.0FDSC 4563.0COOP EXPERIENCE±COOP EXPERIENCE±
FDSC 4503.0HSCI 3454.5  
FDSC 4512.0Social Science elective+3.0  
Arts & Humanities elective***3.0Program elective*3.0  
Free elective3.0Free elective3.0  
 14 16.5 0 0
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
CULA 4053.0CULA 4103.0CULA 3033.0 
CULA 4212.0CULA 4222.0Arts & Humanities elective***3.0 
FDSC 4013.0FDSC 4873.0Free elective3.0 
FDSC 4603.0FOOD 3023.0Program elective*3.0 
FDSC 4901.0Free elective3.0  
Free Elective3.0Program elective*3.0  
 15 17 12 
Total Credits 185
±

Students may be registered in a later term based on their co-op program (4-year or 5-year) and cycle. Select students may be eligible to replace COOP 101 with COOP 001.

*

Program electives include any CULA, FDS, or HRM courses.

**

Minor electives to be determined according to student's chosen minor under direction of advisor and program director as needed.

***

Arts & Humanities elective include courses from Westphal College, arts-related courses from Arts & Science and others as determined by advisor, examples include: AFAS, ARBC, CHIN, ENGL, ESL, FREN, GER, HIST, HNRS, ITAL, JAPN, KOR, LING, WRIT, and others determined by advisor in conjunction with faculty.

Social sciences electives include ANTH, CJS, COM, ENSS, GST, HNRS, JWST, PBHL PHIL, PPE, PSCI, PSY, SCTS, SOC, WGST, and others determined by advisor in conjunction with faculty.

Co-op/Career Opportunities

The food and hospitality industry employs 15 million people nationwide. According to the National Restaurant Association statistics, employment is growing at the rate of 11% each year, making this industry one of the fastest growing in the country. Our Culinary Arts and Science program enjoys close relationships with outstanding and internationally acclaimed chefs in the finest restaurants, hotels and tourism partners in the greater Philadelphia area. We also have relationships with professional organizations that represent the industry on a regional, national and international level such as Research Chefs Association, Institute of Food Technologists and International Association of Culinary Professionals. These relationships result in scholarship funding and networking opportunities for our students.

Typical career paths for graduates include the following:

  • Restaurants and private clubs, which employ over 9 million people in the US
  • Hotels and resorts with almost 2.5 million employees
  • Convention, special events, meeting planning and tourism agencies
  • Food service and beverage brokers, distributors and suppliers to the industry
  • Food waste and sustainability practices and solutions
  • Food product development
  • Quality assurance
  • Food sensory analysis
  • Food technologist

Co-Op Opportunities

Drexel University has long been known for its cooperative education/internship programs, which allow students to mix periods of full-time, career-related employment with their studies. Culinary Arts and Science students pursue the six-month co-op employment. This six-month experience during the junior year is tailored to fit the interests of each student. The following hotels, facilities, restaurants and clubs have recently offered co-op positions to Drexel’s Culinary Arts and Science students. Although many of these examples are located in the Philadelphia area, co-op jobs are not limited to any region.

  • Vernick Restaurant
  • High Street Hospitality Group
  • Jose Garces - Garces Group
  • Marc Vetri - Vetri Family of Restaurants
  • Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau
  • America's Test Kitchen
  • Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
  • Walt Disney World Co
  • Saxbys
  • Campbell Soup Company
  • International flavors and fragrances
  • Barry Callebaut
  • Blommer Chocolate
  • Yards Brewery
  • Colorcon
  • Mafco International
  • Nestle

Visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center page for more detailed information on co-op and post-graduate opportunities.

Facilities

The major facility of the Culinary Arts and Science program is located on the sixth floor of the Academic Building. It is a 6,500-square-foot space that includes three state-of-the-art commercial kitchens, bakery and laboratories, as well as the Academic Bistro, the student-run restaurant, bar and lounge. The facility also includes a sensory analysis lab, hospitality and gaming lab and conference room. As part of the curriculum, students in this major are required to take food safety and sanitation courses which include lab work at Papadakis Integrated Science Building.

Philadelphia Location

A unique feature of the Culinary Arts and Science program at Drexel is our location in Philadelphia with proximity to New York City, Boston, Baltimore and Washington DC, as well as the resort centers on the Atlantic seacoast and in the Pocono Mountains. These regions include hundreds of hotels, restaurants and resorts that are used for field trips and campus visits by hospitality resource professionals. Students also gain hands-on experience through faculty-directed field trips throughout the region.

Program Level Outcomes

  • Demonstrate an operational understanding of a range of basic to advanced culinary and food science principles to operate successfully and profitably in the food industry
  • Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills for active and integrated learning
  • Apply knowledge, skills and ethics necessary to begin or to grow professionally in a global marketplace
  • Develop culinary and professional skills to be effective in commercial environments
  • Demonstrate the techniques and recognize the contributions of global cuisines to the modern culinary world
  • Foster strong work ethics and teamwork skills appropriate for a diverse business environment in culinary-related fields
  • Assess food quality based on food safety and pathogen reduction as well as composition and nutritional quality.

Culinary Arts & Science Faculty

Jonathan Deutsch, PhD (New York University). Professor. Social and cultural aspects of food, culinary education, culinary improvisation, recipe and product development; food sustainability.
Paul O'Neill, MA (La Salle University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Hospitality Management
Richard Pepino Associate Clinical Professor. Executive Kitchen Director
Rosemary Trout, DHSc (Drexel University) Program Director, Culinary Arts and Food Science. Associate Clinical Professor. Food safety and sanitation in food service and food manufacturing; sensory evaluation, ingredient functionality and food chemistry, food media.
Michael Tunick, PhD (Temple University). Assistant Clinical Professor. Dairy and Cheese science, rheology, Sensory science, Food chemistry and engineering
Charles Ziccardi, MS (Drexel University). Assistant Teaching Professor. Classic Italian cuisine, Italian culture, gardening for the kitchen, food sustainability, and professional hospitality management.

Emeritus Faculty

A. Philip Handel, PhD (University of Massachusetts). Professor Emeritus. Food science, especially lipid chemistry; food composition and functionality; evaluation and analysis of frying fats and fried foods.
Donna H. Mueller, PhD (Temple University). Associate Professor Emeritus. Clinical nutrition; pediatric nutrition; nutrition in pulmonary diseases, especially cystic fibrosis; nutrition in developmental delay; dental nutrition; dietetic education and professional development.