A culinary school is devoted primarily to education in food preparation. Much like regular schools, culinary schools award degrees after a curriculum has been completed. Some culinary schools also provide certification for the American Culinary Federation, the largest organization of professional chefs in North America. Most culinary schools provide degrees in baking and pastry arts, or certificates in baking or pastry.
An art Institute focuses on career preparation in visual, creative and applied arts. Several programs fall under this umbrella, including design, media, fashion and culinary programs. Most art institutes award a full range of degrees and certifications. Culinary students train for prospective jobs by practicing their trades. Baking and pastry students, for example, will practice baking daily.
Many major public and private universities include a college of fine arts. This is composed of several departments, such as art, music, theatre and culinary arts. The university only offers bachelor's and master's degrees, and requires at least four years of study. The courses will allow culinary students to gain absolute mastery of their craft, including baking and pastry.
There are differences between the three education options for potential bakers and pastry chefs. The college of fine arts will require you to take courses outside of your field of interest, such as english, history and math, while the art institute and the culinary school both feature cooking-only curriculums, The art institute will mandate that you do other cooking outside of baking or pastry. The culinary school will only require baking or pastry work to receive certification or a degree.