BFA in Culinary Arts ☯

Fully-online Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Culinary Arts ☯ aligned with: 

• 100% fully online program with practical cooking activities to do at home.
• Inclusive design for neurodiverse students: this program is available to students with or without disabilities, as well as students with special needs. A differentiated program will be implemented based on the student's needs. Students with severe intellectual disabilities require a friend or family member to help them cook at home. The general education curriculum will be streamlined or simplified based on special educational needs. Culinary core curriculum can be simplified and adapted case by case. 
• Florida DOE requirements for religious institutions (using a religious modifier/symbol ☯) per Statute 1005.06(1)(f)
• Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS): Courses may have their own number, but at the same time list the corresponding SCNS topic number
• FL-SARA requirements for distance education and consumer protections
• The video cooking courses are ACF-compliant (American Culinary Federation) and offered on external platforms such as Scoolinary (ACFEF-approved programs as "On-Demand Online Cooking Courses") or the ACF Online Learning Center. Scoolinary issues an ACF-accredited certificate upon successful completion of each cooking course. These certificates can be accredited with ACFEF continuing education credits. When students present their course certificate, they will receive credit from AGU. These courses will also be listed on the official Bachelor of Arts (BFA) in ☯ Culinary Arts transcripts.
• Currently, only individual cooking courses offered by external platforms (such as Scoolinary or ACF) are approved by the ACFEF, not the entire AGU BFA in Culinary Arts program☯. In any case, having some ACFEF-approved courses on your resume and student transcripts is a good option because ACFEF is an accrediting body approved by CHEA (see American Culinary Federation Education Foundation, Inc., Accrediting Commission | Council for Higher Education Accreditation). 
• Spanish students may choose (where possible) Spanish-language courses at Scoolinary or the ACF Online Learning Center instead of English-language video courses. They must submit the course list to AGU for prior approval. In any case, all video courses in English also have Spanish subtitles.
• Italian students residing in Italy (not Italians residing in Florida) can choose Italian-language video courses on other Italian platforms, under the approval and supervision of the AGU (these high-level Italian courses are not accredited by the ACF).

BFA in Culinary Arts ☯ – Religious Institution Program

The “☯” (Yin-Yang) is used as the religious modifier in the institution or degree title to satisfy the requirement that degree titles include a religious symbol or modifier. The symbol expresses the search for spiritual harmony even in food.

Institution Name: Archangel Gabriel University

• Category: Fine Arts
• Faculty: Fine Arts
• School/Institute: Culinary Arts Institute of Harmony ☯
• Degree Title: Bachelor of Fine Arts ☯ in Culinary Arts
• Religious modifier I (on online program): ☯ (Yin-Yang symbol)
• Religious modifier II (printed on official documents): the Archangel Gabriel seal or the symbol ☯ (the Yin-Yang symbol or the Yin-Yang word) printed in the same line of the degree title. 

Institutional & Legal Alignment

1. Religious Modifier Requirement:
   Under Florida Statute 1005.06(1)(f), religious institutions that are exempt must include in the name of the institution a religious modifier or symbol, and in the degree titles. We are using “☯” (Yin-Yang) as symbol.
2. Degree Titles Clear from Secular Titles:
   Our degree is “Bachelor of Fine Arts ☯ in Culinary Arts” making clear the religious modifier is included. Titles on transcripts, catalogs, etc. must always include “☯” in the title line or the Archangel Gabriel seal or both
3. Duration & Consumer Practices:
   The program duration will align with BFA standards (typically 120 semester credit hours or its equivalent), matching what the Commission requires. Consumer practices (refunds, disclosures, etc.) will follow statute and FLDOE guidelines. 
   
4. SCNS (Statewide Course Numbering System):
   For any transferable/general education or shared content with other Florida institutions, use SCNS prefixes and numbering, ensuring courses are equivalent when content matches. Anyway, credits transfer from our institution to another, will depends exclusively by the second institution.

🔹 Program Overview

• Degree Title: Bachelor of Fine Arts ☯ in Culinary Arts
• Credits: 120 Semester Credit Hours (SCNS aligned)
• Delivery: Fully Online (FL-SARA compliant)
• Religious Modifier: ☯ integrated in title, catalog, and transcript.

Mission Statement:

The BFA ☯ in Culinary Arts unites culinary mastery with creativity, cultural awareness, and spiritual balance. Rooted in the ☯ (Yin-Yang) philosophy of harmony, this program prepares students for careers as chefs, entrepreneurs, and culinary innovators, while cultivating inclusive spaces for neurodiverse learners and honoring food’s role in human spirituality.

🔹 Degree Requirements

• General Education (36 credits): Communication, Math, Social Sciences, Humanities, Sciences.
• Culinary Core (54 credits): Techniques, Baking, International Cuisines, Nutrition, Food Safety, Beverage Studies.
• Religious & Ethical Studies (12 credits): Religion, Food Rituals, Ethics, Theology of Work, Service Learning.
• Business & Management (12 credits): Accounting, Marketing, HR, Leadership.
• Capstone & Practicum (6 credits): Senior project + internship or tutored online capstone project.

🔹 Course Descriptions (Extracts)

⚠️ Each “CULN” course is aligned with Scoolinary modules (Scoolinary course list). 

Year 1

• CULN 1100 ☯ Culinary Foundations I (4 cr.)
  Covers knife skills, mise en place, stocks, sauces, and basic cooking methods.
  Scoolinary Alignment: “Fundamentals of Cooking,” “French Cooking Techniques.”
• CULN 1102 ☯ Pastry & Baking Basics (3 cr.)
  Introduction to bread, cookies, tarts, and basic pastry.
  Scoolinary Alignment: “Pastry for Beginners,” “Tarts & Entremets.”
• CULN 1103 ☯ Nutrition & Food Science (3 cr.)
  Focus on dietary needs, food chemistry, and healthy preparation.
  Scoolinary Alignment: “Nutrition in Culinary Practice.”

Year 2

• CULN 2101 ☯ International Cuisines I (3 cr.)
  Study of Mediterranean, Italian, and Latin American cuisines.
  Scoolinary Alignment: “Italian Cuisine,” “Latin American Culinary Techniques.”
• CULN 2103 ☯ Baking & Viennoiserie (3 cr.)
  Techniques in laminated doughs, croissants, brioche.
  Scoolinary Alignment: “Viennoiserie.”
• CULN 2104 ☯ Advanced Pastry Techniques (3 cr.)
  Includes chocolate tempering, sugar work, plated desserts.
  Scoolinary Alignment: “Chocolate Creations,” “Advanced Desserts.”

Year 3

• CULN 3101 ☯ Advanced Cooking Techniques (3 cr.)
  Sous-vide, molecular gastronomy, and modernist cuisine.
  Scoolinary Alignment: “Sous-Vide Mastery,” “Advanced Spherification.”
• CULN 3104 ☯ Beverage Studies (3 cr.)
  Coffee, wine, mixology, tea traditions.
  Scoolinary Alignment: “Barista Skills,” “Cocktails & Mixology,” “Wine Tasting.”
• RELG 2000 ☯ Food & Ritual (3 cr.)
  Exploration of food in world religions: fasting, feasting, offerings.

Year 4

• CULN 4101 ☯ Cuisine Capstone (4 cr.)
  Students design a multi-course tasting menu or food business concept, integrating culinary artistry and ☯ philosophy.
• CULN 4102 ☯ Internship/Practicum (4 cr.)
  Supervised professional experience; virtual kitchens and local partner placements.
• RELG 4000 ☯ Service & Community Capstone (3 cr.)
  A community outreach project, blending culinary service with ☯ values.

🔹 Religious Integration (☯)

• Every course has “☯” modifier in title/number.
• Religious courses tie food with spiritual, cultural, and ethical meaning.
• Degree awarded: Bachelor of Fine Arts ☯ in Culinary Arts.

🔹 Neurodiverse Inclusion

• Multiple learning modes (video, transcripts, step-by-step checklists).
• Flexible deadlines, competency-based assessment options.
• Structured course navigation with color coding & icons.
• Mentorship + peer community spaces.
• Options for reduced-stimulus engagement (text-only, minimal visual overload).

🔹 Compliance

• FLDOE Religious Institution: ☯ modifier in degree/institution titles; disclosure on catalogs & transcripts.
• Florida SCNS: Prefixes (CULN, RELG, MGMT) consistent with SCNS format.
• FL-SARA: Full online delivery allowed under FL-SARA reciprocity.
• Accreditation for each cooking course certificate: upon completion with a passing grade of each course delivered on the Scoolinary platform, a Scoolinary accredited certificate is issued. The certificate issued bears the logo of ACF (American Culinary Federation). Culinary courses held by other culinary platforms don't bear the ACF logo on their final certificate.

Program Structure & Curriculum

Below is the curriculum plan: 120 total credit hours over 4 years (8 semesters). Courses are drawn or mapped to professional courses where possible for technique/training content; supplemented by general education, business, management, and religious/theological components.

Neurodiversity‐inclusive design is embedded via flexible pacing, multi‐modal content (video, written, hands-on, peer/mentor support), accommodations, and assistive technologies. 

Curriculum

| Year 2 | | | | Intermediate / Wider Exposure |

| 3 | CULN 2101 ☯ | International Cuisines I | 3 | Italian, Latin American cuisines (Scoolinary provides content)|

| 3 | CULN 2102 ☯ | International Cuisines II | 3 | Spanish, Mexican, etc. |

| 3 | ACCT 2001 | Introduction to Hospitality Business Accounting | 3 | Business principles |

| 3 | CULN 2103 ☯ | Baking & Viennoiserie | 3 | Advanced bread, viennoiserie techniques |

| 4 | MGMT 2401 | Restaurant Operations & Management | 3 | Staffing, service, front‐of‐house |

| 4 | CULN 2104 ☯ | Advanced Pastry Techniques | 3 | Scoolinary’s advanced desserts, chocolate work Scoolinary+1 |

| 4 | PHIL 2200 | Ethics & Religious Perspectives in Food | 3 | Integrate religious/modifier perspectives; food ethics, sustainability |

| 4 | COMM 1100 | Public Speaking / Communication | 3 | Presenting menus, teamwork, leadership |

| Year 3 | | | | Depth & Specialization |

| 5 | CULN 3101 ☯ | Advanced Cooking Techniques | 3 | Scoolinary’s “Advanced Spherification”, etc. Scoolinary |

| 5 | CULN 3102 ☯ | Plating, Presentation & Menu Design | 3 | Fundamentals of plating, visual design |

| 5 | MGMT 3100 | Food Safety, Sanitation & HACCP Standards | 3 | Critical safety component |

| 5 | CULN 3103 ☯ | Pastry & Dessert Innovation | 3 | Healthier pastry, alternative ingredients, etc. |

| 6 | GCOR 3000 | Environmental Stewardship in Culinary Practices | 3 | Sustainable sourcing, waste reduction |

| 6 | CULN 3104 ☯ | Beverage Studies (Coffee, Mixology, etc.) | 3 | From Scoolinary “Coffee”, “Cocktails & Mixology” etc. Scoolinary |

| 6 | RELG 2000 | Religious Symbolism, Food, and Ritual ☯ | 3 | A course exploring religious food law, symbolism, ritual fasting, feasting, etc. |

| 6 | ECON 2100 | Microeconomics or Hospitality Business Economics | 3 | Cost control, pricing, market analysis |

| Year 4 | | | | Capstone, Professional Prep & Leadership |

| 7 | CULN 4101 ☯ | Cuisine Capstone Project | 4 | Students plan, execute, document a full menu or restaurant concept |

| 7 | MGMT 4100 | Leadership & Human Resources in Culinary Arts | 3 | Team management, coaching, workplace diversity, etc. |

| 7 | RELG 3000 | Theology of Work & Vocation ☯ | 3 | Purpose, ethics, religious mission tied to culinary vocation |

| 8 | CULN 4102 ☯ | Internships / Practicum in Culinary Business | 4 | Hands-on experience, possibly local kitchens or virtual supervised labs |

| 8 | MGMT 4200 | Marketing, Sales & Digital Tools for Food Business | 3 | Branding, social media, sustainability marketing etc. |

| 8 | RELG 4000 | Capstone in Mission & Service (☯) | 3 | Community service project; reflecting religious values via food outreach |

* SCNS Course # would need to be created or adopted per FL DOE rules; for example, “CULN 1101” etc., following prefix + 4 digit or whatever format is applicable (e.g. CULN = Culinary, etc.). Align with SCNS rules that each course has a single prefix-number, content based, transferable when equivalent.

Neurodiversity‐Inclusive Features

• Multiple modes of content delivery: video, text, step by step checklists, diagrams, audio descriptions.
• Allow flexible pacing: students can move faster or slower, with scaffolded milestones.
• Assistive technology support (captioning, screen readers, adjustable interface, etc.).
• Mentorship / peer support: pairing with peers or faculty who understand neurodiverse learning.
• Clear structure and frequent feedback.
• Use of hands-on assignments & simulations when possible.
• Option for sensory-friendly virtual kitchen labs (instructions to control environment, etc.).

Course Numbering Format

• Prefix: CULN for culinary/technique, MGMT for management, RELG for religious, etc.
• Four digit numbers: First digit relates to level (1 = first‐year, etc.), next three perhaps unique.
  Example: CULN 1101, CULN 2104, MGMT 4100, RELG 2000, etc.