Diploma in Culinary Arts
Lincoln University College · Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
QS World University Ranking: N/A
Quick Overview
Apply Now📘 Program Overview
The Diploma in Culinary Arts is a well-balanced programme designed to impart practical knowledge in the hospitality and culinary field, helping you build professionalism and excellence for different types of kitchens.
You will study subjects that support real kitchen work, including food production, food safety and hygiene, culinary fundamentals, international and Malaysian cuisines, and industrial training, and complete the programme within the approved study duration.
🎯 Course & Curriculum
Course structure
- Develop entry-level understanding of hospitality and tourism through Introduction to hospitality & tourism industry.
- Build culinary fundamentals with Fundamentals of Culinary.
- Study key professional knowledge for food work including Theory of Food.
- Strengthen communication support skills with English 1.
- Start marketing foundations with Fundamental of marketing.
- Improve practical and professional readiness through Food Safety and Hygiene.
- Expand menu capability with Introduction to Pastry and Bakery.
- Develop culinary breadth using International cuisine and Malaysian Cuisine.
- Learn food handling and preparation depth with Garde Manger.
- Continue English and workplace communication with English 2.
- Advance service and production capabilities via Food & Beverages Service Skills.
- Strengthen business and operational knowledge using Kitchen Management and Entrepreneurship.
- Build commercial capability with Commercial Food Production.
- Learn cost and purchasing controls through Food and Beverage Cost Control and Fundamental of Purchasing.
- Develop pastry and local food preparation skills with Local Hors D’oeuvres & Pastry of Learning.
- Complete Industrial Training (1 Semester) for supervised practical work and skill development in an approved industry placement.
- Apply culinary production and preparation skills with Butchery.
- Apply planning and decision-making through Accounting for Hospitality.
- Explore structured food production outcomes through Asian Cuisine and Creative Problem Solving.
Curriculum
90 credit hours (Diploma in Culinary Arts) total credits as published in the programme structure on the official Lincoln University College page.
| Semester | No. of modules | Module / subject category | credit hours | Semester total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | 6 | English 1 (DCA 4013) | 3 | 19 |
| Fundamentals of marketing (DCA 4023) | 3 | |||
| Introduction to hospitality & tourism industry (DCA 4033) | 3 | |||
| Theory of Food (DCA 4043) | 3 | |||
| Fundamentals of Culinary (DCA 4053) | 4 | |||
| Philosophy and Current Issues (local) / Malay Language Communication 2 (International) (MPU 2113) | 3 | |||
| Semester 2 | 6 | Creative Problem Solving (MPU 2222) | 2 | 17 |
| English 2 (DCA 4083) | 3 | |||
| Co-Curriculum (MPU 3442) | 2 | |||
| Entrepreneurship (DCA 4133) | 3 | |||
| Food Safety and Hygiene (DCA 4113) | 3 | |||
| Introduction to Pastry and Bakery (DCA 4103) | 4 | |||
| Semester 3 | 6 | Accounting for Hospitality (DCA 4153) | 3 | 21 |
| Constitution and Community (MPU 2332 / Constitution and Community (MPU2332)) | 2 | |||
| International cuisine (DCA 4183) | 4 | |||
| Malaysian Cuisine (DCA 4193) | 4 | |||
| Garde Manger (DCA 4213) | 4 | |||
| Asian Cuisine (DCA 4233) | 4 | |||
| Semester 4 | 5 | Food & Beverages Service Skills (DCA 4223) | 4 | 17 |
| Commercial Food Production (DCA 4244) | 4 | |||
| Kitchen Management (DCA 4253) | 3 | |||
| Food and Beverage Cost Control (DCA 4283) | 3 | |||
| Fundamental of Purchasing (DCA 4273) | 3 | |||
| Industrial Training semester | 1 | Industrial Training (DCA 4298) | 8 | 8 |
| Additional culinary modules (remaining semesters blocks) | 1 | Butchery (DCA 4163) | 4 | 4 |
| Additional culinary modules (remaining semesters blocks) | 1 | Local Hors D’oeuvres & Pastry of Learning (DCA 4143) | 4 | 4 |
| Total | Total programme taught course modules and Industrial Training | 90 credit hours | ||
Career outcomes
- You build job-ready culinary capability for roles such as Commis chef and Food Production in hotel or resort kitchens.
- You gain practical, industry-facing skills that support careers in Food & Beverage Service (F&B), including service-focused kitchen and dining operations.
- You develop competence in core operational areas like sanitation and safety, helping you qualify for professional kitchen roles that require safe food handling.
- You strengthen business and leadership readiness through Kitchen Management, Entrepreneurship, and Food and Beverage Cost Control, supporting pathways toward Food and beverage manager roles.
- You prepare for expansion into pastry and specialty cuisine production through subjects like Introduction to Pastry and Bakery, Garde Manger, and Commercial Food Production.
- You gain supervised workplace experience through Industrial Training (1 Semester), helping you transition from training into real kitchen environments.
Employability rate
Culinary arts diploma graduates typically see an employability rate of around 80% and an unemployment rate of about 20% in Malaysia, supported by steady demand for trained kitchen and F&B professionals across hotels, resorts, and catering businesses.
Together, these figures indicate a reasonably stable career outlook for graduates who complete practical training and can perform in operational kitchen roles.
✅ Entry Requirements
Academic qualification
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| School-leaving qualification (equivalent to SPM credit requirements) | International applicants must have a school-leaving qualification equivalent to Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) with three credits in any subject, as stated for entry requirements for the Diploma in Culinary Arts. |
| STPM or equivalent | International applicants may also be admitted with a qualification equivalent to STPM, with a minimum of Grade C (GP 2.00) in any subject, as published by the university. |
| SKM / MQF Level 3 (related field) or equivalent | International applicants may qualify through a related field qualification such as SKM Level 3 in a related field, or an MQF Level 3 certificate in a related field (or an equivalent), as listed in the programme entry requirements. |
Module matching by study area
| Study area | Match possible? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitality and Culinary studies |
Language requirements
International applicants must meet the program’s English proficiency requirement. Where applicants do not meet this requirement, the university notes that an Intensive English option is available to help students achieve sufficient proficiency for programme needs.
MOI (Medium of Instruction)
💶 Fees & Funding
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Not published |
Proof of financial resources
Important dates
Application window
| Milestone | March - Summer intake | July - Summer intake | November - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application portal opens | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (final submit) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Application deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Recommended apply-by | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Semester begins | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Pre-application & reviews
| Milestone | March - Summer intake | July - Summer intake | November - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| VPD request - recommended | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| VPD result expected | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| APS - recommended | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Start eligibility check | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Document submission deadlines
| Milestone | March - Summer intake | July - Summer intake | November - Winter intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application submission deadline | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (EU students) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Document submission deadline (Non-EU students) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Language certificate deadline | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Official transcripts deadline | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Certified translations deadline | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Postal / hard-copy documents deadline | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Missing documents (if requested) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
📝 How to Apply
Submit your application and supporting documents
Apply through the university’s official application process and submit your academic records that support your eligibility for the Diploma in Culinary Arts. Ensure your English proficiency evidence is included with your application, following the university’s published requirement for international students. If you do not meet the requirement, follow the university’s guidance on the English preparatory option mentioned on the programme page.
Provide your English proficiency proof (IELTS/MUET requirement for international applicants)
Prepare the English proficiency proof required for international students as stated by the programme. The university specifies an IELTS-based requirement and also mentions an alternative pathway through English proficiency courses for students who do not meet it. Submit your language documents in time for the relevant intake deadline.
Complete admissions follow-up and readiness checks
After you submit, the admissions process may request clarifications or additional documentation to verify your eligibility. Make sure your submitted academic documents clearly show the qualification type and results that match the entry requirements. Respond promptly to any requests so your application can be processed for the intended intake.