Our Mission

Big Sky Culinary Institute provides professional knowledge, skills and dynamic learning experiences while remaining affordable and accessible to all students. We achieve this with our values of diversity, ethics, critical thinking, community involvement, leadership and lifelong mentoring.  

Big Sky Culinary Institute accomplishes this mission, in part, by:

• Creating an environment of collaboration and mentorship among faculty, students and staff, community non-profits, and industry partners;
• Promoting the development of knowledge and skills necessary for the intellectual, professional, and personal growth of students;
• Providing culinary pathways from secondary to post-secondary education;
• Building upon the rich tradition of teaching excellence and high academic and collegial standards;
• Fostering discovery and creativity, critical thinking skills, and competencies at the certificate and associate degree levels;
• Creating professional and community based partnerships, interpersonal relationships, and providing exposure to diverse populations.

Accreditation

All degree and certificate paths are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

The Certificate in Applied Science (CAS) in Culinary Arts and the Associates of Applied Science (AAS) in Food Science are also accredited by the American Culinary Federation Education Foundation.

Currently, BSCI is the only ACFEF accredited program in the State of Montana and will hold its accreditation until the next cycle of approval in 2024.

Students that graduate with an AAS in Food Service Management are eligible to receive certification as a Certified Culinarian by the ACF for completing their education by an ACFEF accredited program.

Location

The Big Sky Culinary Institute is located in Missoula, Montana, and is part of the University of Montana. Our campus is nestled below the mighty Mount Sentinel and overlooks the majestic Clark Fork River. We are minutes away from world-class hiking, biking, hang-gliding, surfing (yes, surfing) and fishing. Missoula is an outdoor enthusiast's dream but is also home to a vibrant arts culture, a diverse food scene and dynamic entertainment and music opportunities.