General Catalog 2025-2026

Culinary Arts and Gastronomy Sciences (BA)

The Bachelor's Degree in Arts in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy Sciences is designed to offer students the knowledge and technical skills necessary for culinary development both locally and globally. Academic and practical activities provide students with the necessary skills for the selection, management and conversion of raw materials, identification of flavor profiles and operation in the food industry in general. The program is designed based on the foundations and theories of gastronomy sciences, sustainable practices and business with a robust component of practice in the kitchen laboratories.

The major requirements are offered through the four-year program with an exit option upon completion of the requirements of the first two years. Each year is equivalent to a level at which the courses have been organized and developed according to their level of complexity. In the first two years, the knowledge and skills of the associate level are located. In the last two, those corresponding to the Bachelor level are located. This design articulates both levels of preparation (associate and Bachelor) integrating knowledge and skills.

The Barranquitas Campus is authorized to offer this program.

Competencies Profile of Graduates

The Bachelor’s Degree Program in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy Sciences is designed to develop the competences that allow the student to:

Knowledge

Know and understand:

  1. the theoretical and practical foundations of the culinary arts and culinary sciences within the discipline.
  2. the selection process and the correct use of the tools and equipment commonly used in the preparation of foods related to the field of gastronomy.
  3. the essential functions of the operation and administration of the organizations that are part of the field of gastronomy.

Skills

  1. Select properly the most used raw materials in the field of gastronomy.
  2. Apply traditional methods and techniques in the development of culinary skills.
  3. Apply the traditional methods, as well as the vanguard ones, in the development of technical skills for the correct handling of the equipment, tools, and technologies generally used in the gastronomy discipline.
  4. Apply the main practices of sanitation and safety in the preparation of food in accordance with health and safety standards, as well as the regulations that apply to the field of gastronomy.
  5. Use oral and written communication skills effectively with regards to the language of the profession.

Attitudes

  1. Integrate the ethical and legal values and principles related to the field of culinary arts and culinary sciences into professional practice.
  2. Demonstrate a proactive attitude towards teamwork as an effective and productive means of solving problems related to culinary and gastronomic disciplines.

Admission Requirements

  1. Comply with all the admission rules established in the General Catalog.
  2. To be a candidate for admission to the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy Sciences, a current health certificate, issued by the Department of Health, is required for one year.
  3. To be a candidate for admission to the third level (third year courses) for the Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy Sciences, you must:
    1. Have satisfactorily completed the requirements of the first two years of the Bachelor of Arts in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy Sciences. or
    2. Present evidence of having an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy Sciences from a recognized and accredited higher education institution. Candidates who hold an associate degree must complete any general education requirement established by the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico.

Requirements of the Bachelor’s Degree Program in Culinary Arts and Gastronomy Sciences

General Education Requirements 48 credits
Major Requirements 70 credits
Elective Courses 3 credits
Total 121 credits

General Education Requirements - 48 credits

Forty-eight (48) credits are required as explained in the General Education Requirements for Bachelors section. Students in this Program will take GEMA 1000 in the Basic Mathematics Skills category.

Major Requirements - 70 credits

GASC 1000Culinary Fundamentals

3

GASC 1200Selecting Raw Materials

3

GASC 2010Culinary Skills I

4

GASC 2015Nutrition and Culinary Horticulture

3

GASC 2020Culinary Skills II

4

GASC 2500Puerto Rican Gastronomy

3

GASC 2800Complementary Bakery

3

GASC 2900Global Cuisine

3

GASC 2910Professional Practicum

4

GASC 3026Operations Management in the Food and Beverage Industry

3

GASC 3300Innovation and Experimental Cooking

4

GASC 3400Wines and Gastronomy

3

GASC 4000Advanced Cooking

4

GASC 4040Culinary Design and Food Aesthetics

3

GASC 4970Culinary Arts Integrative Seminar

3

FSMT 1210Sanitation and Security in Food Services

1

FSMT 1220Service Theories and Practices

2

FSMT 2101Purchasing Systems, Inventory and Storage Control

2

FSMT 2104Buffet and Catering Service

3

HMGT 3310Cocktail Services

3

TURI 3300Food and Services Management

3

 

BADM 1900Fundamentals of Business Management

3

Or

ENTR 2200Foundations of Entrepreneurship

3

 

OMSY 3030Business Communication in Spanish

3

Or

OMSY 3040Business Communication in English

3