General Catalog 2025-2026

Tourism (AS)

The Associate of Science Degree in Tourism with a major in Tour Guide studies principles, concepts and practice of the tourism industry and related areas. This degree is designed for individuals capable of communicating in English and Spanish and who wish to pursue a career in the tourism industry as well as for those with experience in this field who aspire to positions at a supervisory level.

Tourist Guide majors will develop skills in the following areas: tourism planning and development, excursion promotion and sales, and others. In order to practice the profession in Puerto Rico, students must pass a validation examination to obtain a Tour Guide license from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.

The student must pass the required core and concentration courses with a minimum grade of C.

The Fajardo Campus is authorized to offer this Program.

Competencies Profile of Graduates

The Program is designed to develop the competencies that will enable students to:

Knowledge

  1. Know the theoretical and practical foundations of tourism.
  2. Know the foundations of the history culture, traditions and tourist attractions of the place where the person is going to serve as tour guide.
  3. Know the methods and techniques to handle tourist industry problems.

Skills

  1. Design strategies that promote and attend to the needs of tourist development.
  2. Promote activities that obligate the professional development of a tour guide.
  3. Apply techniques of tourist promotion.
  4. Apply the ethical responsibility in the exercise of their functions.
  5. Adapt their performance to the interests and needs of the group and to the characteristics of the place where the activity is developed.
  6. Demonstrate effective communication skills, including the use of information technology.
  7. Design and apply new work technologies.

Attitudes

  1. Demonstrate an ethical position committed to the development of practices and techniques that make the professional performance of the tour guide possible.
  2. Appreciate the respect and protection of the natural and cultural heritage.

Requirements for Admission to the Internship

In order to be admitted to the Tour Guide Internship, students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.50 in the core courses and major courses and must have authorization from the Department Director.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to the regulations established in the General Catalog, students should have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in the major.

Requirements for the Associate of Science Degree in Tourism with a Major in Tour Guide

General Education Requirements 24 credits
Core Course Requirements 19 credits
Major Requirements 21 credits
Total 64 credits

General Education Requirements - 24 credits

GESP Spanish - Select 6 credits from the GESP category

6

GEEN English - Select 6 credits from the GEEN category

6

GEP-GECF 1010Introduction to the Christian Faith

3

GEP-GEIC 1010Information and Computing Technologies

3

GEP-GEMA 1200Fundamentals of Algebra

3

 

GEP-GEHS 2010Historical Process of Contemporary Puerto Rico

3

Or

GEP-GEEC 2000Entrepreneurial Culture

3

Core Course Requirements - 19 credits

TURI 1020Fundamentals of Tourism

3

TURI 2000Tourism Legislation

3

TURI 2060Tourist Marketing

3

TURI 2200Culture and Tourist Destinations of Puerto Rico

3

ACCT 1161Introduction to Financial Accounting

4

BADM 1900Fundamentals of Business Management

3

Major Requirements - 21 credits

TURI 1039Communication Skills and Interpretation Techniques

3

TURI 1050Tourism Guide

3

TURI 1201Natural Resources Interpretive Guide

3

TURI 2021Tourism Geography of the Caribbean

3

TURI 2040Designing and Planning of Tourism Excursions

3

TURI 2201Tourism Adventure Guide

3

TURI 2913Practice in Tour Guide

3