With the establishment of the Higher school of physical education in 1942 3 school courses with the students are conducted: courses of mountain-climbing and ski. This is the history of opening of the departments “Tourism and Alpinism” and “Winter Sports” as independent scientific structures in 1954.

For the past 50 years the “TAO” department won recognition as very important for the training of the sport-pedagogic specialists. The reason for this are the specialized school courses of “Tourism, alpinism and orientation”, conducted in real mountain conditions, for the students of all three faculties in NSA.

The curricula are adapted to most modern European requirements for versatile and effective educational and applied activities. Apart from the bachelor program in the two traditional disciplines “Tourism – alpinism” and “Tourism – orientation”, there is a master program since 1993.

Since 2003 there is a master program in “sport animation in tourism” which successfully functions already 2 years.

During the last 5 years under the structure changes in the Academy, the two departments “TAO” and “Winter Sports” were united, which created conditions for the more effective management of the practical courses “Tourism, alpinism and orientation” and the course “Winter Sports”.