Altitude Diver Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to altitude diving and to help the
student diver develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary for altitude
diving.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: Altitude Specialty Instructor
Boat Diver Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to boat diving and to help the
student diver develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary for boat
diving.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: Boat Diver Specialty Instructor
Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV) Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to introduce divers to the skills and excitement of
using diver propulsion vehicles. The course familiarizes student divers with the
knowledge, planning, organization, procedures, techniques, potential problems
and hazards associated with using DPVs.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 12
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1
Minimum Instructor Rating: DPV Specialty Instructor
Eight Drift Diver Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to drift diving and to help the
student diver develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary for drift
diving.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 12
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1
Minimum Instructor Rating: Drift Diver Specialty Instructor
Dry Suit Diver Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to dry suit diving and to help the
student diver develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary for dry suit
diving.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Junior
Open Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: Dry Suit Diver Specialty Instructor
Enriched Air Diver Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to qualify recreational divers to use enriched air
("nitrox") for no stop recreational diving. The program addresses the use of
enriched air with 22 percent to 40 percent oxygen, with emphasis on enriched air
with 32 and 36 percent oxygen.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver* or
qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 15
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 Enriched Air Dives.
Student to Instructor Ratio: 8:1
Minimum Instructor Rating: PADI Enriched Air Instructor
Equipment Specialist Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to new types of equipment and to
familiarize divers with the operation and maintenance of equipment.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI (Junior) Scuba Diver, Open Water
Diver, Junior Open Water Diver or
qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: none required
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: not applicable
Minimum Instructor Rating: Equipment Specialist Instructor
AWARE - Fish Identification Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to introduce divers to the most common families and
species of fish found in temperate and tropical waters. Divers learn basic fish
identification and scientific surveying techniques. Through an overview of
Project AWARE and other preservation and research efforts, such as the REEF
Fish Survey Project, divers also learn the importance of personal involvement in
aquatic environment conservation.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student to Instructor Ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: AWARE - Fish Identification Diver
Specialty Instructor
Multilevel Diver Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to multilevel diving and to help the
student diver develop the necessary skills, knowledge and techniques.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 12
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1
Minimum Instructor Rating: Multilevel Diver Specialty Instructor
Night Diver Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to night diving and to help the
student diver develop the skills, knowledge and techniques necessary to safely
participate in night-diving activities.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 12
Minimum Open Water Training: 3 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1
Minimum Instructor Rating: Night Diver Specialty Instructor
Peak Performance Buoyancy Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
The purpose of the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy Specialty course is to
polish a diver's buoyancy control beyond the Open Water Diver level. The goal of
PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy training is to enhance the student diver diver's
buoyancy control abilities through knowledge development and practical skills
practice.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: Teaching status PADI Assistant Instructor+
Underwater Naturalist Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to the underwater aquatic
environment and to help the student diver develop safe and responsible
interaction with aquatic life.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: Underwater Naturalist Specialty Instructor
Underwater Navigator Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to underwater navigation and to
help the student diver develop the skills and knowledge necessary for use in
underwater navigation.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 3 dives
Student-to-Instructor ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: Underwater Navigator Specialty Instructor
Underwater Photographer Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to be an introduction to basic underwater photography
and to help the student diver develop the skills, knowledge and practical
techniques necessary to enjoy this interesting activity.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, PADI Junior
Open Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor Ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: Underwater Photographer Specialty Instructor
Underwater Videographer Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to introduce student divers to the selection, use and care
of underwater videography equipment, and the basic principles of underwater
video production.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 3 dives
Student-to-Instructor ratio: 8:1
Minimum Instructor Rating: Underwater Videographer Specialty
Instructor
National Geographic Diver Specialty Course
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
This course is designed to increase a diver's understanding of the importance of
the aquatic realm and broaden the diver's awareness while scuba diving.
Prerequisite Certification: PADI Open Water Diver, Junior Open
Water Diver or qualifying certification
Minimum Age: 10
Minimum Open Water Training: 2 dives
Student-to-Instructor ratio: 8:1*
Minimum Instructor Rating: PADI Instructor teaching through a PADI
National Geographic Dive Center
Distinctive Specialty Courses
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
Certification in specialty areas other than those detailed in the foregoing
standards is possible through the Distinctive Specialty program. Some topic
areas require special training and should be sanctioned. Distinctive Specialty
Courses allow the instructor to develop courses important to the particular area
or circumstances.
Instructors who wish to be certified to teach a Distinctive Specialty should
see the General Standards and Procedures section for further details.
Some Distinctive Specialties, approved by PADI, allow participation by 10
and 11-year-old student divers. When conducting these courses, see Section One
- General Standards for Specialty Diver Courses, Special Requirements for 10 and
11- year-old Divers.
Master Scuba Diver Rating
COURSE STANDARDS AND OVERVIEW
The Master Scuba Diver rating is the highest recreational diver rating in the PADI
program, and denotes superior achievement and proficiency. |