Multi Agency Certification Requirements

[soltari675]

In another thread, someone mentioned it would be nice to have a sticky thread with the certification requirements for all the agencies. I would like to make that list as my donation to scuba board. Hopefully a moderator will see fit to sticky it for me. This is NOT meant to be a debate or flame thread about different agencies. This is simply an informational thread to new divers, people looking to start diving, or people curious about other agencies. If I have made any mistakes, please tell me and I will be more than happy to correct it. As I only know PADI, I am relying on research for other agencies, so instructors from those agencies, feel free to chip in. Hope this helps! Please note I am only working on recreational certifications. I have not included professional certifications yet, but will if there is interest.

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PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) www.padi.com


Open Water (OW)
Classroom (online or at the shop)
5 Confined Water Dives
4 Open Water Dives
Prerequisites: Must be at least 10 years of age, must complete a 200m swim/ or a 300m swim with mask, fins, and snorkel and a 10min tread water/float
This is the basic beginner diving course.

Advanced Open Water (AOW)
Classroom (online or at the shop, recommend at the shop)
1 Underwater Navigation Dive
1 Deep Water Dive
3 Dives, each from a different PADI specialty of your and your instructor's choice
Prerequisites: Open Water completed, 15 years old
Also called Adventures in diving, this course gives you more time with instructors
learning about PADI specialties and other things you can do in the water like
wreck diving, underwater photography, peak buoyancy, and more. If you should choose
to take any of the full specialties that you tried, the dive you did in AOW count
towards the dives required to do the full specialty.

Rescue Diver
Classroom (Online or at the shop)
Several dives that include but is not limited to rescuing a tired diver from shore
and water, rescuing a panicked diver, searching for a lost diver, and rescuing a
non responsive diver from depth and the surface. There are no set number of dives,
just until you can perform the tasks competently.
Prerequisites: 15 years or older, AOW certification, be trained and current for
first aid and CPR (sometimes included with the rescue diver course. Talk with your
instructor.)
This course will teach you the skills to rescue another diver if they are tired,
panicked, or unconscious at depth and at the surface, and teach you emergency
management skills.

Master Scuba Diver
Requirements:
15 years old
OW certification
AOW certification
Rescue diver certification
5 full PADI specialty courses (Must be PADI specialties)
At least 50 logged dives
The PADI master scuba diver certification does not require additional training. It
is a recognition to divers who have completed training and gained experience. Some
shops are strict on the specialty courses they count towards master scuba diver.
See your instructor.


Next: SSI

 

[TSandM]

GUE (Global Underwater Explorers)

Note: All classes require the diver be a nonsmoker, hold dive insurance; and get medical clearance for any prescription medications.

Recreational Diver 1

Prerequisites: Must be 16 years old; must be able to swim 300 yards in 14 minutes and 16 yards on a breath-hold

6 lectures
14 dives, mixture of confined and open water (additional dives if done in a dry suit)
50 hours of instruction

This is the basic OW class

Recreational diver 2

Class still in preparation

Recreational diver 3

Prerequisites: Must be 18 years old; must be GUE Rec 2 or Fundamentals certified; must have 75 non-training dives, including at least 10 in doubles

8 hours of classroom
8 open water dives (six critical skills dives, and 2 experience dives)
Max depth 130 feet; no more than 15 minutes unadjusted decompression

This class is designed for the serious recreational diver who wants to do dives in the deep recreational range, utilizing helium and incurring a small decompression obligation

GUE Primer

Prerequisites: Must be 14 years of age; must be a certified OW diver from a recognized agency.

6 hours academics
4 in-water sessions

The purpose of the class is skills development and an introduction to the GUE system of diving.

GUE Fundamentals

Prerequisites: Must be 16 years of age; must be a certified OW diver from a recognized agency

Ten hours of academics and five in-water sessions, two deeper than 25 feet

This is a class in skills refinement and teamwork; it is designed as a transition course from other agencies to the GUE system and is a prerequisite for transition into the GUE technical diving curriculum.

Note that all GUE classes involve significant restrictions on acceptable equipment. Information can be found at Welcome | Global Underwater Explorers

 

[soltari675]

SSI (Scuba Schools International) SSI :: SSI Scuba Schools International :: take your dive @ diveSSI.com

Open Water (OW)
Classroom (Online or at the shop)
5 Confined water dives
5 Open water dives
Prerequisites: 200m swim and 10min tread water/float, 10 years old
This is the basic starter course that gives you everything you need to
start diving.

Advanced Open Water (AOW)
Requirements:
24 logged dives
Complete 4 approved specialty courses
Prerequisites: 10 years old, OW certification
The SSI AOW requires 4 full specialty courses which include classtime
and the required dives for each. The purpose of the AOW rating is to
show the diver has experience in different conditions and has done more
than just the dives required for the courses

Stress and Rescue
Classroom
2-4 days of in water training
Prerequisites: OW Certification, Valid CPR & First Aid certificate
The stress and rescue course will teach you how to identify and manage
a stressed diver, accident managements, skills needed to rescue and panicked
or unconscious diver, and various conditions that can hinder your ability
to safely rescue a diver.

Master Diver
Requirements:
Complete 4 Instructor approved specialty courses (or equivalents from other agencies)
Complete Stress and Rescue
Complete 50 logged dives
The master diver certification is not a class, but rather a recognition
of a diver's training and interest in knowledge


Next: NAUI

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NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) www.naui.org


Scuba Diver (Open Water)
Classroom (online or in class)
5 Confined dives
5 Open water dives
Prerequisites: 12 years old, A swim test that includes 15 continuous stroke cycles,
10 minute survival swim (tread water), and 50ft underwater swim
This is the basic course that gives you all the essentials to begin diving

Advanced Scuba
1 Navigation dive
1 Night or low visibility dive
1 deep dive
3 approved specialty dives of your choice (Recognizes specialties from other agencies)
Prerequisites: 12 years old, Scuba Diver certification

Master Scuba Diver
8 open water dives that include:
emergency procedures and rescue
deep/simulated decompression diving
limited visibility or night diving
Underwater navigation
search and recovery
3 dives of your choice
Prerequisites: 15 years old, NAUI Advanced scuba diver certification
The NAUI master scuba diver course combines rescue and extended knowledge on
topics presented in Advanced scuba.

Next: SDI

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SDI (Scuba Diving International) www.tdisdi.com


Open Water (OW)
Classroom (online or in class)
5 Confined Water Dives
4 Open Water Dives
Prerequisites: 10 years old, 200m swim, 10 min tread water/float
This is the basic scuba course that gives you all the essentials to begin
diving

Advanced Diver Development Program
Requirements:
4 Full specialty cources completed (Must be SDI specialty courses)
25 logged dives
Prerequisites: Open Water certification, 15 years old
This is not a class, but a recognition for completing additional training and
dives, gaining experience. It also opens the door for the rescue course

Rescue Diver
About 4 hours of classroom work
About 8 hours of open water work
Prerequisites: 15 years old, 40 logged dives or Advanced open water certification
current CPR certification (may be included, talk to instructor)
This course teaches you to identify and assist with panic, tired divers, stressed
divers, and breathing issues as well as locating and assisting an unconscious diver
from depth to the surface and to the shore/boat.

Master Scuba Diver Development Program
Requirements:
4 completed full specialty courses
Advanced Open Diver certification
Rescue Diver Certification
50 logged dives
This is not a class in itself, but a recognition to divers who have completed
extra training and and gained signifigant experience

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Please let me know if there are more you would like added, or if there is interest in the information for specialties, professional, and/or tech courses. I thought this was a good start for new divers.

 

[drrich2]

Here's a minor issue that will matter to some, given that some folks purse Master Scuba Diver certification.

It's my understanding that PADI only recognizes PADI specialties toward the 5 specialty requirement, and I don't think the distinctive specialties count even then.

In a recent post I believe someone indicated that SSI will recognize specialties via other agencies toward meeting its MSD requirements.

Is the above true? Any idea how Naui or SDI handle that issue?

I ask because some people pick up specialties from different agencies (e.g.: my brother-in-law is SSI OW & has PADI Nitrox) & may be disappointed if they've finally got all the requirements nailed down, then get told 2 or 3 of their specialties were via the 'wrong' agency.

Richard.

 

[soltari675]

You are correct drrich2. PADI only recognizes PADI specialty courses. I will see what I can find out about the other two. Thank you for adding that.

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Updated

 

[Scott]

PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) www.padi.com


Open Water (OW)
Classroom (online or at the shop)
5 Confined Water Dives
4 Open Water Dives
Prerequisites: Must be at least 10 years of age, must complete a 200m swim or 300 metre/
yard swim with mask, fins and snorkel and a 10min tread water/float
This is the basic beginner diving course.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Scuba Educators International:

Basic Open Water
1. 12 - 16 hours classroom covering 8 subjects and includes deco procedures, first aid procedures, and dive tables
2. If the less than 16 hours classroom is used additional poolside and OW site instruction must cover the omitted information
3. 16 hours of pool training . entry requirements 200 yd swim, 12 min tread float, 25 ft underwater swim, exit requirements - 300 yd swim, 15 min tread float, 50 ft UW swim - MSF not permitted.
4. Students must demonstrate snorkeling and skin diving skills prior to beginning training on scuba. 3 different kicks, head and feet first skin dives, recover and clear mask and snorkel after swimming 40 feet to recover those items after they have been placed on the bottom of the pool in the deep end and have both clear upon surfacing.
5. Pool Scuba training to include doff and don and bailout skills, rescue skills at minimum of unconscious diver from depth, panicked diver at surface, rescue tow while stripping gear and extricating diver from the water.
6. Instructor is free and encouraged to add to the class and test on those additions if it will benefit the student. I add supporting a diver at the surface for two minutes to the rescue skills. Our CEO adds a blacked out mask swim to his classes.
7. Open water dives consist of 4 scuba dives and one skin dive. Students must demonstrate proficiency at buoyancy control and all basic skills.

These are the Basic Open Water guidelines. Instructors are not required to issue certifications. They have the final say in who gets certified. My own standards include the belief that if I would not allow a loved one to dive with the student they do not get a card until I am comfortable they can.

 

[soltari675]

Added it Scott, thank you.

 

[g1138]

A redo on the NAUI Requirments. source: NAUI Standards & Policies Manual
Mainly the age requirement was different from what was originally posted above.
I hope I didn't go too indepth into specifics

NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) | NAUI Worldwide
*Minimum requirements of class; instructors are free to exceed min requirements*


Open Water
Pre-requisite for class: at least 15yrs of age (Junior cert is 10-14 yrs old)

Requirements for cert:
- 14 hrs academic
- 17 practical hours; 10hrs must be in-water
- 5 open water dives (1 of which is usually a skin dive)
Academic Req:
- Applied Science (Physic, physiology, medical)
- Equipment
- Diving Safety
- Environment
- Diving Activities
- Continuing Education (Limitations for OW cert, importance of additional training, etc)
Swim Skills (no equipment allowed except swim goggles):
- 10min Survival Swim
- Underwater 50ft swim on one breath
Skin Skills (snorkeling equipment and weightbelt):
- Swim 450yds non-stop, breathing from snorkel
- Bring simulated unconscious skin diver to surface from 10ft of water
- Demo proper skin diving techniques
Scuba Skills:
- Pre-dive
- Ascent/Descent
- Underwater skills
- Planning
- Environmental (minimal impact, ID flora & fauna)
- Emergency/Rescue skills


Advanced Open Water
Pre-req:
- at least 15yrs old (Junior Cert for 10-14yrs)
- scuba diver cert by a NAUI recognized agency (Meaning PADI, SSI, NAUI, SEI, YMCA, any internationally recognized agency, etc)

Req:
- 6 hrs academic
- 6 OW dives min
--- 3 OW dives separately dedicated to Navigation, Night/Low Viz, Deep
--- other 3 dives can be combined topics (student and/or instructor choice depending on logistics or program)
Academic Req:
"Academics presented during course orientation, dive briefing and debriefings are to be used to enhance the safety, knowledge, and appreciation of the dives made."
Skill Req:
- Perform selected basic scuba skills & rescue/assist skills
- Use dive tables to plan all dives
- Record dives in log book
- Navigate Underwater
- Use appropriate equipment to perform selected tasks.


Rescue Specialty:
Pre-req:
- at least 15 years old
- NAUI recognized scuba cert (ie. other recognized agency certs are valid)

Req:
- Roughly 12 course hours
- First Aid and CPR certification (may or may not be included as part of the class)
- At least 1 OW session involving 1 or more skin or scuba rescue exercises
Academic Requirements:
- Causes and Preventions of diving accidents
- Diving Rescue
- General Accident Management
Skill Requirements:
- Identify and Assist skin/scuba diver w/ cramp, breathing difficulties, exhaustion, signs of pre-panic
- Scuba rescue from depth (20ft), surface transport (50yds), extricate victim from water
- With aid of one assistant, remove simulated non-breathing diver from water

Adv Rescue Scuba Diver (same card, higher min requirements)
Pre-req:
- at least 17 yrs old
- minimum NAUI Adv OW or equivalent
- 225 yrd nonstop swim; any stroke (no equipment allowed)
- survival swim 15mins
- Recover 10lbs from 10ft of water
- Skin skills required of NAUI Skin diver course (see bottom of post)
Scuba skills (pre-requisites)
- Assemble equipment
- don & doff equipment (in water, on the surface)
- demonstrate ability to hover underwater
- perform 100yd scuba transport on water surface within 4mins

Req:
- Roughly 20 course hours
- CPR & First Aid (may or may not be included in class)
- O2 administration/FA (may or may not be included in class)
- at least 4 OW sessions involving 1 or more skin or scuba rescuing exercises
Academic Requirements:
- Accident Prevention
- Diving First Aid (causes, signs/symptoms, procedures, stress & panic prevention, etc)
- Diving Rescue Techniques
- FA & CPR skill review for primary survey of victim
- Diving FA kits & O2 delivery systems
- Recompression therapy (theory & goals)
- Accident Management & Procedures
Skill Requirements (OW or Pool):
- Demo use of Rescue equipment
- Problem ID & Resolution
- Lost Diver
- Diver Transport (50 yds)
- Exit Assist
- Skin Diver retrieval from depth (15ft)
- Scuba Diver Rescue from depth (transport 50yds)
- First Aid demo
- Accident Management Plan demo


Master Diver
Pre-req:
- at least 15 yrs of age
- NAUI Adv Cert or equivalent from other agencies

Req:
- 23 estimated academic hours
- 8 OW dives minimum
Required dive topics; 5 dives(must be separate dedicated dives):
- Emergency procedures and rescue
- Deep/simulated deco diving
- Limited viz/night
- Navigation
- Search & Recover/Light Salvage
Elective Dive topics; 3 dives (may be repeated or combined dive topics already discussed):
- Skin diving
- Review basic skills
- Environmental study/survey
- Air consumption (practical application)
- Boat Diving, Shore Diving
- Hunting/Collecting
- Special Interest


Skin Diver
Pre-req: minimum 12 yrs old (8yrs for Junior cert)

Req:
- 3 hrs academic
- 4 hrs practical; 3hrs must be in-water
- 2 OW dives
Skill Requirements/Academic:
- demo novice level swim stroke (confined water, no equipment)
- Applied Sciences (physics, physiology, dive medicine)
- Equipment
- Diving Safety
- Environment
- Diving Activities
Skin Skills (confined or OW; mask, snorkel, and fins required):
- Swim 450yds non-stop
- Survival swim 5 mins (remove and replace equipment during)
- Underwater swim 20yds on 1 breath (no push-offs allowed)
- Underwater swim 40yds, 3 breaths allowed
- Recover 10lbs in 10ft of water
- Transport skin diver of equal size 40yds
- Bring simulated unconscious skin diver up from 10ft of water
Skin Skills (OW):
- Don & Doff equipment on surface
- Demo entry and exit procedures
- Surface dive and swim underwater
- Equalize air spaces of body & equipment
- Demo proper ascent control techniques including snorkel clearing
- Recover object (usually sand) from 10-20ft of water
- Demo self-rescue (ditch weight, relieve cramp)
- Assist and surface transport skin diver 40yds

 

[phuonguyen]

Don't forget that SSI also has Advanced Adventurer, which is essentially the same as PADI's AOW.
You'll have to find the standards for AA cause I'm a PADI instructor.