NAUI Specialty Diving Courses

OVERVIEW

NAUI Specialty Diver Courses are either introductions to or are more detailed treatments of the respective areas of specialized diving. Accordingly, some specialty courses are designed to provide more detailed training and result in additional qualifications. In these instances the qualifications are described in the respective specialty course standard. They provide divers the opportunity to enjoy organized diving which yields experience and documents training in specialized diving activities.

Instructors with expertise in specific areas can design their own specialty course with an Instructor-Specified program. Instructors who wish to present expanded specialty courses that produce divers with a finished degree of competence in a specific area can seek authorization for a specifically designated “Master or Full...” Instructor-Specified program.

QUALIFICATION OF GRADUATES

Graduates of a specialty course are considered competent to participate in the respective specialty activities without supervision, provided the activities engaged in and the areas dived approximate those in which the diver was trained.

GENERAL PREREQUISITES

• Screening. In a pre-course session using selected skills, the instructor is to screen and evaluate all students to ensure that they possess the necessary diving skills to minimize risk. Also the instructor is to verify that the student has the prerequisite diver certification. Specialty courses with prerequisite certifications that are higher than Scuba Diver are listed in the respective course standard.
• Equipment. Students shall furnish and be responsible for the care and maintenance of their own diving equipment. The instructor shall initially assist the student in checking all student gear to ensure it is adequate and in proper working order.
• Open Water Dives. Required open water dives dedicated to the specialty activity vary for each course. One open water dive (which does not count toward the minimum number of dives required for a given course) is to be used as a screening and evaluation dive to determine the readiness of the students to perform the skills and activities appropriate for the particular specialty. This is not required when the students’ diving proficiencies are well known to the instructor. Some courses, because of the complexity of the training or the skills involved, have a higher minimum number of dives designated.

SKILL AND ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

• The desired learning outcome for each specialty course is essentially the same - the ability of the diver to demonstrate that the necessary skills and knowledge have been acquired needed to minimize risks and continue learning and gaining experience in the particular activity.
• The specific skill requirements, academic topics, learning objectives, and curricula for each course shall be tailored to achieve and document this outcome. Written exams shall be used to document knowledge in relevant subject areas. (See “Policies Applying to All Courses; Evaluation and Documentation.”)

Policies Applying to all NAUI Programs

GENERAL

• Age. The minimum age for each program is to be reached by the water phase, unless otherwise specified. Registration. In some programs participants must be registered with NAUI Headquarters in order to receive credentials. Details are provided in program descriptions as appropriate. Waivers. See “Policies Applying to All NAUI Certification Courses.”
• Content. Exact content and length of programs are to be keyed to program requirements, participant needs and local environments. Providers should use time as necessary to assure that a particular program meets or exceeds expectations.
• Supplemental Material. Programs are to expose participants to current knowledge. Outlines and textbooks available through NAUI or comparable materials are to be used as guides. Additional handouts, training aids, supplementary texts and similar materials may be used as deemed appropriate.
• Monitoring. Programs will be monitored by NAUI Headquarters to aid standards compliance and quality assurance.

FORMS, RECORDS AND REPORTS

• Releases. No program provider shall allow participation by a minor without having first secured a release signed by parent(s) and/or legal guardian(s).
• Log Book Entries. A record of participation is to be kept through appropriate entries in each participant‘s training/diving log book. Entries are to be authenticated by the provider’s signature, stamp or seal.

OPEN WATER DIVES

• Required open water dives dedicated to the specialty activity vary for each course. One open water dive (which does not count toward the minimum number of dives required for a given course) is to be used as a screening and evaluation dive to determine the readiness of the students to perform the skills and activities appropriate for the particular specialty. This is not required when the students’ diving proficiencies are well known to the instructor. Some courses, because of the complexity of the training or the skills involved, have a higher minimum number of dives designated.

More...

Although theses are some of the more popular NAUI Specialty and Recognition Training courses, we also offer several Technical Diver courses, as well as a number of other recognition and specialty courses. These courses are created by the individual instructors and approved by NAUI Worldwide's Training Department. Please check with your local NAUI Affiliated Dive Centers and NAUI Instructors to determine what they offer.

Some of these include, but are not limited to: