Policies Applying to Specialty Diver 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. Specialty courses
provide divers the opportunity to enjoy organized diving
which yields experience and documents training in specialized
diving activities.

QUALlFICATION 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 screen and evaluate all students to ensure that they
possess the necessary diving skills to minimize risk. This is not
required when the students' diving proficiencies are well known
to the instructor. 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 their
complexity of the training or the skills involved, have a higher
minimum number of dives designated. If more than three dives
on a single day is planned the following factors shall be
considered: student's physical and mental stamina, motivation,
readiness to learn and be evaluated, residual nitrogen levels,
hydration levels, as well as environmental conditions, dive
planning, i.e., surface intervals, flying or ascending to altitude
after diving.