Open Water Diver
Since 1959 we’ve introduced thousands of people to the wonders of the underwater world. Diving is fun, allows you to visit amazing places, meet incredible people, and is the perfect activity for the adventurous. For many, it’s “changed their lives forever!” Get started today!
Sea Turtle Ecology
This specialty teaches you the skills and concepts required to recognize and identify common species of sea turtles, describes their history and role in marine ecosystems, and threats to their survival. You will earn the SSI Sea Turtle Ecology Specialty certification after completing this non-diving course.
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Shark Ecology
Many humans fear sharks, but is that reputation deserved? By taking the SSI Shark Ecology Specialty Course, you will learn how sharks and their behavior are often misunderstood, and how you can safely observe them in their natural habitat. You will earn the SSI Shark Ecology Specialty certification after completing this non-diving course.
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Manta & Ray Ecology
Rays and their close relative, sharks, have been around for hundreds of thousands of years. In this course you’ll explore what makes a ray a ray, distinguish how they differ from sharks, locate where they live, discover what they eat, and learn how to identify one ray from another. You will earn the SSI Manta & Ray Ecology Specialty certification after completing this non-diving course.
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Fish Identification
The ocean is filled with fascinating and beautiful fish of every shape and size. This specialty course teaches you the skills and concepts required to identify the common families of Caribbean, Indo-Pacific, and Red Sea reef fish. You will earn the SSI Fish Identification Specialty certification after completing this non-diving course.
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Coral Identification
Coral reefs are the building blocks of many ocean ecosystems. This program teaches you the skills and concepts required to recognize and identify common families of coral species. You will earn the SSI Coral Identification Specialty certification after completing this non-diving course.
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Marine Ecology
This program provides a general understanding of the complex and exciting science of marine ecology, which is the study of how organisms interact with each other and the environment, the flow of energy through communities, and the link between ocean ecosystems. You will earn the SSI Marine Ecology Specialty certification after completing this non-diving course.
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Enriched Air Nitrox
The Enriched Air Diver Nitrox Specialty course is our most popular specialty course, and it’s easy to see why. First, it’s a non-diving specialty but most of all, diving with enriched air Nitrox increases your bottom time and reduces the amount of nitrogen in your system. Everyone wants more time underwater, especially on repetitive scuba dives.
Science of Diving
This (non-diving specialty) course provides an in-depth and detailed study of physics, physiology, decompression theory, the aquatic environment and diving equipment. It is required training for most SSI Dive Professional programs, as well as some Extended Range programs.
Stress and Rescue Diver
The best buddy you can have is one who can manage themselves, prevent emergencies and solve problems. Our SSI Stress and Rescue Diver course is a pivotal step in expanding your diving knowledge and experience.
Basic Life Support and Emergency Oxygen Provider (BLS&Eo2)
A dive emergency is rarely a single event. More often than not, separate small problems compound to create a larger diving emergency requiring first aid care. Complete your home study now!
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Scuba Skills Update
Our Scuba Skills Update provides the perfect opportunity to review and practice important skills you learned in your Open Water Diver program, while under the guidance of an A-1 diving professional.
Perfect Buoyancy Specialty Course
Safe and effective divers understand how every aspect of their dive is influenced by proper buoyancy control – including gas consumption, weighting, physical effort and depth control. The SSI Perfect Buoyancy program prepares you for your journey by improving your buoyancy control and comfort in the water, and ensures you have an enjoyable diving experience.
Night & Limited Visibility Specialty Course
Your dive adventure doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down, or if your only option for a dive site is a lake or quarry where visibility is limited by the clarity of the water. This kind of diving requires additional training and experience, from how to manage underwater lights to buddy team management. Earning your SSI Night and Limited Visibility certification give you access to an entirely new range of diving opportunities and experiences.
Navigation Specialty Course
Understanding how to navigate a dive site increases your comfort and confidence during your underwater adventures. Advanced navigation skills enable you and your buddy to safely navigate the dive from start to finish. By using a compass or observing your natural surroundings, you will learn the navigation skills necessary to master your marine environment.
Search & Recovery Specialty Course
Have you ever seen someone lose their mask or a fin when they jump into the water? Ocean, lakes and rivers are dynamic environments, and sometimes things get lost. Finding and recovering lost objects is an advanced skill, and requires careful thought and dive planning. SSI’s Search and Recovery Program provides in-depth information on the necessary equipment, skills, knowledge and experience required to execute a recreational search and recovery operation for small to medium sized objects.
Deep Diving Specialty Course
Many of the more exciting, intriguing dive sites are found in deeper water. To plan your dives properly you must first know how to prevent any of the potential risks involved in deep diving. This course will provide you with the information to make deep dives comfortably and confidently.
Dry Suit Diving Specialty Course
Great dive experiences are not limited to tropical reefs or the warm and sunny summer months. With the proper exposure protection, you can make diving a year-round activity, and experience the amazing diversity of a kelp forest, explore freshwater lakes and rivers, or dive between two continental plates. The SSI Dry Suit Diving program teaches you the new skills needed to dive with a dry suit, and provides the in-depth knowledge and experience required to properly use, maintain