Master Scuba Diver (MSD) is a

scuba diving Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for " Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chr ...

certification or recognition level offered by several North American diver training agencies, such as the

National Association of Underwater Instructors The National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI Worldwide) is a non-profit association of scuba instructors. It primarily serves as a recreational dive certification and membership organization established to provide international div ...

(NAUI), the

Professional Association of Diving Instructors The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) is a recreational diving membership and diver training organization founded in 1966 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson. Cronin was originally a NAUI instructor who decided to form his ...

(PADI),

Scuba Diving International Scuba Diving International (SDI) is a Scuba diving, Scuba List of diver certification organizations, training and certification agency. It is the recreational diving, recreational arm of Technical Diving International, a Technical diving, technic ...

(SDI), and

Scuba Schools International Scuba Schools International (SSI) is a for-profit organization that teaches the skills involved in scuba diving and freediving, and supports dive businesses and resorts. SSI has over 2,500 authorized dealers, 35 regional centers, and offices all ...

(SSI). Other agencies (e.g., The International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers) offer similar programs under other names, such as "Elite Diver". Each of these (and other) agencies touts their program at this level as the highest, non-leadership program. Most organizations have a minimum age requirement of 15 to undertake the Master Scuba Diver course, although some organizations do permit certification of "Junior" Master Scuba Divers.

Methodology

Different agencies take different approaches to this program creating both a disparate level of indicated diver competence both within most agencies as well as from agency to agency. The specific methodologies of the main agencies are as follows:

IANTD

IANTD awards their Elite Diver Recognition to a diver who completes: * IANTD Advanced Open Water Diver. * Three IANTD specialties: Deep, EANx, Rescue and Navigation. * Any two other IANTD specialties.

NAUI

The NAUI Master Scuba Diver course is one of such courses offered by the major North American diver training organizations that is designed with both a skill based and academic core. The NAUI Master Scuba Diver course was specifically designed by two NAUI Instructors: Paul Heinmiller (NAUI 5141L) and Phil Sharkey (NAUI 4505L), to meet a specific need that had been identified by the NAUI membership: a clearly defined course that provides, tests for, and certifies to, all the academic and skill training required of a NAUI Instructor, excepting topics covering teaching theory and methods and supervision of students and certified divers, topics that are part of NAUI's Divemaster and/or Instructor Training Course. The NAUI Master Scuba Diver course involves specific training in the theory and practice of: * Emergency procedures and rescue *

Deep Deep or The Deep may refer to: Places United States * Deep Creek (Appomattox River tributary), Virginia * Deep Creek (Great Salt Lake), Idaho and Utah * Deep Creek (Mahantango Creek tributary), Pennsylvania * Deep Creek (Mojave River tributary), ...

/simulated decompression diving * Limited visibility or night diving *

Underwater navigation Diver navigation, termed "underwater navigation" by Scuba diving, scuba divers, is a set of techniques—including observing natural features, the use of a compass, and surface observations—that divers use to Navigation, navigate underwater. ...

* Search and recovery – light salvage

PADI

PADI awards their Master Scuba Diver Recognition to a diver who completes: * PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course or equivalent * PADI

Rescue Diver Rescue Diver is a scuba diving certification level provided by several diver training agencies, such as PADI, SSI, SDI, and NAUI,Emergency First Response course * any Five different PADI specialty diving courses (not counting the Rescue Diver or EFR course) * Logs 50 dives

SDI

SDI awards their Master Scuba Diver Recognition rating to a diver who completes: * SDI Advanced Open Water Diver course * SDI

Rescue Diver Rescue Diver is a scuba diving certification level provided by several diver training agencies, such as PADI, SSI, SDI, and NAUI,Logs 50 dives

SSI

SSI awards their Master Diver Recognition to any diver who completes: * any four different SSI Specialty Diving courses * SSI Diver Stress & Rescue course * Logs 50 dives

Footnotes

{{Authority control Diving qualifications