PADI Divemaster Course

The Course

Are you ready for the ultimate challenge in your diving career? Do you have a thirst for learning more about every aspect of diving, from physics, physiology & equipment to decompression theory? Do you want the opportunity to pass your experience and expertise to student divers? The PADI Divemaster Course is your ticket to new job opportunities as well as international travel and a leadership level qualification.

PADI Divemasters are an invaluable member of any diving centre and are utilised to assist with student divers in training or to guide dives for certified divers. PADI  Divemasters are a role model for other divers and as such possess excellent diving knowledge, demonstrate good judgement and are enthusiastic and encouraging in their approach to all other divers, especially those in a training environment.

PADI Divemasters are also involved in leading and managing diving activities and as such are expected to follow established and responsible diving practices, supported by PADI.

Guided by a PADI Instructor, the PADI Divemaster course will help you to develop all of these attributes and responsibilities, whilst dealing with real students. This program is one of the most rewarding, challenging and enjoyable of all the PADI courses and is your first step on the PADI professional ladder.

Pre-Requisites

• Candidates must hold the PADI Rescue Diver qualification or equivalent.
• Candidates must have successfully completed a sanctioned first aid course, including CPR training, within the past 2 years. The PADI Emergency First Response (EFR) Course meets this requirement.
• Candidates must have logged at least 20 Open Water dives and be at least 18 years old.
• A full medical needs to be submitted, signed by a licensed diving physician.
• By the end of the course, candidates need to have logged at least 60 Open Water dives.

Course Content

The PADI Divemaster Course is made up of  knowledge development and theory presentations, confined pool sessions, stamina exercises and open water dives as part of an internship.

Knowledge Development

Knowledge development is a key aspect to the PADI Divemaster course, not only for you to learn new and additional information but to utilise this theory as the basis for improving good judgement, problem solving abilities and to improve your expertise and professionalism.

Knowledge development consists of 12 topics and is based on independent study using a wide range of materials. Home study is backed up by theory presentations to ensure mastery learning of the core topics:

• The role of a PADI Divemaster
• Supervising certified divers
• Assisting with student divers in training
• Dive theory introduction
• Physics
• Physiology
• Equipment
• Decompression theory and the PADI RDP
• PADI Divemaster conducted programs
• The business of diving
• Risk management
• Furthering your diving career

There are 8 exams to assess your diving theory with a 75% pass rate on each.

Confined Water

There are several aspects to confined water training.

Stamina assessments in the form of timed swims:

• 400m unaided swim
• 800m snorkel & fin swim
• 100m tired diver tow
• 15 minute tread water

Skill development and assessment

Students will be required to demonstrate the core 20 PADI Open Water skills to PADI Instructor demonstration criteria. Students are given the opportunity to observe these skills and practice before being assessed.

Rescue skill development and assessment

PADI Divemasters are expected to maintain the valuable skills that they learnt during their rescue training and to be able to demonstrate these skills.

Candidates will be required to complete 5 confined water sessions, during which they will be assessed on their participation with student divers in training.

PADI Divemaster Conducted Program

With the support of a PADI Instructor, students must plan, manage and run a PADI program that they will be able to undertake as a fully qualified PADI Divemaster. Students are assessed on their brief, debriefing, supervision and handling of student divers in the water. PADI Divemaster programs include PADI Discover Snorkelling, PADI Discover Skin Diving, PADI Discover Local Diving & PADI Scuba Review.

Problem solving

Students will be set a task to assess their ability to cope with unanticipated problems underwater.

Open Water

Candidates are required to assist with student divers in training in an open water environment. Each candidate must take part in the PADI Open Water course in addition to a PADI Continuing education course.

Candidates are required to produce a map of a local dive site, including main features such as entry/exit points, distances, depth, points of interest and points of hazard.

Supervising certified divers

Candidates will be involved in guiding certified divers around a local dive site. Assessment will include the planning, preparation, dive brief, conduct and debrief of the dive.

Emergency assistance plan

If not already completed as part of the PADI Rescue diver course, candidates must produce an emergency assistance plan for a dive site to be appointed. This should be considered a vital reference for divers, lay people and emergency services if an accident occurs at the dive site.

Throughout the course, students are assessed on their professional conduct, including their level of active positive participation during training sessions, their general attitude/ demeanor towards students & their overall appearance.