The PADI Open Water Diver course is, by far, the world's most popular scuba certification course. Millions of people have started diving as certified PADI Open Water Divers. Learning to scuba dive requires both knowledge development (facts, principles, concepts) and motor procedures (skills, techniques, methods). The PADI Open Water Diver Course online provides the knowledge development portion you need. You develop the remaining skills by actually diving with a PADI Instructor at your local PADI Dive Center or Resort.

How old must I be in order to get certified as a PADI Open Water Diver? - A diver must be 13 years old or older to enroll in a PADI Water Diver Course online. (Due to internet usage laws).

The online version of the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver Course will include knowledge development for the two required topics - the Deep and Underwater Navigation Dives along with five of the most popular elective dives. These include Night Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Wreck Diver, Boat Diver and Underwater Naturalist.

Why does the course only cover these dives? - After surveying PADI Members and dive shops from around the world (particularly those who issue a large number of Advanced Open Water Diver certifications), these dives were identified as the most commonly offered. As with the PADI Open Water Diver Online course, the entire PADI Adventures in Diving manual will be available online to divers enrolled in this course. Experience real adventure and be one step closer to Master Scuba Diver the ultimate non-professional certification in recreational diving.

What else is required to complete the course? - You must be a PADI Open Water Diver before undertaking this course or participating in any in-water training.

The PADI Enriched Air Diver course online includes all the knowledge development requirements for this course. You'll also have unlimited access to the PADI Enriched Air Diver manual online for reference after you have completed the course.

What else is required to complete the course? - Prior to certification as a PADI Enriched Air Diver, you must complete a Practical Application session and either two enriched air training dives or pre-dive simulations, with a PADI Enriched Air Specialty Instructor. We will be happy to help you with this.

How old must I be in order to get certified as a PADI Enriched Air Diver? - A diver must be 15 years old or older to enroll in a PADI Enriched Air Diver Course.

The PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Course Online includes all the knowledge development requirements for the course. If you want to take digital photos and video near, around or underwater this course will teach you how. In the first two sections, the focus is primarily on still photography whether you take digital still images with a camera or camcorder. Finally, Section Three covers some specific tips on how to image quality underwater video with digital cameras.

'Who can benefit from completing the course?' - The course is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to use a digital camera or video underwater and also helps improve the skills and knowledge of those who already have some experience with underwater digital imaging. The course is open to snorkelers, aquatic enthusiasts and certified divers of all levels. Snorkelers and scuba divers may be certified as PADI Digital Underwater Photographers upon completion of the skills portion of the course.

'What else is required to complete the course?' - Prior to certification as a PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Level One, you must complete a training dive in a pool, confined water or open water with a PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Specialty Instructor. The Level One certification is open to snorkelers and the certification card issued for that level will state that it is a non-diving certification level. For divers in training or divers that are already certified, certification as a PADI Digital Underwater Photographer Level Two requires you to complete a second open water training dive. Contact us at Big Apple Dive Resort to schedule these sessions.

PADI Scuba Tune-up Online content is broken down into 8 easy-to-learn sections after an introduction, covering Safe Diving Practices, Dive Planning Fundamentals, Problem Management, Breathing Air at Depth, Dive Computers and Dive Tables, Planning Dives with the RDP, Diving with Enriched Air Nitrox and Diving Skills Review.

'Who can benefit from completing the course?' - The course is designed for anyone who wants to refresh their dive knowledge. The program is primarily designed for certified divers who wish to return to scuba diving after a period of inactivity, however, it is also a great resource for those who are returning to a course after a shorter break in the training.

'What else is required to complete the course?' - While PADI Scuba Tune-up Online does not necessarily require that any training dives in confined or open water take place, it is certainly recommended so that your skills can be refreshed as well as your knowledge. Be sure and discuss the options you have for completing any practical elements with us to maximize the benefit of completing the PADI Scuba Tune-up Online.

PADI Rescue Diver Course Online content is broken down into 5 easy-to-learn sections after an introduction. The course covers a wide range of topics including, The Psychology of Rescue, Recognizing Diver Stress, Accident Management, Assisting Responsive and Unresponsive Divers at the Surface and Underwater, Equipment Problems, Oxygen Delivery Systems, Missing Diver Procedures, Responding to Diver Emergencies and In-water Rescue Breathing.

'Who can benefit from completing the course?' - The course is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to prevent, and if necessary, manage dive emergencies. The course broadens a diver's awareness and improves their skills and confidence. Most certified PADI Rescue Divers look back on their rescue training as one of the most challenging - sometimes demanding - and therefore most rewarding courses they've taken. The subject is serious but the training is fun.

'What else is required to complete the course?' - After completing the online portion of the PADI Rescue Diver Course you should book a trip to Big Apple Dive Resort to complete your training. You'll take a short eLearning Quick Review to confirm your understanding of safety-related material from the course. Then, you'll complete the in-water training portion of the course. Your instructor may introduce you to ten rescue exercises in confined water and then have you practice them in open water. Finally, you participate in two Rescue Diver Scenarios in open water.

PADI Dive Theory Online content is broken down into 6 easy-to-learn sections, covering Physics, Physiology, Equipment, The Recreational Dive Planner, The Diving Environment and Dive Skills.

'Who can benefit from completing the course?' - The course is designed for anyone who wants to improve their dive theory knowledge. PADI Divemaster candidates, IDC-bound Pros, IDC Staff Instructor candidates and Course Director Training Course applicants can also use the program to prepare for their course exams. Divers of all levels can take the course for personal enrichment.

'What else is required to complete the course?' - Unlike other PADI eLearning® courses, Dive Theory Online does not have a practical component. Completing the online course material is all that is required. We will of course be happy to give students a 20 skill training session in the pool if they wish, payable separately.

'What does it cover?' - The PADI Divemaster course is the first professional level within the PADI System of diver education and allows you to work as a training assistant on PADI courses and programs, supervise certified divers during pleasure diving experiences, and conduct some PADI programs independently. Becoming a PADI Divemaster consists of the following segments: knowledge development, practical application and the Divemaster final exam. The online portion of the course, PADI Divemaster Online, covers nine topics that prepare you for the practical sessions needed to complete the Divemaster course. Through PADI's eLearning® system and practical segments of the Divemaster course, you become well prepared to work as a PADI Divemaster.

'What are the prerequisites for PADI Divemaster Online?' - Prior to enrolling in PADI Divemaster Online, you must be at least 18 years old, have a current medical attesting to your diving fitness signed by a physician within the previous 12 months, and be a certified PADI Advanced Open Water Diver and PADI Rescue or hold qualifying certifications from another dive training organization. You must also have completed a Emergency First Response (EFR) Primary and Secondary Care course (or other sanctioned first aid and CPR course) within the past 24 months and be able to prove that you have completed at least 40 dives (60 before being able to complete the Divemaster course with experience of deep dives, night dives and underwater navigation). If you have any questions as to whether you meet the necessary prerequisites, please contact us at diveshop@divebigapple.com

'How does it work?' - After enrolling, PADI's eLearning system presents you with interactive presentations that include videos, audio, graphics and reading. Short quizzes let you gauge your progress and review and correct anything you might happen to miss. This lets you move through the program efficiently and at your own pace.

'What does it cost?' - The eLearning portion of the course is $200 (US) nonrefundable. We will charge you PhP35,00 to complete your course here with us, if everything is completed before your arrival.

Other costs – There is a separate application fee due to PADI that needs to be submitted with the Divemaster application once the course is successfully completed.

Materials – The PADI Divemaster Online program will provide you with perpetual access to an ebook version of the PADI Divemaster manual, a required material. However, to complete the PADI Divemaster course, you also need a current PADI Instructor Manual, both the Table RDP and eRDPML, The Encyclopedia of Recreational Diving, and a set of the PADI Divemaster slates. There are other required materials and equipment, some of which you already have. We will guide and counsel you on what you need, and will make suggestions to help you prepare for a valuable course experience.

Contact us to discuss total courses costs, equipment, materials and logistical requirements.

'What else is required to become a PADI Divemaster?' - Once you successfully complete Divemaster Online, you will need to successfully complete several practical assessments, workshops and other assignments with your PADI Instructor. You will also need to complete the Divemaster Final Exam as well as meet the professionalism criteria.

'How long do you have to complete the eLearning course?' - The eLearning segment of the course is available for one year from the time of course registration. Though you must finish the online portion of the course within that time frame, you will have perpetual access to the ebook version of the PADI Divemaster manual.

'How do you document that you've completed the eLearning segment?' - Once you finish the eLearning portion of the course, your dive center is notified that you have completed it and that you are ready for the practical phase of the program. At the end of the eLearning program, you can print out your eRecord and bring a copy of it with you to your selected PADI Retailer or Resort.

'What do these online courses cost?' The Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Digital Underwater Photographer and Rescue Diver eLearning courses are $120 (US) each. The Enriched Air Diver online fee is $195 (US) and the Dive Theory costs $100 (US). PADI Scuba Tune-Up costs $50 (US). These fees are paid direct to PADI and are non-refundable. These fees cover your knowledge development training and grant you unlimited access to an electronic version of the PADI training manuals (course textbooks) for each course.

We will charge eLearning students an additional fee to complete their training and for the in-water or practical portion of their certification. Where there is no practical work to be done, there is no fee. Open water is P12000, Advanced Open Water costs P8000, Enriched Air Diver costs P7000 with dives or P5000 without dives (it is not necessary to use the nitrox tank fills underwater to complete the course). Rescue Diver costs P12000, Digital Underwater Photographer costs P7000. A complete set of 20 skills in the pool costs P4500.

Students will also need to purchase a mask, snorkel, pair of fins, and other personal dive equipment. We will be happy to guide you through this process and we can suggest additional equipment along with the required purchase of an eLearning crewpak where available, included in your course fee to us.

'How long do you have to complete the eLearning course?' - The eLearning course will be available for one year from the time of course registration.

What have past eLearners said about the courses? (from the 2008 PADI eLearning Exit Survey)

• Great, fast, got me ready for in-water training!
• Amazing. Loved the flexibility of learning at my own pace. Great videos.
• Excellent material. Never thought it would be such a convenient way of learning.
• Great! I am excited to continue to Dive Master!
• I am very pleased to have done this online...I sometimes feel intimidated with the presence of others in a course...This way I could answer the questions at my relaxed leisure.
• Having this course available was a great help as I saved at least a day of vacation by doing it ahead of time. THANKS.
• It was at my pace, concise, easy to understand, and I can't wait until I move on to another level of advancement. I will certainly be using the PADI e-learning system again.
• This course was excellent, online support also very excellent!! I would very strongly consider taking more PADI online courses in the future. Very user friendly.
• This was a wonderful experience; I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn to scuba dive.
• Overall, the course is clear and concise and easy to navigate and very, very informative, thank you.