Scuba Diver Course...

Course Description...

The Scuba Diver course is an entry level scuba course. It provides the fundamental knowledge and skills to scuba dive. Upon successful completion of this course graduates are qualified to do the certification dives or obtain a referral letter to do the open water dives in another location with a different instructor.

The certification dives are kept separate because due the transient nature of our students, some people prefer to do their open water dives in more tropical conditions or in a location closer to their home. Also some people take this course just to satisfy their KINES requirement and have no desire to get certified.

You have SIX months from the time you complete this course to do your certification dives or you will be required to repeat all or part of this course. Consult our options for getting certified list for more information on this.

Who Can Take the Course...

This course is open to anyone age 18 and older. (NOT JUST Penn State students and faculty!)

The nature of scuba diving requires those who participate to be good swimmers. A swim test will be given during the first session and will include:

250 yard (5 laps) non-stop swim.
- The first three laps must be overhand crawl stroke (aka freestyle).
- All strokes used must be recognizable by the instructor.
- The "doggie-paddle" is not a recognized stroke.
60 feet underwater swim on one breath with no push off.
10 minute tread water.

Notes:

A lap is defined as two lengths of the main indoor pool at the Natatorium on campus.
The 60 feet underwater swim is from one end of the main indoor pool at the Natatorium to the far set of flags hanging across the pool.

How Much Does the Course Cost...

The cost of the course is $185.00 (Course costs are subject to change without notice.)

If you took part in one of our Discover SCUBA events within the last two semesters, you can use that $10 towards your course fee.

Participation and payment for this course
DOES NOT make you a certified diver!
You need to complete the Certification Dives in order to be certified.

The cost of the course includes a textbook and all instructor, pool, and equipment fees.

Unlike other scuba courses, you are not required to buy any equipment. You need only supply a swimsuit and towel. We provide ALL the equipment. You are welcome to purchase and use your own equipment, although the instructor reserves the right to not allow you to use your own equipment if it is deemed inappropriate or unsafe for use in this course.

Refunds:

Unconditional refunds will be given up to and including the third session of the course. After the third session, refunds will only be given at the discretion of the club officers.

Where, When, and How Long is the Course...

We typically run four courses per year. One during the Fall and Spring semesters and two during the Summer semester. The Summer and Fall semester courses are four weeks long and meet twice a week on Monday and Wednesday nights from 7:30pm till midnight. This includes two hours of lecture and two hours of pool practice. During the Spring semester the course is eight weeks long and meets once a week on Monday nights from 7:30pm till midnight. Again this includes two hours of lecture and two hours of pool practice. If the enrollment is large enough during the Spring semester, the pool practice sessions will be split into two nights one meeting on Monday night from 10pm till midnight and the other meeting on Wednesday night from 10pm till midnight. In this case, you attend only ONE pool session on either Monday or Wednesday night and your night is the same for all the weeks of the course.

Both lecture and pool sessions are held in the Natatorium located on campus at the corner of Bigler and Curtain roads. The lectures are held in room 201 and the pool sessions are done in the main lap pool and the diving well.

When is the next course being offered:

What Will I Be Learning...

You will learn to become one with the underwater world.

Ok, seriously, during the lecture portion of the course you will learn about the underwater world, what effects it has on your body and how we function underwater. You will be taught how to select, adjust, assemble, use, and maintain the equipment used for scuba diving. You will be introduced to the varying diving environments that you might visit and what things you need to consider when doing your dives. Also the animal life that you might encounter while diving will be discussed along with how to respect it and keep yourself safe. Diving illnesses such as "the bends" will be explained along with how to treat and/or prevent them. Proper dive planning will be taught so that you can plan and conduct safe, enjoyable dives. During the entire course there will be great emphasis placed on safety and how to plan and conduct dives safely. Finally, opportunities will be presented for you to learn how to further your knowledge about diving because good divers never stop learning.

The lecture material will be tested with a 100 question mulitple choice test during the last session of the course. You must score a 75% or better on this test to successfully pass the class.

Instructor Paul Rentschler goes over the effects of pressure on air spaces.

During the pool practice sessions, you will learn the various skills that you will need to maneuver around and survive in the underwater world. The skills start out with a test of your basic swimming ability and progress from there to snorkeling and then into scuba skills. All skills will be demonstrated by the instructor or a qualified assistant and ample time will be provided for you to practice and become proficient with the skills.

Qualified assistants from the Training Assistant program are used to provide examples of good diving practices and help increase the safety of the course.

The pool sessions are not evaulated for a grade, but you will be asked to demonstrate all of your scuba skills for the instructor on the last session of the course and he/she will make a final evaluation of your abilites and a decision on whether or not you are ready for the certification dives in open water.

Tim Moore assembles his gear after
being shown how by the instructor.

How Do I Register...

To Register for the Course:

Consult our list of upcoming courses. When you see this course listed, there will be an "enroll" link so you can sign up online. Payment instructions will be included with your online enrollment.

You CANNOT schedule our courses through eLion.
We will register you directly through the registrars office.

Confirmations:

Once we receive your check, someone will send you an e-mail confirmation to let you know we received the check and give you any additional information you may need about the course. You are not officially enrolled in the course until you receive this confirmation!

Refunds:

If you do not participate in the course, you may receive a full refund. For other situations and conditions see the section above on "How Much Does the Course Cost..."

Frequently Asked Questions...

Q: Can I get KINES credit for this class?

A: YES! The first night of class you can sign up to receive 1.5 Penn State KINES credits. You will then be enrolled in a separate section of KINES 045. Depending on when the course starts, you may have to pay a $6 late add fee. Also if you are not a full-time student, you will be charged the per credit fee (approx $300) for the 1.5 credits.

Q: When I'm done with this course, am I a certified diver?

A: NO. Once you have completed this course successfully, you must also successfully complete 5 dives in open water. There are several options available for you to complete these dives. Here is a quick summary:

The club offers a certification weekend (weather permitting) after every course.
Penn State offers the Ginnie Springs Scuba Certification Course which is a certification trip to Northern Florida at the end of the Spring and Fall semesters through the Continuing Education department. You can earn and additional 1.5 KINES credits for this trip.
The local dive shop can do the certification dives for you with a referral letter from your instructor. Contact your instructor for more information and to obtain a letter of referral.
You can also find any NAUI instructor world-wide to do your certification dives as long as you have a referral letter from your instructor. Again contact your instructor for more information and to obtain a letter of referral.

REMEMBER: You have SIX months from the completion of your course to successfully complete the certification dives!

Q: Do I really have to take this course? Can't I just pass the test and do the certification dives?

A: NO. You must complete the entire course to gain the knowledge and pool practice in order to safely and successfully attempt the certification dives.

If you have previous diving experience from the military or commercial diving, an exception may be possible. E-mail the instructor for more information on this.

Additional Questions, Comments, or Suggestions...

Do you have a comment, suggestion, or question not covered by this page? If so, please e-mail the webmaster for an answer and so it can be added to this page.


	Scuba Diver Course... Course Description... The Scuba Diver course is an entry level scuba course. It provides the fundamental knowledge and skills to scuba dive. Upon successful completion of this course graduates are qualified to do the certification dives or obtain a referral letter to do the open water dives in another location with a different instructor. The certification dives are kept separate because due the transient nature of our students, some people prefer to do their open water dives in more tropical conditions or in a location closer to their home. Also some people take this course just to satisfy their KINES requirement and have no desire to get certified. You have SIX months from the time you complete this course to do your certification dives or you will be required to repeat all or part of this course. Consult our options for getting certified list for more information on this. Who Can Take the Course... This course is open to anyone age 18 and older. (NOT JUST Penn State students and faculty!) The nature of scuba diving requires those who participate to be good swimmers. A swim test will be given during the first session and will include: 250 yard (5 laps) non-stop swim. The first three laps must be overhand crawl stroke (aka freestyle). All strokes used must be recognizable by the instructor. The "doggie-paddle" is not a recognized stroke. 60 feet underwater swim on one breath with no push off. 10 minute tread water. Notes: A lap is defined as two lengths of the main indoor pool at the Natatorium on campus. The 60 feet underwater swim is from one end of the main indoor pool at the Natatorium to the far set of flags hanging across the pool. How Much Does the Course Cost... The cost of the course is $185.00 (Course costs are subject to change without notice.) If you took part in one of our Discover SCUBA events within the last two semesters, you can use that $10 towards your course fee. Participation and payment for this course DOES NOT make you a certified diver! You need to complete the Certification Dives in order to be certified. The cost of the course includes a textbook and all instructor, pool, and equipment fees. Unlike other scuba courses, you are not required to buy any equipment. You need only supply a swimsuit and towel. We provide ALL the equipment. You are welcome to purchase and use your own equipment, although the instructor reserves the right to not allow you to use your own equipment if it is deemed inappropriate or unsafe for use in this course. Refunds: Unconditional refunds will be given up to and including the third session of the course. After the third session, refunds will only be given at the discretion of the club officers. Where, When, and How Long is the Course... We typically run four courses per year. One during the Fall and Spring semesters and two during the Summer semester. The Summer and Fall semester courses are four weeks long and meet twice a week on Monday and Wednesday nights from 7:30pm till midnight. This includes two hours of lecture and two hours of pool practice. During the Spring semester the course is eight weeks long and meets once a week on Monday nights from 7:30pm till midnight. Again this includes two hours of lecture and two hours of pool practice. If the enrollment is large enough during the Spring semester, the pool practice sessions will be split into two nights one meeting on Monday night from 10pm till midnight and the other meeting on Wednesday night from 10pm till midnight. In this case, you attend only ONE pool session on either Monday or Wednesday night and your night is the same for all the weeks of the course. Both lecture and pool sessions are held in the Natatorium located on campus at the corner of Bigler and Curtain roads. The lectures are held in room 201 and the pool sessions are done in the main lap pool and the diving well. When is the next course being offered: Check the Online Schedule of Courses Sign up on the Notification List to be automatically e-mailed about future offerings of this course. What Will I Be Learning... You will learn to become one with the underwater world. Ok, seriously, during the lecture portion of the course you will learn about the underwater world, what effects it has on your body and how we function underwater. You will be taught how to select, adjust, assemble, use, and maintain the equipment used for scuba diving. You will be introduced to the varying diving environments that you might visit and what things you need to consider when doing your dives. Also the animal life that you might encounter while diving will be discussed along with how to respect it and keep yourself safe. Diving illnesses such as "the bends" will be explained along with how to treat and/or prevent them. Proper dive planning will be taught so that you can plan and conduct safe, enjoyable dives. During the entire course there will be great emphasis placed on safety and how to plan and conduct dives safely. Finally, opportunities will be presented for you to learn how to further your knowledge about diving because good divers never stop learning. The lecture material will be tested with a 100 question mulitple choice test during the last session of the course. You must score a 75% or better on this test to successfully pass the class. Instructor Paul Rentschler goes over the effects of pressure on air spaces. During the pool practice sessions, you will learn the various skills that you will need to maneuver around and survive in the underwater world. The skills start out with a test of your basic swimming ability and progress from there to snorkeling and then into scuba skills. All skills will be demonstrated by the instructor or a qualified assistant and ample time will be provided for you to practice and become proficient with the skills. Qualified assistants from the Training Assistant program are used to provide examples of good diving practices and help increase the safety of the course. The pool sessions are not evaulated for a grade, but you will be asked to demonstrate all of your scuba skills for the instructor on the last session of the course and he/she will make a final evaluation of your abilites and a decision on whether or not you are ready for the certification dives in open water. Tim Moore assembles his gear after being shown how by the instructor. How Do I Register... To Register for the Course: Consult our list of upcoming courses. When you see this course listed, there will be an "enroll" link so you can sign up online. Payment instructions will be included with your online enrollment. You CANNOT schedule our courses through eLion. We will register you directly through the registrars office. Confirmations: Once we receive your check, someone will send you an e-mail confirmation to let you know we received the check and give you any additional information you may need about the course. You are not officially enrolled in the course until you receive this confirmation! Refunds: If you do not participate in the course, you may receive a full refund. For other situations and conditions see the section above on "How Much Does the Course Cost..." Frequently Asked Questions... Q: Can I get KINES credit for this class? A: YES! The first night of class you can sign up to receive 1.5 Penn State KINES credits. You will then be enrolled in a separate section of KINES 045. Depending on when the course starts, you may have to pay a $6 late add fee. Also if you are not a full-time student, you will be charged the per credit fee (approx $300) for the 1.5 credits. Q: When I'm done with this course, am I a certified diver? A: NO. Once you have completed this course successfully, you must also successfully complete 5 dives in open water. There are several options available for you to complete these dives. Here is a quick summary: The club offers a certification weekend (weather permitting) after every course. Penn State offers the Ginnie Springs Scuba Certification Course which is a certification trip to Northern Florida at the end of the Spring and Fall semesters through the Continuing Education department. You can earn and additional 1.5 KINES credits for this trip. The local dive shop can do the certification dives for you with a referral letter from your instructor. Contact your instructor for more information and to obtain a letter of referral. You can also find any NAUI instructor world-wide to do your certification dives as long as you have a referral letter from your instructor. Again contact your instructor for more information and to obtain a letter of referral. REMEMBER: You have SIX months from the completion of your course to successfully complete the certification dives! Q: Do I really have to take this course? Can't I just pass the test and do the certification dives? A: NO. You must complete the entire course to gain the knowledge and pool practice in order to safely and successfully attempt the certification dives. If you have previous diving experience from the military or commercial diving, an exception may be possible. E-mail the instructor for more information on this. Additional Questions, Comments, or Suggestions... Do you have a comment, suggestion, or question not covered by this page? If so, please e-mail the webmaster for an answer and so it can be added to this page.