Technical Diving
Freediving
Emergency First Response
FREE – Introduction to Scuba Diving Online
Marine Debris
Shark & Ray Protection
Adopt The Blue
PADI Recycled Plastic Black visor
ECO UPF Hooded Long Sleeve Sun Shirt
Recycled Plastic Vibrant Whale Shark Rash Guard
PADI Specialty Courses
Choose Your Own Adventure
PADI Specialty Courses – many now available with digital learning – give you the tools to enhance your exploration. Discover your unique diving aptitude - deep diving, photography, videography, fish identification, etc.
Can’t decide? Ask your instructor about Advanced Open Water. This course includes two core specialty dives and three specialty dives of your choosing.
PADI Specialty Courses
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Enriched Air (Nitrox) Diver
Underwater Navigator
Deep Diver
Night Diver
Full Face Mask Diver
Self-Reliant Diver
Drift Diver
Boat Diver
Search and Recovery Diver
Sidemount Rec Diver
Dive Against Debris
Diving With Enriched Air Nitrox
An enriched air nitrox certification allows you to extend your bottom time and enjoy shorter surface intervals, one of the many reasons it’s PADI’s most popular specialties. The course only takes a few hours and you can do most of it online.
Master Diver
PADI Master Scuba Diver™ rating is the highest level of recreational diving. It denotes significant experience and scuba training. Fewer than two percent of divers ever become Master Scuba Divers.
More Information About PADI Specialty Courses
Your questions, answered
You can start any of the PADI courses below online and complete your in-water training (if applicable) with a PADI Dive Shop or Instructor anywhere in the world.
Boat Diver
Deep Diver
Digital Underwater Photographer
Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV)
Drift Diver
Dry Suit Diver
Enriched Air Diver
Equipment Specialist
Night Diver
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Search and Recovery
Underwater Navigator
Wreck Diver
Yes! You can combine the dry suit or enriched air nitrox specialty with just about any other course. Read this article for more information and ideas.
It depends. For courses like dry suit diver and underwater photography, your local dive shop may offer rentals, but it’s a good idea to contact them in advance. There’s also a big advantage to owning the equipment you’ll use during your training. For example, if you use a Brand X rental camera and then buy a Brand Y camera later on, you may have to teach yourself how to operate the Brand Y camera controls (white balance, f-stops) on your own.
Whether you’re landlocked, homebound, or just need to take a break from being in the water, there are ways to improve your diving knowledge and skills without getting wet. The Coral Reef Conservation, Emergency Oxygen Provider, Equipment Specialist, Enriched Air Nitrox, and Project AWARE specialties all have course options that don't require training dives.
PADI’s scuba refresher program (ReActivate) is a great way to brush up on scuba diving fundamentals. It’s recommended if you haven’t been diving in awhile, but not mandatory.
The online program is completely personalized. You’ll move quickly through familiar concepts you understand well, and dive deeper into things you may have forgotten.
After reviewing scuba fundamentals online, schedule an in-water session with a PADI Professional who will help you brush up your underwater skills and answer any questions you have. Divers who complete both the online knowledge review and in-water skill refresher receive a replacement certification card with a ReActivated date on it.
Keep Reading
PADI Divers share tips and stories about taking specialty courses.
Quiz: Which PADI Specialty Course Should You Take?
Want to improve your knowledge and skills but aren’t sure where to start?
Chart Your Own Path to Master Scuba Diver
Create a custom program based on your interests and environment