A full semester rigorous introduction to the fundamentals of SCUBA diving, including diving physics, physiology, decompression issues, environment, equipment, and safety. Through a progressive series of classroom lectures and pool sessions, students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct themselves with competence in New England waters. Emphasis on safety and problem prevention. Strong swimming ability required.

Effective management of human activities in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes areas is critical to our future. This course provides a foundation for students from various backgrounds to understand US marine policy and how it relates to their future careers in research, policy, law, or management. While focused on US marine policy, the course also provides international context, including the UN Law of the Sea and other related conventions on pollution, fisheries, and resource protection.

Through this course students will become competent and highly educated in a variety of diving disciplines to prepare them to work underwater. Students will be exposed to a variety of diving-related topics through a series of lecture and hands-on practical applications. Topics covered are navigation, search and recovery, low visibility, night diving, surface supplied diving, boat driving, accident management, hyperbaric medicine, physics, physiology, working and scientific research methods for diving. Open water certification and college level science course required prior to taking course.

New or specialized topics not normally covered in regular course offerings.