College credit for select PADI courses?

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Sounder
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College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Sounder »

In looking at the PADI Night Diver course linked in another thread, I noticed that PADI is promoting that college students can get college credit for taking scuba classes. PADI will send an official transcript to the college and "the institution may apply the credit to your major replacing a required course. They may also use the credit as a general elective to possibly waive a prerequisite course."

"The American Council of Education (ACE) recommends college credit for certain PADI scuba diver and Emergency First Response (EFR) courses. ACE represents all colleges and universities before the U.S. federal government and as such is the unified voice of higher education. ACE evaluates educational courses according to established college-level criteria and recommends college credit for those that measure up to these standards."

I know there are universities which offer scuba diving as an elective credit option, and I believe that it's a pretty fantastic way to learn to dive as they spend a lot longer on the academics and get much more pool time. However, having worked very hard in college and now doing the same in graduate school, I'm not sure how I feel about credits which are transferred in from courses taught outside of the school. It's just not the same to me for someone to be able to complete a couple weekends of scuba training and get college credit for it, as it is to spend a whole quarter or semester doing the same class for the same credit.

I'm interested in hear what others think, an no this isn't "PADI bashing."
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Aquanautchuck »

Wow, take enough certification courses and get a BS in Scuba. Sweet.
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ScubaWarrior
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by ScubaWarrior »

Is there any local colleges that offer PADI courses?
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Jenbowes »

Aquanautchuck wrote:Wow, take enough certification courses and get a BS in Scuba. Sweet.
I know, right?!

I'd be curious to know how many credits would be applied from the classes. I did an externship recently through THE Evergreen State College (my alma mater), and for a 2 credit course, I was required to do something like 10 hours of work, specific to the externship, each week for six weeks. A couple of hours a weekend or a few weekends wouldn't have done diddly!

So, maybe it only applies toward credits in an existing class, not credits in and of itself? I'd have a hard time imagining an accredited college allowing independent credits for a short duration course. On the other hand, I'm not on the Board of Ed or nuthin'!

Regardless, even if it's stand alone credits, I don't necessarily care whether someone else gets it ... just bummed that I didn't get to jump on that gravy train!

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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by WylerBear »

You get college credits for most PADI courses. They are PE courses for minimal credit. There is a limit although I don't know offhand what it is.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Sockmonkey »

Aquanautchuck wrote:Wow, take enough certification courses and get a BS in Scuba. Sweet.
NWDC is already full of Scuba BS. In fact some of us have a PhD in Scuba BS. (Professor Marcoux... I'm looking in your direction)

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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Sounder »

Sockmonkey wrote:
Aquanautchuck wrote:Wow, take enough certification courses and get a BS in Scuba. Sweet.
NWDC is already full of Scuba BS. In fact some of us have a PhD in Scuba BS. (Professor Marcoux... I'm looking in your direction)

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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by spatman »

Sockmonkey wrote:
Aquanautchuck wrote:Wow, take enough certification courses and get a BS in Scuba. Sweet.
NWDC is already full of Scuba BS. In fact some of us have a PhD in Scuba BS. (Professor Marcoux... I'm looking in your direction)

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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Mongodives »

seems to me to be no different than colleges giving credits for military experience and training.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by spatman »

Mongodives wrote:seems to me to be no different than colleges giving credits for military experience and training.
:bs:

i don't think you can equate military training with recreational diving classes.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Sounder »

spatman wrote:
Mongodives wrote:seems to me to be no different than colleges giving credits for military experience and training.
:bs:

i don't think you can equate military training with recreational diving classes.
+1 :bs:
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Geek »

When I last looked into it, Only the OW cert is counted for credits and I believe it can be from any agency. You have to talk to the whatever school your going to, but then again they change there minds all the time.... :dontknow:
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Sounder »

Geek wrote:When I last looked into it, Only the OW cert is counted for credits and I believe it can be from any agency. You have to talk to the whatever school your going to, but then again they change there minds all the time.... :dontknow:
Nope, there are a BUNCH of courses, including certified night diver, that count as college credit. PADI has them all listed on their website.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by spatman »

Sounder wrote:
Geek wrote:When I last looked into it, Only the OW cert is counted for credits and I believe it can be from any agency. You have to talk to the whatever school your going to, but then again they change there minds all the time.... :dontknow:
Nope, there are a BUNCH of courses, including certified night diver, that count as college credit. PADI has them all listed on their website.
i think it's up to the college/university as to what courses they will award credit for. for example, Snoqualmie Community College might give you 1 credit for passing "Sounder's Stroketastic Seminar", but i doubt UW would.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by girldiver »

The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends college credit for certain PADI scuba diver courses. ACE represents all colleges and universities before the US federal government and as such is the unified voice of higher education.
ACE evaluates educational courses according to established college-level criteria and recommends college credit
for those that measure up to these standards.

The ACE credit recommendations for PADI courses may help you in receiving college credit at an America university
or college – even if the courses aren’t conducted on a university or college campus. Courses offered through
PADI Dive Centers, Resorts and at other locations qualify.

TAKE A COURSE – USE THE CREDIT
A university or college may use the ACE credit recommendations in a variety of ways. The institution may apply the
credit to your major replacing a required course. They may also use the credit as a general elective to possibly waive a
prerequisite course.

COLLEGE CREDIT AT NO EXTRA CHARGE
Universities and colleges that accept ACE credit recommendations for PADI courses typically handle them like transfer
credit. Transfer credit is often awarded without an additional fee. This may save you tuition fees while at the same time
allowing you to possibly meet graduation requirements.

HOW MUCH COLLEGE CREDIT CAN I EARN?

ACE has set forth the following college credit recommendations for PADI courses:

Semester Credit Baccalaureate/Associate Degree
Course Hours Division* Instructional Area
Open Water Diver 1 Lower Recreation/Physical Education
Advanced Open Water Diver 1 Lower Recreation/Physical Education
Rescue Diver 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education
Divemaster 2 Lower Recreation/Physical Education
Assistant Instructor 1 Lower Recreation/Physical Education
Instructor Development 2-3 Upper** Recreation/Physical Education or Education
Course Director Training 3 Upper Recreation/Physical Education or Education
Deep Diver Specialty 1 Lower Recreation/Physical Education
Night Diver Specialty 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education
Dry Suit Diver Specialty 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education
Search & Recovery Diver Specialty 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education
Underwater Navigator Specialty 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education
Underwater Photographer Specialty 1 Lower* Recreation/Photography
Wreck Diver Specialty 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education or Archeology
Enriched Air Diver Specialty 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education
Apprentice Tec/Tec Diver Level I 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education
Tec Deep 1 Upper Recreation/Physical Education
Tec Trimix 1 Upper Recreation/Physical Education
Emergency First Response Instructor 1 Lower* Recreation/Physical Education
********************
Cindy
http://www.scubashoppe.com -
Retail, Training, Travel and a Full Service Center: 130 Main Street, Auburn.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Sounder »

spatman wrote:
Sounder wrote:
Geek wrote:When I last looked into it, Only the OW cert is counted for credits and I believe it can be from any agency. You have to talk to the whatever school your going to, but then again they change there minds all the time.... :dontknow:
Nope, there are a BUNCH of courses, including certified night diver, that count as college credit. PADI has them all listed on their website.
i think it's up to the college/university as to what courses they will award credit for. for example, Snoqualmie Community College might give you 1 credit for passing "Sounder's Stroketastic Seminar", but i doubt UW would.
It's Professor Sounder's Stroketastic Seminar... respect the title.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by CaptnJack »

Sounder wrote:
spatman wrote:
Sounder wrote:
Geek wrote:When I last looked into it, Only the OW cert is counted for credits and I believe it can be from any agency. You have to talk to the whatever school your going to, but then again they change there minds all the time.... :dontknow:
Nope, there are a BUNCH of courses, including certified night diver, that count as college credit. PADI has them all listed on their website.
i think it's up to the college/university as to what courses they will award credit for. for example, Snoqualmie Community College might give you 1 credit for passing "Sounder's Stroketastic Seminar", but i doubt UW would.
It's Professor Sounder's Stroketastic Seminar... respect the title.
That must have been an online degree from the venerable City University of Port au Prince.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by psundquist »

Luckily I benefited earlier in the history of college credit for PADI courses. In 1986 I received 1 or maybe 2 credits at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee taking a PADI OW class. The university pool was great for the first dives, but the quary in Racine Wisconsin for the open water dives in November was not so enjoyable. I didn't need these credits for my degree since they didn't fit into any of the categories of what was required. However it was a great way to enhance receiving a broad education, and it is something I still use today unlike some of the other required classes.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by ScubaWarrior »

ACE is fine and dandy, but the question i guess better asked is:
ScubaWarrior wrote:Is there any local colleges that offer PADI courses?
local colleges meaning somewhere in washington state since there is a lot of military that can while on Active Duty take college courses for FREE!!
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by brihno »

I took NAUI advanced diver and Nitrox course at OIT since the 2 were combined they were worth 1 PE credit for both classes.
Taking dive classes at school is a really good option for full time students because you don't 'feel' the pain in the pocket book as much.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Tom Nic »

The manager of the Lakewood underwater sports has taught a college scuba course locally for some time and would definitely be able to answer specifics on this question as well.
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Re: College credit for select PADI courses?

Post by Dusty2 »

ScubaWarrior wrote:ACE is fine and dandy, but the question i guess better asked is:
ScubaWarrior wrote:Is there any local colleges that offer PADI courses?
local colleges meaning somewhere in washington state since there is a lot of military that can while on Active Duty take college courses for FREE!!
Damn Tom you beat me to it.! :gunslinger:

As far as I know pac Lutheran does. One of the managers at underwater sports used to teach it but I haven't talked to them in a long time so I don't know the current status. I do know it was a weekly class just like any other college course.
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