The James E. Lockwood Jr. School of Diving is one of the largest facilities dedicated to diving science and technology education. With a 40-foot deep dive training lagoon and a living coral reef just five miles away, the term “classroom” takes on an entirely new meaning.  

Our goal is to have our students apply diving in other academic disciplines such as marine biology, underwater archaeology, mariculture, hospitality and ecotourism, underwater journalism, photography, and other research areas.

If the AAS is not for you, a diving certificate may better complement your academic and career goals:

  • Professional Research Diving
  • Diving Medical Technician
  • Professional Dive Instructor
  • Fundamentals of Professional Diving

Students are encouraged to participate in Scuba Club and explore the reefs with friends. 

CFK is a 2021 Center of Excellence for Domestic Maritime Workforce Training and Education (CoE)! Click to learn more!

AAS: Diving Business Technology

Completion of this degree will prepare students to manage dive businesses in retail sales, rentals and equipment repair. Students will be trained in physics and physiology as applied to diving, emergency medicine and first aid for pressure-related injuries, recompression chamber operation, mixed gas dive planning, and underwater photography.

Certificate: Professional Research Diving

Completion of this certificate will prepare students with the tools and techniques for surveying and collecting scientific data underwater in reef, sea grass and mangrove island communities using scuba diving skills and research methodology as applied to the fields of shipwreck archeology, physical oceanography and marine biology. Graduates may be qualified to work for research programs.

Certificate: Diving Medical Technician

Completion of this certificate will prepare students to safely operate a hyperbaric chamber with a patient and tender inside, recognize diving disorders or injuries and apply appropriate first aid and recognize oxygen toxicity and the proper response during recompression chamber operations.

Certificate: Professional Dive Instructor

Completion of this certificate will prepare students to manage aspects of modern dive service facilities including charter operations, retail, service operations, training facility operations and overhead cost control. In addition, students will be trained to serve in a supervisory capacity in open water diving activities.

Certificate: Fundamentals of Professional Diving

Completion of this degree will prepare students to work in dive businesses in retail sales and rentals and equipment repair. Students will be trained in physics and physiology as applied to diving, emergency medicine and first aid for pressure related injuries, recompression chamber operation, equipment repair, mixed gas dive planning, and underwater photography.

Optional Diving Industry Certifications

American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS)
  • AAUS Scientific Diver
Divers Alert Network (DAN)
  • Basic Life Support CPR & First Aid Provider
  • Basic Life Support CPR & First Aid Instructor
  • Diving Emergency Management Provider
  • Diving Emergency Management Instructor
  • Diving Emergency Specialist
  • Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries Provider
  • Emergency Oxygen for Scuba Diving Injuries Instructor
  • First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries Provider
  • First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries Instructor
  • On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers Provider
  • On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers Instructor
Emergency First Response (EFR)
  • Care for Children Provider
  • Care for Children Instructor
  • CPR and AED Provider
  • CPR and AED Instructor
  • Primary and Secondary Care Provider
  • Primary and Secondary Care Instructor
MARES
  • Mares Lab Service Technician
Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI):
  • Advanced Open Water Diver
  • AWARE Fish Identification
  • Deep Diver
  • Divemaster
  • DSAT Gas Blender
  • Enriched Air Diver
  • Equipment Specialist
  • IDC Staff Instructor
  • Night and Limited Visibility Diver
  • Open Water Diver
  • Open Water Scuba Instructor
  • Peak Performance Buoyancy Diver
  • Rescue Diver
  • Research Diver
  • Search and Recovery Diver
  • Specialty Instructor
  • Underwater Naturalist
  • Underwater Navigator
  • Underwater Photographer
  • Wreck Diver
Professional Scuba Inspectors (PSI)/Professional Cylinder Inspectors (PCI)
  • PSI/PCI Visual Cylinder Inspector