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Texas Scuba Academy
SDI Course Director
Professional levelSDI Certified

SDI Course Director

Train the trainers — become qualified to run SDI Instructor Development Courses and certify new instructors.

$1500.00Enrollment Open
Have questions? Call (512) 489-4404
  • ✓eLearning access as soon as you check out
  • ✓We’ll be in touch to schedule your sessions
Taught by Brady Huddleston
SDI Course Director & Instructor Trainer · PADI IDC Staff Instructor · American Red Cross Instructor
Meet the team

What's included

✓SDI professional-level training materials
✓Mentorship from an experienced SDI instructor trainer
✓Real-world teaching and dive-leadership experience
✓A clear path to your next professional rating
✓Flexible scheduling built around your goals
“Best decision I made. The instructors were patient, the small class size meant real attention, and I booked everything online without a single phone call.”
— Recent Open Water graduate

Who it's for

This course builds on prior certification and experience — here's what you'll need before you start.

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Minimum age 21Candidates must be at least 21 years old.
✓
200 logged divesProof of 200 logged dives required.
✓
Active SDI Open Water Scuba Diver Instructor (or equivalent) for 2+ yearsMust have no quality assurance issues within the past 12 months.
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150 issued diver certifications minimumSuggested distribution: 100 Open Water Scuba Diver, 25 Rescue Diver, 20 Specialty Diver, 5 Divemaster or Assistant Instructor.
✓
Current CPR, first aid, and oxygen provider certificationRequired where local law permits.
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Current medical examination for scuba divingSigned by a licensed physician.
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Course Director pre-course study packageIncludes a written Standards and Procedures exam, the online OWSDI course, the online Professional Familiarization (crossover) course, and presentation evaluations.
✓
Pass the SDI Course Director written examMinimum score of 80%, with 100% required on critical objectives.

What you'll learn

Instructor Trainer Development Topics

✓How to use the SDI Instructor Trainer manual and an overview of the SDI/TDI/ERDI instructor training process
✓Being a professional instructor trainer, dive leader risk management, and the business of diving
✓Teaching diving physics and physiology, and methods of instruction
✓Teaching the SDI Instructor, Rescue Instructor, Divemaster/Assistant Instructor, and Specialty Instructor courses
✓The instructor evaluation process and conducting instructor in-water sessions
✓Marketing SDI Instructor courses and conducting the SDI Instructor Crossover program

Required Skill Performance & Evaluation

✓Complete required watermanship tests, a full rescue scenario, and a survival float to instructor-trainer standard
✓Present, at instructor-trainer quality, a minimum of 2 diver-level and 3 instructor-level academic presentations, plus 2 diver-level confined water and 2 diver-level open water presentations
✓Evaluate a minimum of 2 diver-level and 3 instructor-level academic presentations, plus 2 instructor-level confined water and 2 instructor-level open water presentations
✓Demonstrate mature, sound judgment in student coaching and evaluation
✓Upon completion, may conduct the IDC portion of the OWSDI course and the Non-Diving Specialty Instructor course, certify Instructors/Assistant Instructors, and attend an Instructor Trainer Workshop (ITW)

Frequently asked questions

The core program runs a minimum of 5 days including academic, pool, and open water sessions. Because this is a performance-based course, additional days may be required. You must also staff one complete SDI IDC after completion before your rating is fully active.

Simple process

How it works

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eLearning at home

Complete the academic portion online at your own pace — videos, quizzes, no classroom required.

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In-person session

A short in-person class — no pool or open-water diving involved for this course.

Ready?

Ready to get in the water?

Book online in minutes. eLearning starts instantly. We’ll be in touch to schedule.

Call (512) 489-4404

Already certified? Advanced Adventure Diver is a popular next step.