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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 reach out within 24 hours 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.
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200 logged divesProof of 200 logged dives required.
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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.
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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 reach out within 24 hours to schedule.

Call (512) 489-4404

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