PADI Underwater Naturalist Instructor – Inspire Curiosity and Conservation at Diving Academy

At Diving Academy, we believe diving is more than exploration—it’s connection. The PADI Underwater Naturalist Instructor course trains you to teach divers how to see the underwater world through a new lens. It’s not just about spotting marine life—it’s about understanding ecosystems, relationships, and the critical role each species plays.

As a PADI Underwater Naturalist Instructor, you’ll help students recognise behaviours, distinguish between vertebrates and invertebrates, and explore the interaction between marine organisms and their environment. You won’t just create better divers—you’ll shape more informed, conservation-minded ocean advocates.

Why Teach the Underwater Naturalist Specialty?

Today’s divers crave meaning in their adventures. They want to learn more, contribute more, and dive with purpose. That’s why this course is a perfect addition to your instructor toolkit. It appeals to beginners, advanced divers, photographers, and anyone who’s passionate about marine life.

Plus, it pairs seamlessly with specialties like Fish Identification, Peak Performance Buoyancy, and AWARE Shark Conservation. When bundled, these courses offer increased value and create well-rounded, environmentally aware divers.

Deliver Engaging, Insightful, and Standards-Based Instruction

You’ll follow PADI’s General Standards and Procedures, while learning to build classroom sessions and dive briefings that captivate and educate. We’ll help you turn scientific content into engaging lessons—whether you’re discussing symbiosis, camouflage, or the impact of human activity on reef systems.

You’ll also cover observation techniques, data recording, and how to promote responsible interaction with marine life. Through clear structure and compelling storytelling, you’ll turn your students into thoughtful, curious divers.

Instructor Workshops That Bring Nature to Life

At Diving Academy, our instructor development goes beyond the basics. Your training includes:

Course structure and delivery planning
Marine ecology teaching techniques
Interactive knowledge development sessions
Marketing and outreach strategies
Open water dive leadership with ecological focus

By the end, you’ll feel confident and excited to teach this eye-opening specialty.

So if you’re ready to elevate your impact and teach with purpose, become a PADI Underwater Naturalist Instructor at Diving Academy today.

👉 Contact us to enrol or find out more.

Prerequisites

Medical Requirements

Scuba diving requires a minimum level of health and fitness. Chronic health conditions, certain medications and/or recent surgery may require you to get written approval from a physician before diving.

Avoid disappointment, download and review the Diver Medical form to ensure you won’t need a physician’s approval to dive before enrolling in a scuba course. Instructors, divemasters and dive shop staff are not physicians and should not be asked for medical advice; only medical professionals can give medical clearance to dive.

If you (or your physician) have questions about medical fitness to dive, contact the experts at Divers Alert Network (DAN).

Your Medical Statement must be signed by a physician within the last 12 months or full HSE Medical. Under the Diving at Work Regulations 1997, all divers at work must have a valid certificate of HSE fitness to dive issued by an Approved Medical Examiner of Divers (AMED), please Contact Us for more information.

All Specialties

PADI Instructor (Scuba, Tec, Mermaid & Freediving), or you are currently participating in or have completed an IDC/OWSI Program within the past 12 months. IDC/OWSI candidates may apply for Specialty Instructor certification only after successfully completing an IE.

Specialties Without Dives

PADI Assistant Instructor
PADI Divemaster for these courses: Emergency Oxygen Provider, Equipment
Specialist, Coral Reef Conservation, Project AWARE Specialist and PADI
Distinctive Specialty Diver (approved).

Exception: Both Divemasters and Assistant Instructors may attend Digital Underwater Photographer specialty instructor training courses.

Meet Our Course Directors

Course Locations

Dive Centre

Diving Academy – Dive Centre, Sunfield Business Park, New Mill Road, Wokingham, RG40 4QT

Pool Training Sites

Wokingham – The Forest School, Robin Hood Lane, Winnersh, Wokingham, RG41 5NE

Yateley – Yateley School, School Lane, GU46 6NW

Hagbourne – Hagbourne School Pool, Main Road, East Hagbourne, OX11 9LR

Swindon – Halo Highworth Recreation Centre, The Elms, Highworth, Swindon SN6 7DD

Open Water Training Sites:

London – Wraysbury Diving Lake, Station Road, Wraysbury, Berkshire, TW19 5ND

Radstock – Vobster Quay, Upper Vobster, Radstock, BA3 5SD

Leicester – Stoney Cove, Sapcote Road, Stoney Stanton, Leicester, LE9 4DW

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PADI Underwater Naturalist Instructor

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