Professional Diploma in Underwater Research Techniques
This professional diploma takes you into the exploration and scientific study of the underwater environment. You will learn to plan, run and analyze research projects beneath the surface, from marine biology to underwater archaeology: choosing equipment and platforms such as scientific diving, ROVs and AUVs, designing sampling protocols, mapping the seabed with sonar and photogrammetry, managing campaign safety and logistics and turning raw data into rigorous technical reports.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Professional Diploma in Underwater Research Techniques?
This professional diploma covers the full cycle of an underwater research project. You will study the scope of underwater research and the constraints of the environment, such as pressure, light, visibility and currents; how to frame research questions and plan campaigns; the equipment used, from scientific diving gear, cameras and transects to ROVs, AUVs, CTD and water quality sensors and positioning systems; sampling designs, visual censuses, photo-quadrats and video transects for biological data; seabed mapping with side-scan and multibeam sonar, photogrammetry and 3D models integrated into GIS; underwater archaeology and the non-invasive documentation of submerged heritage; risk assessment, dive planning, emergency procedures and campaign logistics; and data management, quality control, analysis and scientific reporting.
What sets this professional diploma apart: a multidisciplinary approach that connects biology, geology, oceanography, archaeology and engineering; a clear comparison of diver-based and remote or autonomous platforms to choose the right method for each objective; a strong emphasis on comparable, traceable and scientifically defensible data; ethics of minimal intervention and respect for ecosystems and heritage; an in-depth structure of eight modules; and a final project in which you design a complete underwater research study, from methodology and safety plan to data processing and conclusions.
Program highlights
- Research design: questions, hypotheses, campaign planning, ethics and minimal intervention.
- Equipment and platforms: scientific diving, cameras, ROVs, AUVs, oceanographic sensors and positioning.
- Biological sampling: transects, quadrats, visual censuses, photo-quadrats and bias control.
- Seabed mapping: side-scan and multibeam sonar, photogrammetry, 3D models and GIS integration.
- Underwater archaeology: non-invasive documentation of wrecks and submerged heritage and campaign safety.
- Final project: a complete underwater research study with methodology, safety plan, data and conclusions.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Underwater Research Techniques
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Fundamentals of underwater research, scientific methods and planning studies beneath the surface
- 1.1. The concept of underwater research and the differences between exploration, monitoring, prospecting, sampling, documentation and scientific analysis
- 1.2. Fields of application: marine biology, underwater archaeology, marine geology, oceanography, conservation, engineering and environmental assessment
- 1.3. Features of the underwater environment: pressure, light, visibility, temperature, currents, salinity and access constraints
- 1.4. Designing research questions, objectives, hypotheses, variables, indicators and underwater observation criteria
- 1.5. Campaign planning: permits, team, logistics, safety, timeline, environmental conditions and available resources
- 1.6. Differences between research using divers, ROVs, AUVs, fixed sensors, remote cameras and surface platforms
- 1.7. Scientific ethics, minimal intervention, protection of ecosystems and respect for underwater heritage
- 1.8. A systemic approach to underwater research integrating science, technology, safety, data and conservation
Research equipment, scientific diving, remote platforms and underwater observation tools
- 2.1. Personal scientific diving equipment, technical snorkelling, communications, signaling, safety and field data recording
- 2.2. Underwater cameras, lighting, housings, scales, slates, transects, quadrats and visual documentation tools
- 2.3. Using ROVs for inspection, observation, recording, light sampling and access to difficult or deep areas
- 2.4. Using AUVs and autonomous vehicles for surveys, programmed routes, bathymetry, sonar and extensive inspection
- 2.5. Underwater sensors: CTD, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, temperature, salinity, currents and water quality
- 2.6. Positioning systems, buoys, surface GPS, visual references, markers and georeferencing of findings
- 2.7. Selecting equipment according to depth, research objective, duration, required accuracy and level of risk
- 2.8. Building reliable technical set-ups to obtain useful and repeatable underwater data
Sampling techniques, transects, visual censuses and collection of underwater biological data
- 3.1. Fundamentals of underwater sampling and the differences between random, systematic, stratified and targeted sampling
- 3.2. Designing line transects, belt transects, quadrats, fixed points and monitoring stations
- 3.3. Visual censuses of fish, invertebrates, algae, corals, seagrass meadows and benthic communities
- 3.4. Recording abundance, cover, size, behavior, presence-absence and conservation status of species
- 3.5. Photo-quadrats, video transects, photomosaics and subsequent visual analysis techniques
- 3.6. Sampling water, sediments, organisms, biofouling and biological material with minimal disturbance
- 3.7. Controlling bias due to observer, visibility, depth, time of day, season, animal behavior and team experience
- 3.8. Building biological sampling protocols that produce comparable, traceable and scientifically defensible data
Underwater mapping, photogrammetry, sonar and three-dimensional documentation of the seabed
- 4.1. Fundamentals of underwater mapping and the differences between bathymetry, benthic mapping, photogrammetry and 3D reconstruction
- 4.2. Using side-scan sonar, multibeam sonar, echo sounders, profilers and acoustic sensors for underwater surveys
- 4.3. Underwater photogrammetry with cameras, scales, control points, overlap, lighting and route planning
- 4.4. Generating orthomosaics, 3D models, point clouds and visual products for scientific or heritage analysis
- 4.5. Habitat mapping: reefs, seagrass meadows, rocky bottoms, sandy bottoms, caves, wrecks and artificial structures
- 4.6. Georeferencing underwater data, integration with GIS and linking to surface coordinates
- 4.7. Cartographic quality control, accuracy, resolution, positioning errors and limitations due to visibility or turbidity
- 4.8. Producing underwater cartographic products for research, conservation, monitoring and marine spatial management
Underwater archaeology, submerged heritage and the investigation of underwater structures and remains
- 5.1. Fundamentals of underwater archaeology and the differences between survey, documentation, excavation, conservation and heritage management
- 5.2. Identifying wrecks, port remains, anchors, ceramics, submerged structures, artifacts and underwater cultural landscapes
- 5.3. Visual, photographic, photogrammetric, acoustic and georeferenced survey techniques for underwater heritage
- 5.4. Non-invasive recording, archaeological drawing, scales, find records, context control and systematic documentation
- 5.5. Preventive conservation of submerged heritage and criteria to avoid removal, alteration or loss of contextual information
- 5.6. Managing permits, legal protection, heritage ethics and coordination with the competent authorities
- 5.7. Risks from looting, unregulated tourism, maritime works, bottom trawling, corrosion and natural degradation
- 5.8. Building heritage research protocols that combine scientific rigor, legal protection and minimal intervention
Safety, logistics, risk management and the operation of underwater research campaigns
- 6.1. Risk assessment in underwater campaigns: depth, currents, maritime traffic, visibility, wildlife, weather and team fatigue
- 6.2. Dive plans, dive profiles, buddy system, communications, roles, bottom times and emergency procedures
- 6.3. Safety in operations with ROVs, AUVs, support vessels, equipment lifting, cables, batteries and sensors
- 6.4. Coordination with skippers, divers, researchers, technicians, authorities, dive centers and surface teams
- 6.5. Campaign logistics: equipment transport, battery charging, spare parts, maintenance, storage and protection of equipment
- 6.6. Incident logging, field logbooks, monitoring of environmental conditions and operational traceability
- 6.7. Emergency management: lost diver, equipment failure, accident, change in weather, loss of vehicle or communication breakdown
- 6.8. Building safe, efficient underwater campaigns that protect both people and the data obtained
Data management, analysis, scientific reporting and communication of underwater results
- 7.1. Organizing field data: photographs, videos, record sheets, samples, coordinates, sensors, logbooks and metadata
- 7.2. Quality control of underwater data: errors, duplicates, incomplete data, bias, calibration and cross-validation
- 7.3. Basic analysis of biological, environmental, cartographic, archaeological and oceanographic data
- 7.4. Integrating results into GIS, databases, maps, charts, tables, 3D models and document repositories
- 7.5. Writing technical reports with methodology, results, limitations, visual evidence and recommendations
- 7.6. Communicating results to institutions, coastal communities, environmental managers, authorities, museums, companies and the general public
- 7.7. Applying results to conservation, marine area management, planning of works, environmental education and heritage protection
- 7.8. Producing clear, verifiable final products that are useful for research, management and decision-making
Final Project
- 8.1. Defining the case study: ecosystem, habitat, wreck, submerged structure, monitoring area, scientific campaign or underwater environmental problem
- 8.2. Diagnosis of the site, research objectives, permits, risks, technical resources and underwater working conditions
- 8.3. Methodological design using transects, censuses, sampling, photogrammetry, sonar, sensors, ROVs, AUVs or scientific diving as appropriate
- 8.4. Drawing up the plan for safety, logistics, roles, timeline, equipment, contingencies and operational traceability
- 8.5. Processing underwater data through organization, quality control, analysis, mapping, visual models or comparative results
- 8.6. Interpreting results using scientific, environmental, heritage, technical and management criteria
- 8.7. Writing the comprehensive technical report with methodology, data, maps, images, limitations, conclusions and recommendations
- 8.8. Presentation and defense of the final project with the scientific, operational and environmental rationale for the underwater research
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Underwater Research Techniques
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Underwater Research Techniques
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Underwater Research Techniques
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Underwater Research Techniques
Aquatic environments in general, including oceans, seas, lakes, rivers and other bodies of water, with particular attention to marine ecosystems and submerged heritage.
The focus is on techniques: how to plan, choose equipment, sample, map, document and analyze. It also includes the theory you need to understand and apply each method correctly.
No. It is taught online and covers the planning, methods and analysis of underwater research. Diving certifications and medical fitness for diving are issued by the competent bodies and are your own responsibility if you take part in fieldwork.
Yes. You study how ROVs and AUVs are used for inspection, surveys, bathymetry and sampling, and how to choose between divers and remote platforms for each objective.
Yes. A full module covers the survey and non-invasive documentation of wrecks and submerged heritage, preventive conservation, permits and coordination with the authorities.
You design a complete underwater research study for a habitat, wreck, structure or monitoring area, with methodology, safety and logistics plan, data processing, interpretation and a technical report.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The professional diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of 100 hours each and ends with a final project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
More programs in Biology and conservation
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at archaeologists, oceanographers and marine biologists, professional and advanced recreational divers, students of related disciplines, cultural and natural heritage managers and offshore and marine renewable energy professionals; a degree in marine biology, archaeology, oceanography, engineering or a related field, or professional diving experience combined with an interest in research, is recommended.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and enough capacity to run photogrammetry, GIS and data analysis software.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.