Our Oceans Need You – and You Need Us

Ocean researchers, conservationists, environmental journalists, students and more: if you want to understand and protect our oceans, you’re welcome in the Wrigley Institute’s diving program.

Based in a pristine marine sanctuary just 22 miles from Los Angeles, our program offers the unique opportunity to train or conduct research in a protected environment that’s still within convenient reach of a major city.

Whether you’re looking to earn your AAUS certification for the first time, keep your skills fresh, earn advanced credentials, or tap into our expertise for research access and support, we can help!

a scuba diver in full gear makes a heart shape with their hands as they bob with their head and shoulders above the water

Training and Support Options

    AAUS Certification

    Offered through the Wrigley Institute’s Catalina Residential College Maymester, our AAUS certification course equips students for careers in marine biology, oceanography, environmental journalism, and more.

    A highly experienced team of diving instructors, led by USC’s Diving Safety Officer, teaches the course. Students also get support and instruction from the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber, an emergency dive medicine facility located at WMSC.

    Course content includes marine species identification, transect use, underwater mapping and navigation, first aid, rescues, and more.

    Note: Before applying for this course, you must earn an open-water (PADI) scuba certification and pass an AAUS diving physical.

    Please check back in fall 2026 for information about registering for this course.

    Proficiency Diving

    Need to log dives to maintain certifications?

    Spend a day with us on beautiful Catalina Island while you check those boxes! We offer designated dates when you can access our facility to keep your skills sharp and your log up-to-date.

    Proficiency dive days are offered monthly and are open to active USC divers only*. Participants must hold a current AAUS diving certification, provide their own dive gear, and submit a dive plan for approval prior to arrival.

    Our next proficiency dive day is July 23, 2026.

    *If you are a USC diver who has fallen out of active status due to infrequent diving, but you otherwise meet all the requirements, you may request to join a proficiency dive day for a checkout dive.

     

    Additional Training

    The Wrigley Institute also offers dive training to fit varying needs shared by our community. These trainings can range from intro-level courses for pre-divers to advanced training for those who have extensive experience.

    Fall 2026 courses are still in development. Please check back in August-September for more information.

    Visiting Divers and Dive Groups

    Are you looking to conduct independent underwater research around Catalina Island? Or are you a dive group in search of a training or practice facility?

    Catalina Island’s marine sanctuaries, located just 22 miles from Los Angeles, provide a unique setting for studying and learning in protected waters, while our on-staff dive and waterfront teams provide expert technical and safety support.

    Options – including housing, dining, labs, and meeting spaces – are available for day trips or extended stays.

    an underwater scene showing corals of various shapes and sizes, as well as macroalgae and rocks
    an underwater scene showing corals of various shapes and sizes, as well as macroalgae and rocks
    an underwater scene showing corals of various shapes and sizes, as well as macroalgae and rocks
    an underwater scene showing corals of various shapes and sizes, as well as macroalgae and rocks

    A Dive Location Like No Other

    The Wrigley Marine Science Center’s Big Fisherman Cove and Catalina Island’s coastal waters provide a remarkable setting for dive training and ocean research. Part of California’s Marine Protected Area Network and Mission Blue’s Hope Spot network, the cove and nearby waters were recently added to the IUCN’s Green List of exceptional conservation areas worldwide.

    With visibility that is often remarkably clear, the area offers a mix of healthy kelp forests, eelgrass beds, sandy bottom, and rocky reefs populated by an incredible depth and breadth of marine life. From numerous types of snails and nudibranchs all the way to giant sea bass, countless species thrive at all life stages.

    Click through the gallery for a snapshot of what you might encounter when you visit.

    Scientific divers work underwater with tape measure
    The View From Here

    Book Your Visit

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