United States Power Squadrons
Educational Opportunities

United States Power Squadrons provides many educational opportunities to both the boating public and to its members. One of the key concepts of the United States Power Squadrons is the self-education of its members, meaning that successful students go on to teach other students to perpetuate boating knowledge. USPS instructors who teach public courses are also certified regarding their ability to teach and use modern instructional methods.

Public Educational Opportunties

Public Courses

USPS provides basic boating education to the public with no charge for instruction. Local squadrons may teach The Squadron Boating Course, Boat Smart, or America's Boating Course. Squadrons may also follow a Boat Smart or America's Boating Course with a Chart Smart course to provide charting and plotting information not covered in those two courses. Locate a course to be taught near you soon.

USPS Seminars

USPS has a series of short seminars open to the public on a variety of boating related topics, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), weather, and marine radio. The materials included with each two hour seminar include a Student Note Book and other take-away guides related to that particular topic. Check here to see the offerings.

USPS Guides

A series of short guides on a wide variety of subjects of interest to boaters are also available; these are known as USPS Guides. Some Guides are also available to the public at various marine supply stores and book stores. These items may be used in USPS® classroom courses and seminars or for home study.

Member Educational Opportunities

Member Educational opportunities are available through two segments, Advanced Grades and Elective Courses. Learn how to become a member.

Member Advanced Grades

The Advanced Grades are a series of in-depth navigational courses for members, and completion of the highest level course determines a member's "grade". Letter grades may appear in USPS printed materials while insignia appear on a member's uniform. Descriptions of these courses, as well as the letter grades and insignia, are given on the Advanced Grades page.

Member Elective Courses

A wide discipline of courses that cover related boating topics other than navigation are also offered as part of the instructed course curriculum for members. Descriptions of these courses are given on the Elective Courses page.

Recognition Levels

USPS awards grades to its members to indicate how far they have progressed in the continuing education program. Since one of the USPS objectives is boating safety through education, USPS encourages every member to strive to achieve the Educational Proficiency level, with the ultimate goal being that of the Educational Achievement Award.

Anyone completing a grade level of at least Advanced Piloting (AP) and three Elective Courses receives the Educational Proficiency Award.  Shown below is an AP insignia with the Educational Proficiency bar below it.

Anyone completing all Advanced Grade navigational courses that results in a grade of Navigator (N) and all Elective Courses receives the Educational Achievement Award.  This award, also known as the Senior Navigator award, is the highest educational recognition awarded by USPS.  Holders of this honor can be recognized in print by the "SN" following their name. Shown here is the Educational Achievement Award insignia that you might see on a member's uniform.