Project DEEP was incorporated in May of 1979, and has taught courses for all colleges in the Five College consortium, with the exception of Mt. Holyoke College. Project DEEP has also run Coral Reef Biology courses for Texas Tech University (in Lubbock, TX) and for Florida International University. Both Northeastern University and Boston University participated in Project DEEP trips during the 1980s.

Project DEEP was founded by Bob Sparks, who was a graduate student at the time. Since 1980, Mr. Sparks has been a professor at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Project DEEP alumni have gone on to work for the New England Aquarium, worked on live aboard charter boats, and continued teaching other students at the University of Massachuetts Amherst. Since its inception, Project DEEP has provided instruction to over 8,000 students, and certifying over 7,000.

The three dive shops involved in Project DEEP are Cape Ann Divers, in Gloucester, MA, Holyoke Underwater Supply, in West Springfield, MA, and Ocean Divers, in Key Largo, FL. Please click a dive shop's logo below to go directly to its website.