Just wondering how long it has taken those qualifying and how long it took those who have qualified?
I took 6 dives in a pool and 6 in open water. At the time that was the standard, I think.
These days the "official" program is 5 hours in a pool and 4 open water dives. It takes a very efficient instructor and a student who basically has no difficulty to teach someone in 5 hours in a pool. Usually it takes more.
In terms of theory, we usually spend 10 hours in the classroom on it. Personally, I think if someone does their homework then then standards part of the theory can be done in a couple of hours. What I do with that time is spend it deeping out the material.
The most time I've ever spent in the water with any one student was someone who needed 20 hours in the pool and about that many dives in open water as well.
R..