Design

Curriculum was designed through an international effort by several leading IFMGA certified Mountain Guides from Canada, United States, Great Britain, France, Argentina and Slovakia.

The specialized curriculum utilizes IFMGA (IFMGA 2010) standard guiding skills and techniques. The program was designed to meet and exceed UIAA2 (UIAA 2010) training standards.

 Curriculum Standards and Globality

• Curriculum adheres to MSA proprietary methodology: Rule Based, Fully Comprehensive & Consecutive lessons. 
• Lessons in Itinerary format for participant and Lesson Plan for instructor. 
• MSA Mountain Mentoring & Fast Paced techniques utilized.
• Core techniques based on IFMGA¹ (IFMGA 2010) Mountain Guiding techniques.
• Format designed according to UIAA² (UIAA 2010) training standards.
•  MSA & MSA guides have adopted and adheres to the UIAA³ Mountain Ethics Declaration (UIAA 2010)
  

Training & Assessment

• All courses are divided into a training phase and assessment phase
• Training and assessment is only performed by MSA approved IFMGA certified Mountain Guides
  

Pre-requisites

• Each course requires participants to be 21 years or older.
• Entry requires participants to have taken a first aid course.
• Entry requires participants have documented (climbing/skiing resumé) specific previous experience in given course discipline, including current climbing or skiing ability level.
• Entry requirements for ski courses demand minimum AST 1 or equivalent avalanche training and recommend AST 2.

Certification

• Successful candidates receive an internationally MSA recognized Certificate of Achievement as a trained Mountain Master and Advanced Leader in that given discipline.
• MSA is currently seeking UIAA approval and certification for all Mountain Master Courses. It is our opinion that in the interim we fully meet UIAA standards.
  
• Candidates will receive a letter of attestation and reference to be used for IFMGA member country official Mountain Guide training program entrance. Also for UIAA member Alpine Club volunteer for the position of Amateur Leader in given discipline.
  
• Candidates moving on to professional Mountain Guiding are further given important recommendations to help them achieve acceptance in a Mountain Guide training program and success in passing exams.