CIPD Levels 3, 5 and 7 Explained
If you are interested in advancing your career in Human Resources, there has never been a better time to gain a professional qualification. Not only has the global pandemic thrust HR into the spotlight but the CIPD has recently launched five brand new qualifications to ensure anyone working in the people profession is equipped with the latest knowledge and skills to get ahead.
As established specialists in HR and L&D, we understand that taking the plunge to study for a professional qualification is not an easy decision. There are so many options to consider. How to learn? What do levels 3,5 and 7 mean? Do I need to gain Foundation, Associate or Advanced Membership to progress? And, if you are just starting out in the profession you may be unfamiliar with the CIPD.
We’re here to explain everything you need to know about choosing the right course to suit your learning needs and there is no better place to start our how-to-guide than with the CIPD itself.
What is the CIPD?
CIPD stands for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. It’s the professional body for HR and people development with over 160,000 members worldwide. Founded more than 100 years ago, the CIPD defines its purpose as championing better work and better working lives. CIPD qualifications are highly respected and globally recognised. They demonstrate to employers the level of professional competence in human resources or L&D that has been achieved. The qualifications lead to three levels of CIPD membership - Foundation, Associate and Chartered - all of which will help you build your professional competence and credibility at work.
Do I want to study HR or L&D?
Next on your to do list is to consider whether you want to study Human Resources or Learning Development.
Human Resources
HR is all about how to improve organisations through the better use of people – whether this is about training current staff, finding and hiring new talent or creating more efficient management systems. The people function plays a vital role in both organisation performance and individual careers.
HR or People Management qualifications cover a wide range of generalist and specialist HR skills including: employee relations, reward management, recruitment, workforce planning and employment law.
Learning and Development
An integral part of Human Resources, L&D aims to improve the organisation and its individuals through the upskilling and development of its people. Overall, L&D is about understanding the organisation strategy and its future capability in order to identify learning priorities across the business. For individuals, it’s about creating learning environments where employees can continuously develop. L&D qualifications focus on: organisational performance, evidence-based practice and the planning and delivery of training.
What level of study do I want to achieve?
This really depends on your experience and existing knowledge. CIPD qualifications are available at three levels.
CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice
CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management
CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development
CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management
CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning and Development
CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice
Time frame: 3-12 months depending on the study method you choose
Ideal for: those new to HR or L&D
Leads to: support roles as an HR Assistant, HR Administrator, HR Officer, L&D Assistant, Trainer, L&D Coordinator
The Foundation Certificate in People Practice covers both HR and L&D and is the only CIPD qualification available at Level 3. You don’t need any prior experience in the profession for this entry-level programme which is equivalent to A Levels.
This Level 3 programme is a great way to kickstart your career in the people profession! It provides a broad understanding of all the generalist aspects of HR and L&D so that you can start to determine which areas are of most interest. Without a Foundation qualification (or Degree) some candidates find it more challenging to move on to the Level 5 Associate Diploma. By completing the Foundation Certificate first, you will hit the ground running when you move on to the next stage. Discounts are available for those who have already studied with us. This qualification is perfect for those new to HR or working in a HR support role.
There are four core units to complete for this qualification.
Unit One covers the business environment and the external factors that shape our organisations. It discusses culture and explores how fostering a positive ethos is important for business productivity and engagement. It also explains the theories that explain the behavioural responses of people when they are experiencing change.
Unit Two covers how people professionals make both straight forward and complex choices to carry out their roles, the importance of data, the different types of data measurement and how these are used to inform decision making. The unit also reviews the concept of creating value, looking at how your organisation approaches this for its customers and stakeholders along with the role technology plays, including social media, to enhance working practices.
Unit Three looks at the core behaviours for people professionals, focusing on ethical practice to create value alongside ways of thinking and acting in new and challenging situations. This unit also discusses the importance of positive ways of working, clarification of problems, accepting and recognising your own mistakes. The concept of reflective practice is explored to support your development and improve your professional knowledge, skills & experience.
Unit Four looks at everything from recruitment and selection to how we attract talent into our organisations. You will also learn about the legislation that underpins our HR policies as well as the performance and reward of our employees to maximise productivity.
Practical and work based tasks
The tasks you will complete are practical and work based. For example, you could be asked to complete a PowerPoint presentation with a slide deck explaining the business objectives of your organisation as well as the external factors that have an impact. Alternatively, you could be asked to produce a guidance document on nurturing a positive culture and the role of HR in change situations. The fact that these tasks are practical and could even be produced as part of your daily role, means that you transfer your own learning back to the workplace successfully and add value to your organisation.
Not in an HR role?
Don’t worry if you are not in an HR role and have no relevant experience. Your adviser can help you base your presentation and narrative on any organisation which has lots of relevant information in the public domain.
CIPD Membership at Level 3
On completion of your Foundation Certificate, you can become a CIPD Foundation Member.
CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management
Time frame: 9-18 months depending on the study method you choose
Ideal for: those with some relevant HR or management experience and/or a CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate. It’s also suitable if you have a degree but want to start your qualification at a higher level
Leads to: roles as an HR Adviser, HR Manager, HR Business Partner, People Analyst, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist, Talent Manager
CIPD Membership at Level 5
On completion of your Associate Diploma in People Management you can become a CIPD Associate Member.
This CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma is perfect if you want to learn about people practice. You will expand your knowledge of HR with a combination of core units and specialist areas along with one optional unit which interests you. Ideal for anyone who is building an HR career, this qualification will allow you to develop your existing knowledge, become more skilled in employee relations, talent management and performance reward, and ultimately prepare you for stepping up into a more senior people professional role.
There are three core units, three specialist units and a choice of one optional unit to complete this qualification.
Core units
Unit One – Organisational Performance and Culture in Practice
This unit examines the connections between organisational structure and the wider world of work in a commercial context. It highlights the factors and trends, including the digital environment, that impact on business strategy and workforce planning. It also recognises the influence of culture, employee wellbeing and behaviour in delivering change and organisational performance.Unit Two – Evidence-based Practice
This unit addresses the significance of capturing robust quantitative and qualitative evidence to inform meaningful insight to influence critical thinking. It focuses on analysing evidence through an ethical lens to improve decision-making and how measuring the impact of people practice is essential in creating valueUnit Three – Professional Behaviours and Valuing People
Your final core unit focuses on how applying fundamental professional behaviours such as ethical practice, courage and inclusivity can build positive working relationships and support employee voice and wellbeing. It considers how developing and mastering new professional behaviours and practice can impact performance.
Specialist units
Unit One – Employment Relationship Management
This unit examines the key approaches, practices, and tools to manage and enhance the employee relationship to create better working lives and the significant impact this can have on organisational performance.Unit Two – Talent Management and Workplace Planning
Your second specialist unit focuses on the impact of effective workforce planning in considering the development of diverse talent pools and how to contract and onboard the workforce. It also includes analysis of the potential cost to the organisation if this is poorly managed and the tools and interventions required to mitigate this risk.Unit Three – Reward for Performance and Contribution
This unit concentrates on how internal and external business factors influence reward strategies and policies, the financial drivers of the organisation and the impact of reward costs. It considers the importance of the role of people practice in supporting managers to make robust and professional reward judgements and the impact of rewarding performance.
Optional units - choose from one of the following:
Specialist Employment Law . This unit considers key areas of employment legislation and its legal framework, focusing on how people professionals are obliged to take account of legal requirements in different jurisdictions when carrying out the varied aspects of their role.
Advances in Digital Learning and Development. Digital technology and how it can be used to enhance learning and development engagement is the topic for this specialist unit. It looks at existing and emerging learning technologies, how the use of digital content and curation is designed to maximise interaction and the value of online learning communities.
Learning and Development Essentials . This unit provides the essential aspects of learning and development practice for those working in a people management focused role, recognising the connections within the organisation and how learning and development drives performance. It explores the stages of learning and development design, development and facilitation as well as alternative modes of learning to enhance learner engagement and support the business.
People Management in an International Context. This unit focuses on the complexities of international people management and provides ideal learning for those practitioners responsible for global HR.
Diversity and Inclusion . This unit looks at how adapting leadership styles to manage, monitor and report on equality and diversity is essential for inclusive practice and legislation. The importance of promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce to drive a positive culture and celebrate diversity and inclusion increases organisational performance as well as meeting the needs of employees and customers more effectively.
Leadership and Management Development. This unit builds on the fundamentals of learning and development, taking a closer look at the essential area of leadership and management and how this is critical in developing the right culture and behaviours to establish a working environment which is cohesive, diverse, innovative and high performing. Choosing the right tools and approaches to facilitate development will ultimately impact organisational effectiveness.
Wellbeing at Work . This unit introduces wellbeing and its importance in the workplace. It explores existing links between work, health and wellbeing, examining how to manage wellbeing and how it links with other areas of people management practice, and wider organisational strategy. The unit considers key elements of wellbeing programmes and the stakeholders involved, examining organisational responsibilities and the outcomes of managing wellbeing for employees and employers.
Practical and work-based tasks
The tasks you will carry out will vary between set case studies for the core units and the option of completing more practical and work-based tasks for the specialist units, where you will be able to use examples from your own organisation or one that you know well to demonstrate your competence. You might be asked to complete a Power Point presentation with a slide deck explaining the business objectives of your organisation as well as the external factors that have an impact. Alternatively, you could be asked to produce a guidance document on nurturing a positive culture and the role of HR in change situations. The fact that these tasks are practical and could even be produced as part of your daily role, means that you transfer your own learning back to the workplace successfully and add value to your organisation.
Not in an HR role?
This qualification is more suited to people who have some relevant experience. However, if you are not in an HR role your adviser can help you base your presentation and narrative on any organisation which has lots of relevant information in the public domain.
CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development
Time frame: 12-18 months depending on the study method you choose
Ideal for: those with some L&D or management experience and/or a CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate. It’s also suitable if you have a degree but want to start your qualification at a higher level
Leads to: roles as an L&D Business Partner or Manager, L&D Consultant, Organisation Design Specialist, Organisational Development Business Partner, Employee Experience Manager, L&D Designer
CIPD Membership at Level 5
On completion of your Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development you can become a CIPD Associate Member.
There is no better place to start than this Level 5 Associate Diploma if you want to improve your L&D skills to enhance your career prospects. Reed Learning is one of the few CIPD centres which has offered the full range of L&D units for many years. We only use expert tutors who specialise in L&D and Organisational Performance, so studying with us for this qualification is definitely the right choice! Build on your existing knowledge and specialise in Learning & Development while also getting an individual plan for your own self-development. This qualification is perfect if you want to become a real expert in L&D but can also be a good entry route into the profession.
There are three core units, three specialist units and a choice of one optional unit to complete this qualification.
Core units are the same as the Associate Diploma in People Management
Unit One – Organisational Performance and Culture in Practice
Unit Two – Evidence-Based Practice
Unit Three – Professional Behaviours and Valuing People
Specialist units
Unit One – Supporting Self-Directed and Social Learning. This unit is about recognising how individuals are increasingly wanting to learn at their own pace, by their preferred method, and in a way that fits with their personal schedules and lifestyle. In addition, effective organisational learning embraces formal and informal socialised activities. These shifts, and the greater recognition of the benefits in driving performance through learning, means that L&D professionals must facilitate approaches for those who learn in these ways.
Unit Two – Learning and Development Design to Create Value . This unit considers the relationship between the learning and development needs of individuals and organisational objectives. It focuses on the elements of theoretical and contextual learning design in facilitating impactful learning experiences that support performance and productivity.
Unit Three – Facilitate Personalised and Performance-Focused Learning . This unit focuses on the effective facilitation of learning activities that have an impact. This includes knowing how to prepare an impactful intervention, making effective use of pre-learning activities and personalisation to create learning that can be transferred back into the organisational context. In addition, it explores facilitation techniques, whether face-to-face or online, and the principles and ethics that underpin the delivery of an outstanding learning experience.
Optional units are the same as the Associate Diploma in People Management
Specialist Employment Law
Advances in Digital Learning and Development
Learning and Development Essentials
People Management in an International Context
Diversity and Inclusion
Leadership and Management Development
Wellbeing at Work
Practical and work-based tasks
The tasks you will carry out will vary between set case studies for the core units and the option of completing more practical and work-based tasks for the specialist units, where you will be able to use examples from your own organisation or one that you know well to demonstrate your competence. You might be asked to complete a Power Point presentation with a slide deck explaining the key factors to consider when designing L&D activities as well as the external factors that have an impact on your initiatives. Alternatively, you could be asked to produce a guidance document on how to encourage social learning. The fact that these tasks are practical and could even be produced as part of your daily role, means that you transfer your own learning back to the workplace successfully and add value to your organisation.
Not in an L&D role?
This qualification is more suited to people who have some relevant experience. However, don’t worry if this is not you. Your adviser can help you base your presentation and narrative on any organisation which has lots of relevant information in the public domain or you can use a case study throughout.
Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management
Time frame: 18-24 months depending on the study method you choose.
Ideal for: those who have more HR experience or a degree. Also suitable if you have a CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma and are ready for postgraduate level study.
Leads to senior roles including: HR Business Partner, HR Consultant, People Analytics Manager, Head of HR, HR Director, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Head of Resourcing and Talent.
CIPD Membership at Level 7
On completion of your Associate Diploma in People Management you will become a CIPD Associate Member. This is the only qualification that leads to CIPD Chartered Member or Chartered Fellow once you have gained the appropriate professional experience.
If you’re aiming for the top in the people profession and want to increase your strategic HR or L&D knowledge, then this postgraduate level qualifications from the CIPD will help your career reach new heights. Designed to help you take the lead and generate real influence at a high level, the Advanced Diploma will boost your personal effectiveness and business acumen. By learning from a combination of core and specialist units, you will gain the expertise you need to build your confidence and improve your decision making. But importantly, if you are looking to achieve your career potential, a Level 7 qualification is now an essential requirement for most senior people profession jobs.
There are eight units in total to complete this qualification, four of which are core units based on the CIPD Profession Map, a further three will develop your specialist HR knowledge, and one final unit from a range of options.
To demonstrate the new knowledge gained during the programme, all the units complete with a written assignment which is marked by our assessors. There are no exams for this qualification.
Core Units
Unit One – Work and Working Lives in a Changing Business Environment
This unit extends understanding of the interaction between the commercial business environment and likely future developments in the world of work, employment and the management of people. It discusses the range of people practices that are growing in importance, including those relating to ethics and sustainability, employee wellbeing, equality, diversity and inclusion.Unit Two – People Management and Development Strategies for Performance
This unit focuses on the importance of evidence-based, outcomes-driven and principles-led practice in support of the core purpose of the people profession. It explores how people professionals create value and deliver outcomes for organisations and employees, and how contributing to the achievement of business objectives improves performance and enhances the employee experience. It also focuses on the need for policy and practice to be delivered coherently, in a way that is integrated and in line with organisational objectives.Unit Three – Personal Effectiveness, Ethics and Business Acumen
This unit is about supporting successful workers and promoting effective and ethical behaviours to champion better work and working lives and develop business acumen. The theories and concepts that underpin this subject are essential for promoting inclusiveness and influencing others through fair and transparent behaviours. Through core skillsets such as perception, critical thinking, communication and teamwork, this unit will promote understanding of how actions and inclusive behaviour impact on ethics and the organisation.Unit Four – Business Research in People Practice
This unit contains the components to enable a systematic approach to define, design and undertake a business research project in people practice. It focuses on developing ability to produce an integrated report based on evidence and to include own recommendations and critical reflection.
Specialist Units
Unit Five – Strategic Employment Relations
This unit focuses on different perspectives of employment relations and the cooperation and conflict that varies between workplaces. There is a key role that institutions beyond the workplace play in shaping people management policy and practice within organisations, and a wide variety of models to emerge, meaning that outcomes are less predictable and relationships must be handled with great care.Unit Six – Resourcing and Talent Management to Sustain Success
This unit focuses on the day-to-day practicalities and the longer-term strategic issues associated with resourcing organisations appropriately, ethically and fairly and to maximise the performance of staff and the organisation. These activities take place in a competitive context in which different employers aspire to recruit and retain the most talented and experienced people.Unit Seven – Strategic Reward Management
The unit focuses on the role of strategic reward in attracting, motivating and retaining people at work in order to direct the actions and behaviours of individuals, teams and the organisation towards the achievement of organisational goals. Different financial and non-financial benefits will be applicable depending on the organisational context, but these must always be fair and equitable. The unit contains the elements required to design, introduce, manage and evaluate effective and fair reward strategies and how the associated policies and practices link and impact on other people practices.
Optional Units - choose from one of the following:
Advanced Employment Law in Practice
This unit focuses on the major principles that underpin employment law, the defences which are available to employers and the remedies that claimants seek when they bring their cases to court. It examines the more common issues relating to employment law which arise in organisations with a view to preparing a defence or helping to settle claims ahead of a hearing. Integral to this is the legal system, the main sources of law and the evolution of contemporary employment regulation in the UK.Organisational Design and Development
This unit focuses on the principles of organisational design and development to achieve strategic goals and support organisational success. It examines the impact of change on organisational forms and deliberates the process of change through which adaptations are made to the ways in which structure, process and people work; the success of each is dependent on each other. It also examines the impact of change on working lives and the strategies for engaging employees and wider stakeholders in successful implementation. The unit also encourages reflection on the personal skills, techniques and behaviour that support effective organisational design and development work.Learning and Development Practice
This unit provides an overarching synopsis of learning and development for those working predominantly in general people practice. It focuses on the role of the learning function within organisations of all types and assesses how learning provision within organisations is influenced by a variety of internal and external factors. Importantly, it considers how organisational power and political structures impact upon the learning function.Technology Enhanced Learning
This unit considers the role of technology within learning and the use of technology-enabled content and platforms within organisations. It focuses on how data and learning analytics may be utilised by the learning and development function, while exploring the implementation of technological systems and considering the potential barriers to success.Advanced Diversity and Inclusion
This unit explores strategic workplace diversity and inclusion in terms of communication and training, addressing workplace behaviour and analysis of trends. It focuses on historical and the present-day role of trade unions and line managers in promoting a fair workplace culture key to managing workplace effectiveness. Through the lens of UK legislation, this unit also covers how strategic actions and decisions go beyond legal compliance as it focuses on the wellbeing and engagement of the workforce and the effects of inequality and segregation.Managing People in an International Context
There can be major challenges and complexities facing organisations when they become international in their scope and activities. Comparative people management practice varies from country to country, the reasons for this being partly institutional in nature and partly cultural. This unit explores how and why organisations trade and operate internationally, the different forms that international business operations take and some of the practical and ethical issues that international organisations face from a people management perspective.Wellbeing at Work
This unit highlights the importance of wellbeing in the contemporary workplace to employer and employee outcomes. It provides learners with a comprehensive knowledge of the links between work, health and wellbeing, and an understanding of the social responsibilities of organisations, based on key theories in this area. The unit develops a critical understanding of how wellbeing initiatives can be created, supported, and integrated within people practices for strategic benefit and supports students to engage with key critiques of the wellbeing agenda.
Practical and work-based tasks
The tasks you will carry out will include set questions, demonstrating evidence of learning via a learning journal and completing a research project amongst other activities for the core units, and the option of completing more practical and work-based tasks for the specialist units. Across the programme you will be able to gather work-based evidence to support your assessments where you can or use examples from an organisation you are familiar with to demonstrate your competence. The fact that these tasks are practical and could even be produced as part of your daily role, means that you transfer your own learning back to the workplace successfully and add value to your organisation.
Is this qualification right for me?
This qualification is best suited to those who have experience in HR and a degree but don’t worry if you are not sure if this is the right level for you. We’re here to answer all your questions and can provide more general career advice if you need it. Simply call one of our specialist advisers on our usual number to find out more.
Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning and Development
Time frame: 18-24 months depending on the study method you choose
Ideal for: those who have more L&D experience or a degree. Also suitable if you have a CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma and are ready for postgraduate level study.
Leads to senior roles including: Head of L&D, Learning Design Lead, Head of Organisational Development, Head of Employee Experience, L&D Director, Head of Training, L&D Consultant.
CIPD Membership at Level 7
On completion of your Associate Diploma in Strategic Learning and Development you will become a CIPD Associate Member. This is the only qualification that leads to CIPD Chartered Member or Chartered Fellow once you have gained the appropriate professional experience.
If you’re looking for a top job in people management and specifically want to increase your L&D knowledge, then this postgraduate level qualification from the CIPD is ideal. Not only will it help your career reach new heights, the qualification will ensure you take the lead and generate real influence within your organisation. By learning from a combination of core and specialist units, you will gain the expertise you need to build your confidence, gain new skills, improve your decision making and become a real L&D expert. But importantly, if you are looking to achieve your career potential particularly in the field of L&D, this Level 7 qualification is now an essential requirement for most senior jobs in our industry.
There are eight units in total to complete this qualification, four of which are core units based on the CIPD Profession Map, a further three will develop your specialist L&D knowledge, and one final unit from a range of options.
To demonstrate the new knowledge gained during the programme, all the units complete with a written assignment which is marked by our assessors. There are no exams for this qualification.
Core Units are the same as the Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management
Unit One – Work and Working Lives in a Changing Business Environment
Unit Two – People Management and Development Strategies for Performance
Unit Three – Personal Effectiveness, Ethics and Business Acumen
Unit Four – Business Research in People Practice
Specialist Units
Organisational Design and Development
This unit focuses on the principles of organisational design and development to achieve strategic goals and support organisational success. It examines the impact of change on organisational forms and deliberates the process of change through which adaptations are made to the ways in which structure, process and people work; the success of each is dependent on each other. It also examines the impact of change on working lives and the strategies for engaging employees and wider stakeholders in successful implementation. The unit also encourages reflection on the personal skills, techniques and behaviour that support effective organisational design and development work.Leadership and Management Development in Context
This unit focuses on the distinction between leaders and managers, including how these roles adjust in different contexts. It considers the full range of development interventions to ensure effective impact and how to use learning analytics to capture robust measures that contribute to organisational success. It covers the importance of appraising the complexities of leadership and management development in an international context.Designing Learning to Improve Performance
This unit focuses on the significance of learning design and delivery considering the organisational context and the needs to be addressed. It explores the theories and models of learning design, both traditional and contemporary, the range of delivery modes and the impact of the learning experience on the transfer of learning into the organisation. It considers the importance of analysing data from learning interventions resulting in meaningful and purposeful learning design.
Optional Units
Choose from the same optional units listed for the Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management.
Advanced Employment Law in Practice
Technology Enhanced Learning
Advanced Diversity and Inclusion
Managing People in an International Context
Wellbeing at Work
Practical and work-based tasks
The tasks you will carry out will include set questions, demonstrating evidence of learning via a learning journal and completing a research project amongst other activities for the core units, and the option of completing more practical and work-based tasks for the specialist units. Across the programme you will be able to gather work-based evidence to support your assessments where you can or use examples from an organisation you are familiar with to demonstrate your competence. The fact that these tasks are practical and could even be produced as part of your daily role, means that you transfer your own learning back to the workplace successfully and add value to your organisation.
Is this qualification right for me?
This qualification is best suited to those who have experience in L&D and a degree but don’t worry if you are not sure if this is the right level for you. We’re here to answer all your questions and can provide more general career advice if you need it.
That’s a summary of all the CIPD levels to but remember you don’t have to make your decision alone. Our experienced CIPD advisers are available to guide you through your options to make sure you’re choosing both the learning method and level that’s best for you. Often the simplest way forward is to book a free no obligation diagnostic session as a first step. A personal consultation with one of our specialist tutors will help determine both the right level of CIPD qualification and the right delivery method to suit your learning style and circumstances. We want you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision about studying for your CIPD, so this is an ideal opportunity to ask anything you like about our programmes.
