CIPD HR Qualifications

We’re the UK’s most recommended CIPD centre, rated Excellent from more than 10,000 independent student reviews. We’re trusted by thousands of students each year across 100+ countries.

We’re also the world’s most experienced online learning provider, having been pioneers in flexible distance learning for 130 years.

Our online CIPD qualifications are designed to give you complete control over your learning:

• Learn anytime – before work, during your lunch break, or after the kids are in bed
• Learn anywhere – your home, your office, your commute, or the local park
• Learn on-the-go – on your phone, tablet or laptop

Our unlimited one-to-one tutor support and live online HR classes mean you're only ever a message or phone call away from a helping hand when you need it.

And our interest-free* payment plans let you pay for your course in easy-to-manage monthly installments without paying a penny more.

That’s why every year, we help thousands of students like you get the CIPD qualifications they need to succeed.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the world’s largest professional body for those involved in the management and development of people.

It has more than 160,000 members worldwide, and every year, 25,000 professionals study CIPD HR and L&D qualifications. CIPD is also the only organisation in the world that can confer Chartered status on HR and L&D professionals. 

CIPD accreditation is the gold standard for professional quality in human resources and learning and development. This means that CIPD qualifications are highly respected and sought-after by employers. Our HR Employer Survey found that 78% of senior HR jobs and 72% of mid-level HR jobs listed CIPD qualifications as desirable or essential.§

Where CIPD qualifications aren't a necessity, they'll put you head and shoulders above the competition.

Every learner is different, so you should always talk to an experienced CIPD advisor before committing to a course, but here’s a rough guide to CIPD's three levels:

If you’re new to HR like our student Jennifer, our CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate will give you a strong introduction to the foundations of HR so you can launch your HR career and excel in roles like HR Assistant and Administrator.

If you've got some experience with HR or a university degree like Kate, our CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma will allow you to build on your existing knowledge and gain roles like HR Manager or Advisor.

If you have lots of HR experience or an HR degree like HR Director Helen, our CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma will develop the strategic thinking you’ll need to shine in the most senior HR roles. Level 7 courses are set at postgraduate level, with the CIPD Level 7 Diploma being equivalent to a Master's Degree in HR.

If you'd like to focus on L&D, you could study a CIPD Learning & Development qualification.

Before you enrol with us, our expert CIPD advisors will talk through your experience, education, and ambitions to ensure you’re choosing the right course for you.

You can choose to study your CIPD qualification either On Demand or Live Online.

If you choose to study On Demand you'll learn online from anywhere and study at anytime. If you choose Live Online, you'll also learn online from anywhere, but with the added benefit of live-streamed workshops led by expert tutors. Which one you choose will come down to the time you have to dedicate to your studies and how flexible you need to be.

If you're still not sure, contact our course advisors today and they can help you decide on which study method best suits you. 

We currently offer a fast-track option for the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management. You'll cover the same content on an accelerated timeline of 10 months, and you'll be expected to study for 8 to 10 hours each week (this includes attending classes, reading, working through content, and writing assessments).

This type of accelerated study may be ideal for students who are balancing study with work or family commitments or may be tied to achieving a qualification for a performance review or appraisal. 

For more information on our CIPD fast-track programmes, get in touch with our course advisors by webchat, email or phone.

If you’re not ready to commit to a full CIPD qualification and would like to focus on only the essential modules, you could study one of our CIPD Core programmes.

The CIPD Level 5 Core programme covers 3 modules:

• Organisational Performance and Culture in Practice
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Professional Behaviours and Valuing People

It has an average completion time of 6 months and a support period of 9 months. It costs £1,529 which can be paid in interest-free monthly instalments.

The CIPD Level 7 Core programme covers 4 modules:

• Work and Working Lives in a Changing Business Environment
• People Management and Development Strategies for Performance
• Personal Effectiveness, Ethics and Business Acumen
• Business Research in People Practice

It has an average completion time of 9 months and a support period of 12 months. It costs £3,449 which can be paid in interest-free monthly instalments.

Bear in mind that our Core programmes won’t give you a CIPD qualification, just the essential skills you need to succeed in an HR position.

If you complete a Core programme and then decide you’d like to move onto the full CIPD Diploma at that level, you won’t need to take the whole course again – you can simply complete the extra modules and you’ll be CIPD qualified!

For more information on our CIPD Core programmes, get in touch with our course advisors by webchat, email or phone.