CIPD Level 3Foundation Certificate in People Practice

There are no formal entry requirements for you to enrol on this CIPD Level 3 Foundation course. 

It’s perfect if you’re just getting started in your HR or L&D career and want to develop the knowledge and skills you need to become a successful people professional. 

If English is your second language, we recommend that you have achieved one of the following (or an equivalent):

• IELTS: 5.5 overall score with a minimum of 5.5 in each category
• TOEFL: 71 overall score with a minimum of 17 in each category
• Cambridge: Grade C or above

However, this isn't mandatory, and we're happy to review your case on an individual basis.

Your CIPD Level 3 Foundation course and assignments are 100% online.

You'll study four modules:

• Business, Culture and Change in Context
• Essentials of People Practice 
• Core Behaviours for People Professionals 
• Principles of Analytics 

For full details of what you’ll learn on each module, download our CIPD Foundation Certificate course guide.

You’ll complete written assignments for each module that you study, letting you demonstrate the new knowledge you’ve gained and the skills you’ve mastered.

You’ll submit your assignments online, and they’ll be marked by our assessors and moderated by CIPD.

Once you've passed all your assignments, you'll be awarded your new CIPD qualification!

Please keep in mind that Assessment Briefs will be updated each year as part of the CIPD’s Assessment Change Cycle. 

Yes! We’ve been a CIPD-awarded centre for 30 years, and pioneers in flexible professional learning for 130 years.

We’re the UK’s most trusted online CIPD centre, rated Excellent from more than 10,000 independent student reviews.

And our CIPD pass rate is 99% from thousands of students each year. *

The CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice is an entry-level qualification aimed at people who are looking to start a career in Human Resources or Learning and Development. It's suitable for beginners who have little or no experience of working in HR or L&D roles. As a result, it's popular with people who are switching careers and looking to gain an entry-level role in the area. A Level 3 course, it's the first qualification that most HR and L&D professionals study, providing a strong foundation of essential knowledge to build your career on.

The course is split into four modules:

• Business, Culture and Change in Context
• Essentials of People Practice 
• Core Behaviours for People Professionals 
• Principles of Analytics 

In Business, Culture and Change in Context, you'll explore how HR and L&D professionals influence work and employees in different ways. You'll also look at how digital and commercial environments impact businesses, the importance of project planning and how employee behaviour can shape workplace culture.

In Essentials of People Practice, you'll look at the fundamental principles and functions of the people profession (ie. Human Resources and Learning & Development), as well as legislation and policy. You'll explore areas such as the recruitment process, diversity and inclusion and managing employees.

Core Behaviours for People Professionals examines the key behaviours that are expected from professionals working in HR and L&D roles. Throughout this module, you'll explore how ethical practice can create value and how ethical principles can be applied to various customer-focused business approaches. You'll also learn how to evaluate and reflect on contemporary, professional ethical values. 

In Principles of Analytics, you'll discover how evidence-based practice motivates business outcomes, along with how data analytics is used to inform decision-making within an organisational. 

You can find out more about what you'll study on the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice in our blog, CIPD 101: A Complete Guide to CIPD HR and L&D Qualifications (and Which One to Choose)

We offer the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice entirely online, which means that you can complete the qualification in your own time, from wherever you want. Unlike traditional study, where you attend a physical classroom, online study like this lets you work at your own pace and set your own schedule. This type of learning is well-suited to busy professionals who want to gain a qualification whilst working full-time. All you need to study your Level 3 course is a stable internet connection and a device that you can access the digital course content on, like a laptop, smartphone or tablet. 

Whether you study the course full-time or part-time is entirely up to you: you decide how quickly or slowly you want to learn based on how you choose to work through the content on the course. Most people choose to study the CIPD Level 3 part-time but there's absolutely no reason why you couldn't study full-time, if you had the time and resources to do so. 

Right away! When you enrol, you’ll be able to log in to your course and get started within an hour.

There are no set start dates or schedules – everything is shaped around you.

On average it will take you between seven to nine months to study the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice, based on a typical study schedule of a few hours a week. There is nothing stopping you from completing the course in less time: the influencing factor is how much time you can dedicate to studying in a week. 

Balancing a full-time job, a family/a social life and study can be a challenge, so the exact time it takes you to complete your Level 3 qualification will depend on how much commitment you're willing to put in to your study. If you have more free time available that you put towards learning, you can probably complete the qualification faster. 

Thanks to the fact that the qualification is delivered entirely online, you'll be able to access course content and study whenever you want: all you need to do is log on. 

As an ICS Learn CIPD student, you'll always have a real person on hand to help you when you need it. From the moment you enrol, you'll have access to:

• Unlimited support
• Live online CIPD classrooms so you can learn and ask questions in real time
• CIPD classroom recordings so you can watch and rewatch them at a time that suits you
• CIPD student forums to network and share advice with other HR professionals
• Our friendly Student Services team to help you with non-academic questions
• Our all-in-one online learning platform, the Student Community, filled with interactive course materials designed by CIPD experts

You'll also have unlimited lifetime access to our Career Hub, giving you thousands of resources to help you impress employers, master critical business skills, and build your dream career. It includes:

• A CV and cover letter builder
• An interview simulator
• An elevator pitch builder
• Career and work psychology assessments
• In-depth industry and employer profiles
• 350+ employer films with practical advice from hiring managers
• 1000+ short courses, articles and videos on key career skills like negotiating a raise and leading a team

You can take a sneak peek at the Career Hub by signing up for free here.§

If you’re funding the course yourself, our flexible 0% payment plans allow you to spread the cost with interest-free* monthly instalments.

Plus, with our price match guarantee, we’ll match any provider’s price for a like-for-like CIPD course, so you’ll always get the best deal with us.

If your employer is funding all or part of your course, we can invoice them directly for your course fees – just let your course advisor know and we’ll arrange everything.

We also accept funding through ELCAS for this course. If you’re an Armed Forces member looking to use the Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme, speak to our course advisors for more details.

Unlike other CIPD courses, there are no strict entry requirements for the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice. This is because the Level 3 is a qualification aimed at people who are coming into the people profession for the first time, or who are at the early stages of their career. It's essentially a beginner-level course that will equip you with the foundational skills, knowledge and attitude you'll need for a successful career in HR or L&D.  

Whilst there aren't entry requirements, you will need to be able to speak and write in English to an adequate level. In general, we recommend that you have an an IELTS 5.5/TOEFL 71/Cambridge Grade C or equivalent to study this qualification. We're happy to review cases on an individual basis though if you're unsure of your suitability for this course. 

As this course is delivered entirely online, you'll need a stable internet connection to work through content and complete the qualification. You can access the course content using any device that connects to the internet, like a laptop, tablet or a smartphone. 

You can find out more about entry requirements for CIPD qualifications in our blog, Everything You Need to Know About CIPD Qualifications in 2023

Yes, you must be a CIPD member for the duration of your studies. We can’t submit your assignments for moderation, give you assessment grades, or award your qualification unless you’re an active CIPD member, so you must register before submitting your first assignment.

We’ll give you full details of how to join as a Student Member after you enrol. You’ll pay an annual Student Membership fee – our CIPD Advisors can give you the most up-to-date costs.

When you complete your course, you’ll become a Foundation Member of the most prestigious HR and L&D organisation in the world, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

You’ll join a community of 160,000 ambitious, forward-thinking professionals across 120 countries, and have exclusive access to insights, advice and guidance from prominent HR and L&D experts.

On top of offering you the professional credibility you need, CIPD membership has the potential to increase your earning potential even further than your CIPD qualification alone; up to £4,400** as an Associate Member or up to a whopping £17,200** as a prestigious Chartered Member in mid to senior-level HR roles! 

If you’re interested in becoming a CIPD member, take a look at the new CIPD membership levels and how they’re aligned with CIPD’s Profession Map.

There are three CIPD Human Resources qualifications to choose from.

The CIPD Foundation Certificate in People Practice is designed for those with no or minimal HR experience. It’s perfect if you’re looking for your first HR role.

The CIPD Associate Diploma in People Management is designed for those with some HR experience who are looking for a mid-level HR role. It’s also suitable if you have some experience of HR duties in a non-HR role (for example, as a manager), or if you're new to HR but have a degree and want to begin your studies at a higher level.

The CIPD Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management is designed for those with considerable HR experience or an HR degree who are ready to take on postgraduate-level study. It’ll prepare you for strategic senior HR roles and allow you to apply for CIPD Chartered Membership once you have the necessary professional experience.

If you’d like to specialise in L&D, you could also study one of our CIPD Learning & Development courses.

We know everyone’s situation is different, so before you enrol, our CIPD Course Advisors will talk through your experience, education and ambitions to make sure you’re choosing the perfect course for you.

Get in touch with our CIPD Advisors on 0333 920 6013.

They’ll talk through your experience, education and ambitions to make sure you’re choosing the right course, then get you enrolled with an interest-free* payment plan. You can also verify that your course is budget-friendly when you use our handy affordability calculator. 

If you have any disabilities which you think might affect your studies or assessments, please tell your Course Advisor before you enrol so we can advise you on whether reasonable adjustments can be made to accommodate your needs.