CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning & Development
Get Your Free CIPD Course Guide
Essential
Enhanced
Elite
£212/month interest-free*
Payments
30 months
Deposit
£139
Total Price
£6,499
Study any time At your own pace
Support period 30 months
Average completion time 18-24 months
CIPD Registration Additional fees
- Study CIPD independently online, on your terms
- Gain the fundamental HR skills organisations and employers value
- Advance to strategic senior L&D roles, including Head of L&D and Training Consultant
Why is this CIPD course right for you?
Take the next step in your career and shape the future of learning with the online CIPD Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Learning & Development.
Designed for experienced L&D professionals, this advanced qualification helps you build the strategic thinking, leadership capability, and business insights you need to design impactful learning strategies that drive performance, culture, and organisational growth.
You’ll explore complex, real-world L&D challenges, develop the confidence to influence organisational training and development, and position yourself for senior roles or Chartered Member (MCIPD) status – all while studying on your own terms.
Whether you want to future-proof your career, gain industry recognition, or make a lasting impact through learning, this is the CIPD qualification to help you get there.
CIPD Level 7 L&D Course Details
To study this CIPD Advanced Level 7 Diploma, you should generally have at least one of the following:
- Significant L&D experience in an L&D or HR role
- Senior management experience that involved elements of L&D
- An HR or other related degree
If English is your second language, we recommend you have achieved one of the following, or an equivalent:
- IELTS: 6.5 overall score with a minimum of 6.0 in each category
- TOEFL: 90 overall score with a minimum of 19 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.
When you enrol on a CIPD course with ICS Learn, you'll choose from three tiers of tailored study support, depending on the pathway that best suits your needs.
All three pathways lead to the same recognised CIPD qualification; the only difference is in the level of structure and personalisation you receive throughout your course. Here's a quick breakdown:
Essential – self-led study for those who prefer complete independence
Enhanced – structured guidance to keep you on track (our most popular option)
Elite – a personalised experience with dedicated tutor support
Whichever pathway you choose, your CIPD Level 7 L&D Diploma covers eight modules, including seven core modules and your choice of one elective module:
Core 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
- Organisational Design and Development
- Leadership and Management Development in Context
- Designing Learning to Improve Performance
Elective modules (choose one)
- Technology-Enhanced Learning
- Advanced Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
- Wellbeing at Work
- Advanced Employment Law in Practice
- Managing People in an International Context
For full details of what you’ll learn on each module, download our CIPD Level 7 L&D course guide.
You’ll complete written assignments for each module that you study. These allow you to demonstrate the 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.
Please keep in mind that Assessment Briefs will be updated each year as part of the CIPD’s Assessment Change Cycle.
Spread the cost with our flexible 0% interest* payment plans
Get started right away with a low deposit
Company funding – we can invoice your employer directly
Ensure your qualification is budget friendly before you enrol
CIPD Support Options
One recognised qualification. Three tailored learning experiences.
Self-led
Structured
Personalised
Self-led
Structured
Personalised
CIPD Student Reviews
Questions about your CIPD course?
Our friendly Course Advisors are here to help.
CIPD Level 7 L&D Course FAQs
Yes! We’ve been a leading CIPD provider for 30 years. We're also the world's most experienced distance learning provider, with 130+ years of helping people achieve their career goals.
Rated 'Excellent' from more than 10,000 independent student reviews, we're the online learning experts you can trust.
There are three CIPD learning and development qualifications to choose from in total, and you can study them 100% online with us - either On Demand or Live Online:
The CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice is designed for those with no or minimal HR or L&D experience. It’s perfect if you’re looking for your first role in the people profession.
The CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning & Development is designed for those with some L&D experience who are looking for a mid-level L&D role. It’s also suitable if you have some experience of training and development duties in a non-HL&D role (for example, as a manager), or if you're new to L&D but have a degree and want to begin your studies at a higher level.
The CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning & Development is designed for those with considerable HR experience or an HR degree who are ready to take on postgraduate-level study. This course will prepare you for strategic senior HR roles and allow you to apply for CIPD Chartered Membership once you have professional experience.
If you’d like to specialise in HR instead of L&D, you can also study one of our online CIPD HR courses.
Still not sure which CIPD course is right for you? Contact our CIPD course advisors and they'll be happy to help!
At ICS Learn, your CIPD study support is designed around how you learn best, with three tailored pathways to choose from:
- Essential: ideal if you prefer independent, self-led online study. You get full access to your Programme Hub, digital learning content, submission hub, and community access; everything you need to study at your own pace.
- Enhanced: our most popular option, perfect if you'd like a bit more structure to keep you on track. Alongside everything in Essential, you'll get a live induction session, assessment masterclasses, and Q&A drop-in sessions, plus faster marking and academic query turnaround times.
- Elite: great if you'd like a fully personalised experience. Alongside everything in Enhanced, you get your own personal tutor, 1:1 tutorials, and the fastest marking and query response times of the three pathways.
Whichever pathway you choose, you'll study the same recognised CIPD qualification and get full access to our virtual learning platform, mystudyspace. The difference between the tiers comes down to the level of structure, virtual engagement, accountability, and personalisation you want to support your learning journey.
How long it takes you to complete a CIPD Level 7 learning and development qualification depends on how much time you can dedicate to studying, and whether you choose the On Demand or Live Online study option.
However, for most of our students, the online CIPD Level 7 L&D course typically takes 18 to 24 months to complete while working full-time.
To give you complete flexibility, we offer a generous 30-month support period, allowing you to study at your own pace and balance your learning with work and other commitments.
Technically, yes! However, we don't advise enroling on the CIPD Level 7 learning and development course without previous experience.
The CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning & Development is one of the most prestigious L&D training qualifications that you can study. Globally recognised by employers, it commands a great deal of respect and credibility in the HR and L&D industry.
As the CIPD Level 7 course is equivalent to a post-graduate degree in difficulty, we recommend that you have at least one of the following to study the qualification:
- Considerable experience working in an HR or L&D role
- Senior managerial experience that involved a broad range of HR or L&D elements
- An HR degree or relevant qualification (e.g., the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma)
As well as meeting any of the above criteria, you'll need to be able to demonstrate that you can speak and write in English to a high level.
If English is your second language, we recommend that you have an IELTS 6.0/TOEFL 79/Cambridge Grade C or equivalent. We're happy to review your case on an individual basis if you're unsure though.
If you have questions or need more information, contact one of our course advisors today.
How can we help?
Get in touch with us by requesting a call back or chatting with us


