FAQs

Level 2 will be delivered by approved UK study centres.

It is an award designed for anyone interested in developing their knowledge of purchasing.

Study material is available from the CIPS Bookshop for people studying at Levels 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. 

These completely new awards will be available from September 2007.

New entrants will join as Student Members and upon successful completion of the Level 2 Introductory Certificate will be awarded the grade of Certificate Member.

The Introductory Certificate consists of four elements.

Our new ‘ladder’ of qualifications is designed to be more relevant, wide ranging, innovative and flexible to meet the needs of a variety of learners.

The Certificate and Advanced Certificate will continue to be offered for international students and will now be known as the International Certificate and the International Advanced Certificate in Purchasing and Supply.

CIPS qualifications changed from September 2006. To obtain our Graduate Diploma, you have to study (or be exempt from) Levels 4 and 5 and then complete the core compulsory units of the level 6 (new Graduate Diploma Award).

This has no impact at all and your qualification is still valid, current and essential for your career – the ‘currency’ of any qualification achieved in the past remains the same.

This award will have a different assessment approach to all other CIPS awards.

You will be asked to provide evidence of your three years' work experience before achieving the MCIPS grade.

You can still study to the level of Graduate Diploma or beyond if you so wish. However, one of the main changes we have made concerns the ability to reach a desired level, be recognised for it and stop if desired.

We have been involved in a programme of developing standards within ‘supply chain management’ of which purchasing and supply is an inherent part.