CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply

Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply* is based on the managerial and professional levels of CIPS Global Standard, this qualification will help you to grow in confidence, improve organisational procurement and fulfill objectives.

At this level, you are required to complete five core modules, then choose your own learning pathway by selecting three elective modules. Modules can be worth 6 or 12 credits.

If you have started this qualification on the previous syllabus your full transfer details will now be available in your MyCIPS account. Alternatively, try the quick online guide

* Refers to levels within the UK RQF. Other regulatory bodies may have different corresponding levels.

What will I learn?

Grow in confidence

Building on the practical knowledge and understanding gained at the CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply, your learning will focus on:

Key aspects of risk in supply chains and mitigation of those risks
Processing and evaluating contracts
Understanding the impact of legal implications when contracts are breached
The different approaches to managing teams and individuals
Sustainability and the managerial approaches that promote ethical practices

Joining a CIPS qualification programme means you will join the largest Institute in the world for those working in procurement and supply. You can join as a member online today. Once you've become a CIPS member you can book your examinations online.

What can CIPS qualifications do for your career?

Entry requirements

You will need to have achieved the CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply.

Typical job titles:

Senior Buyer
Chief Buyer
Category Manager
Contract Manager
Logistics Manager
Supply Chain Executive

Core skills upon completion of this qualification
You can expect to improve your overall organisational procurement and supply performance and to fulfil your personal and organisational goals.

View other CIPS qualifications:

The syllabus

You are required to complete 60 credits to achieve this qualification.

What are credits?
Credits are a way of quantifying the number of study hours needed to complete a qualification. 1 credit is equivalent to 10 hours of study. Each module is given a credit value of 6 or 12 credits.

Five CORE modules make up 42 of the required credits.

Select a module below for more information:

Choose three ELECTIVE module to make up the final 18 required credits.

Download full syllabus

CIPS Level 5* Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply Operations is a vocationally related professional qualification. Formal recognition is included within the regulatory frameworks of an increasing number of countries such as the UK (England, Wales and Northern Ireland), UAE (including Dubai) and Africa (including Zambia). Further information on this recognition and the details of corresponding qualifications levels for other international qualifications frameworks are detailed here.

The qualification accreditation number is Ref: 603/3925/1.

View full specification

How long does it take?

Everyone learns at a different pace and you will have your own personal circumstances to consider before deciding to start a qualification.

Before you start, we strongly recommend that you contact one of our approved study centres for advice about different types of learning programmes available, and how long they take to complete.

These are the typical amounts of time required to achieve this qualification:

Your total qualification time (TQT) The TQT indicates the overall number of guided learning hours, additional self-study and exam time that is required.

Guided learning hours (GLH) It is expected that you will undertake 250 GLH. The definition of guided learning hours is: ‘A measure of the amount of input time required to achieve the qualification. This includes lectures, tutorials and practicals, as well as supervised study in, for example, learning centres and workshops’.

Self-study requirement (SSR) Additionally, we recommend that you also commit to at least 335 SSR hours. This includes wider reading of the subject areas and revision to give yourself the best preparation for successfully achieving the qualification.

Total exam time All the modules in CIPS qualifications are assessed by an examination. All the modules in CIPS qualifications are assessed by exams.

How much does it cost?

The cost of studying for a qualification will vary depending on the level of support you need.

CIPS offers exams six times per year in most areas:

January
March
May
July
September
November

As a guide, use our online fee finder - just select your country and the module(s) you plan to take. In addition to the CIPS exam fee, a surcharge may be applied by the exam centre. Use our exam centre finder to check for additional fees.

Learning resources

To support your studies, each module will have a study guide eBook and eLearning. Check when they will be available.

If you buy all three items per module you get the ebook for half price.

Study guides, ebooks and learning
6 credit modules

GBP	ZAR	AUD	NZD
20.00 each	340 each	35.00 each	40.00 each

Study guides, ebooks and learning
12 credits modules

GBP	ZAR	AUD	NZD
40.00 each	690 each	75.00 each	80.00 each

All study guide, eBooks and eLearning are zero VAT/ GST/ sales tax rated and prices exclude shipping costs. Use our resource availability tool to find out when each of these resources will be available.

We have dedicated resources for this qualification in the student zone.

Try the eLearning demo:

What format are the exams?

All exams for this qualification are computer-based

In this qualification you will be required to complete a mix of Objective Response (OR) and Constructed Response (CR) exams.

Objective Response exam format (OR)
These questions allow you to select a response from a list of possible answers. You will find these types of exams across all our qualifications levels; they are marked by computer and then moderated by CIPS examiners.

Book OR exams early to get your preferred timeslot
If you are a self-study student, you will need to find an exam centre that hosts the new CBE exams. Use our study and exam centre finder to find out where to take your exam. If you're studying with a study centre, they will organise this for you.

When you know your preferred exam location, go to book exams

Choose any of 3 timeslots on any day during the exam week for Objective Response (OR) exams
Exam bookings are live, so your place is confirmed as soon as you book
Make sure you get the timeslot you want by booking as soon as possible

Don’t worry if you miss out - with six exam sittings a year in most countries, there will be another slot available soon.

Constructed Response exam format (CR)
These questions require you to create, or ‘construct’, a response to the question, such as an essay or case study. You will find this type of exam in our diploma level qualifications and they will be marked by subject expert examiners.

To find out the exam format for your next exam take a look at the module you are planning to study. Then use our Study and Exam Centre finder to find out where you can take your exam.

Find out more about our new computer-based exams in this short video:

Objective Response exam format (OR)

These questions allow you to select a response from a list of possible answers. You will find these types of exams across all our qualifications levels and they are marked by computer and then moderated by CIPS examiners.

The following principles are applied when we develop our exam papers:

For each module we will examine your knowledge through the use of every learning outcome (LO) in the syllabus.
Using the learning resources you can check your understanding of each LO
All LOs within a module will have the same amount of coverage.
You must answer all questions within an exam, you can expect no optional questions. All exams are marked out of 100%.

Exam format
The types of questions you will encounter in this qualification are known as Objective Response and Constructed Response.

Exam pass mark

For Objective Response exams the pass mark is 70%

For Constructed Response exams are graded:

50% Pass
60% Merit
75% Distinction

Sample exam questions - Objective Response

During the exam you will be presented with different types of objective response (OR) questions worth different marks. Some will be worth 8 marks, this will be highlighted on your exam. All other questions are worth 1 mark each. See the different types of OR exam questions you can expect in the Exam Guides for Candidates.

Sample exam questions - Constructed Response

What support can I get for my studies?

Each of our qualifications has a full list of supporting study resources in the student zone.

Each module will have a study guide, ebook and elearning, you can check when they will be available.

You can view a sample of our new elearning below:

Other resources which form part of your membership benefits will support you as you learn:

CIPS Knowledge
Access a wealth of expertise, experience, knowledge and resources, including guidelines, white papers, tools and templates.

Supply Management
This free online magazine includes latest news, job opportunities and current developments in procurement and supply.

Guidance on answering exam questions
Exam guidance documents to help to understand what assessors look for when marking exam papers.

Networking
Stay connected with other like-minded professionals

What next?

CIPS has a network of over 190 approved study centres globally offering a range of flexible courses. Get in touch to talk about getting started.

Find a Study Centre

Completed CIPS 5 Level Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply Operations?
Progress to the CIPS Level 6 Professional Diploma in Procurement and Supply.

Transfer arrangements from previous syllabus

If you have previously started but not completed this qualification your full transfer information is available in MyCIPS. If you remember which units you have completed on the previous syllabus. Here's a quick online guide to find out what your transfer will look like.

Transfer tips

The qualification title has stayed the same.
We automatically transfer any successfully completed units in the 2013 syllabus and your updated qualifications plan will show this in your MyCIPS account.
You will never be expected to repeat learning already achieved.
You will be expected to complete the required number of credits to complete the award.
Anyone who has passed exams or has been awarded exemptions on 2013 syllabus will be given credits for subjects within the updated 2018 syllabus.

Download transfer arrangements table for CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply.