Assessing your qualifications
If you've gained one or more relevant postgraduate-level qualification(s), then the accreditation of prior certificated learning (APCL) route is the best way for you to become a member.
To start with, you'll need to join us as an Affiliate member and provide us with evidence of how your postgraduate-level qualification(s) match our Professional Standards
CIPD will then assess whether your qualification has equipped you with the equivalent knowledge and range of skills that you would have developed if you had done the Professional Development Scheme (PDS). For each module you successfully meet you’ll be awarded an accreditation. If you successfully meet the Standards for a complete field of the PDS you’ll be awarded Licentiate membership.
You can gain accreditation against our professional Standards (this relates to a maximum of six PDS modules) based on a single postgraduate-level qualification. If you have a second qualification at the same level, you can use it as the basis of accreditation against a maximum of four further modules. No exemptions will be awarded from the Applied Personnel and Development field of the PDS.
If you are undertaking a qualification at a CIPD centre and hold a relevant managerial postgraduate-level qualification, the centre may award you ‘Advanced Standing’ against the Leadership and Management field. If you want further assessment against additional modules or other fields you must go through the CIPD’s central APCL assessment process.
To achieve Graduate membership you'll need to complete the remaining modules within the PDS. You can do this by choosing to study or by having your experience assessed. Achieving Graduate membership will be your first step towards becoming a chartered member.
Contact us to find out more about APCL.
Related FAQs