What is the CIPD Professional Development Scheme (PDS)?
The PDS is a postgraduate programme based on the CIPD's Professional Standards at practitioner level. These cover the whole spectrum of people management and development. Based on these standards and the concept of the thinking performer, the aim of the CIPD Postgraduate Diploma in Personnel and Development, and other CIPD-approved postgraduate qualifications, is to prepare individuals for effective and efficient performance in a variety of professional roles in people management and development.
Knowledge towards CIPD professional membership
Completing the PDS in full provides the required knowledge for CIPD Chartered Member or Chartered Fellow, which can be done by completing an online Membership Assessment process based on achieved knowledge, plus an assessment of workbased activities and behaviours. Alternatively you can transfer for free to the new Associate (Assoc CIPD) professional membership.
Who is the PDS suitable for?
This qualification is for individuals who want to advance their career in people management and development and who aspire to CIPD Chartered membership.
What does PDS cover?
A postgraduate diploma covers four vital fields that professionals require in order to meet the needs of their organisations, these fields are:
- Leadership and Management
- People Management and Development
- Specialist and Generalist Personnel and Development (electives)
- Applied Personnel and Development.
Each of the four fields contains several subjects. For the Specialist and Generalist Personnel and Development field you are able to choose the subjects you will study from a list.
How long does it take to complete?
A postgraduate diploma involves a total of 1,200 hours study.
Important
We’re phasing in a new portfolio of Advanced level qualifications. As a result we will be phasing out the PDS over time.
There is no need for you to delay embarking on a CIPD qualification, as existing programmes will continue to run and the last intake will be the end of December 2010. As the majority of start dates occur in September, if you intend to study any of our existing qualifications, then you should aim to register during September 2010 to avoid any disappointment.