Management Qualifications

What length of programme is right for you?

Until 2004 the old style CMS (Certificate in Management Studies) and DMS (Diploma in Management Studies) used to be fixed in length. Current national qualifications for management come in three broad lengths of course - short, medium and long - which are now available with CMI, ILM and Edexcel (BTEC) at all three management levels - First Line Managers, Middle Managers and Senior Managers. The short course is known as an Award in Management, the medium course is a Certificate in Management, and the long course is a Diploma in Management.

Compare Awarding Bodies and what they offer at a glance by downloading this overview PDF as mentioned in the video clip.

Your choice of length of programme depends on several factors:

• What are your organisation development needs?
• And hence - which units (topics) would you like to include?
• What is your available budget and target numbers of managers to develop at the different levels?

You can run a full medium or longer length course starting from day 1, or you can start small and then add units over succeeding months and years.

For example, a group of first line managers could do this at Level 3:

• Start with an Award in Management in year one containing three units
• Add three more units in year two and gain a Certificate in Management
• Add three more units in year three and gain a Diploma in Management

Or senior managers could do the same at level 7 and middle managers at level 5.

Click here to understand more about the National Qualifications Framework, what is within the different levels and how they might apply to your managers.

Click here to contact Jeremy Hamilton - 01202 937600. He will help you navigate through the minefield of NQF and QCF to get you quickly to what you need to know about in order to make the right decision.