What you should know before starting Level 5

First, you need to complete CIPS Level 4 to be awarded the Level 5 Advanced Diploma. But there’s a useful distinction between starting to study or sit Level 5 modules and being awarded the qualification.

You don’t necessarily have to sit around waiting for every Level 4 result before moving on. You can study Level 5 material while you’re waiting for results or resitting a Level 4 module. So if you’re wondering ‘can I take a Level 5 exam before I have passed all of Level 4?’ – the answer is yes. You just might not receive your Level 5 certificate until the lower level is completed.

Useful links: the official CIPS Level 5 qualification overview.

What changes between CIPS Level 4 and Level 5?

Constructed Response (CR): familiar format, slightly different expectations

The basic CR format hasn’t changed. For L5M1 and L5M4, you’re still writing answers to four essay-style questions in a three-hour exam. If you’ve already tackled L4M1 or L4M8, you know what that feels like.

The difference is the depth of thinking expected of you. You’ll still need to explain theories clearly, but you should be ready to apply them to a situation, consider implications, compare options and support your judgements. In other words, don’t just describe a theory and hope the examiner is impressed by how much you remember.

Pay close attention to the command word in each question. ‘Explain’ asks you to say how or why something works; ‘analyse’ calls for breaking down causes, relationships or implications; ‘evaluate’ means weighing up evidence and reaching a reasoned judgement; ‘justify’ means giving convincing reasons for your recommendation.

That isn’t a promise that particular command words will always appear at Level 5, or never appear at Level 4. The exact wording varies. What matters is practising the type of response each word asks for, using the CIPS guidance rather than trying to memorise a list of ‘Level 5 words’.

CIPS provides an exam-preparation guide and its command words resource, as well as sample CR questions and answer guidance in its Level 5 study resources.

Objective Response (OR): not quite the same as Level 4

Here’s a change that’s worth knowing about before you book your first Level 5 OR exam: the questions aren’t all straightforward multiple-choice questions with four answers.

At Level 5, OR exams also include matching drag-and-drop-style questions, where you have to match items to categories or put things in the correct order. You still need to understand the syllabus, but you’re using your knowledge in a slightly different way.

Personally, I rather like these. I think they can be easier to pick up marks on than a string of tricky multiple-choice questions. That’s my experience, others may disagree but it’s definitely worth practising this style of question before the real exam so you know what to expect.

Compulsory and elective modules: what do you actually need to take?

This is another change from Level 4. You no longer have to complete every module on the list. There are five compulsory modules that everybody studies, and you choose three electives from six options. That gives you eight exams altogether.

The five compulsory modules

• L5M1 — Managing Teams and Individuals (CR)
• L5M2 — Managing Supply Chain Risk (OR)
• L5M3 — Managing Contractual Risk (OR)
• L5M4 — Advanced Contract and Financial Management (CR)
• L5M5 — Managing Ethical Procurement and Supply (OR)

Choose three of these six elective modules

• L5M6 — Category Management (OR)
• L5M7 — Achieving Competitive Advantage Through the Supply Chain (OR)
• L5M8 — Project and Change Management (OR)
• L5M9 — Operations Management (OR)
• L5M10 — Logistics Management (OR)
• L5M15 — Advanced Negotiation (OR)

How should you choose? I’d start with what you actually do at work — or would like to do. If you’re working in sourcing and supplier management, Category Management or Advanced Negotiation might feel especially relevant. If your world is operations, stock and moving things around, Logistics or Operations Management might suit you better.

Don’t just pick electives because someone on Facebook says they’re ‘easy’. Their easy module might be your personal nightmare.

Should I approach Level 5 differently from Level 4?

In some ways, yes. But I wouldn’t go into Level 5 assuming it’s going to be dramatically harder just because the number is bigger.

My personal view? Some of the OR modules can actually feel easier than Level 4. And I’ve got two reasons for that.

1. You already know more than you think

A lot of the foundations come back. Porter’s Five Forces, the Kraljic Matrix, supplier relationships, contracts, risk, sourcing strategies — if you’ve already studied Level 4, you’re not starting from scratch. You’re building on concepts you’ve met before.

That’s why I’d keep your Level 4 notes. You may find yourself revisiting exactly the same model, just applying it to a different question or looking at it in a bit more depth.

2. I quite like the drag-and-drop questions

I’ve always found the drag-and-drop style questions relatively friendly. Being able to match concepts or put stages in order can feel more straightforward than deciding between four very similar-sounding answers CIPS wants you to select.

That’s not to say they’re always easy, but I think students sometimes hear ‘new question format’ and assume it must be worse. It isn’t necessarily.

Which Level 5 modules should you pair together?

As with Level 4, there isn’t one magic order. But if I were planning it again, I’d do the OR modules first to build momentum, then leave the CR modules until later.

I’d suggest starting with these combinations, adjusting the elective suggestions according to which three you’ve chosen:

Why I’d leave L5M1 until last

L5M1 is largely about management theory — people, motivation, organisational behaviour, teams and leadership. It’s a different sort of module from many of the procurement-heavy OR exams, and there’s quite a lot to remember.

But there’s another reason I would save it. If you’re carrying on to Level 6, there’s useful overlap with L6M1 — Strategic Ethical Leadership, particularly around leadership, management and organisational behaviour.

Personally, I’d sit L5M1 towards the end of Level 5 and then tackle L6M1 reasonably soon afterwards. That way, all the management theories and names are still in your head, rather than having to learn them all over again six months later.

Again, that’s my personal suggested exam order. If you’ve already got a timetable or you’re studying with a provider, adapt it to what works for you.

Useful CIPS revision articles

How to Revise for CIPS Exams When You Don’t Have Enough Time: 5 Practical Tips — for anyone trying to fit revision around work, children or the rest of life.

CIPS Constructed Response Exam Technique: Show the Examiner What You Know — especially useful if you’re preparing for L5M1 or L5M4.

You can also go straight to the Study Procurement articles library or the official CIPS Level 5 revision resources and sample questions.

Extra CIPS Level 5 study resources I’ve created

As well as the free advice on this website, I make independent revision resources on Udemy. They’re optional extras alongside your CIPS study guide, not official CIPS materials.

Mock exams for the Objective Response modules

I’ve created practice exams for every Level 5 OR module — the three compulsory OR modules and all six elective choices. They’re designed to help you practise both standard multiple-choice and matching/drag-and-drop questions, as well as getting used to the timing and concentration needed to work through an exam.

After each test, you can review your answers and explanations, with learning-outcome and study-guide references to help you work out what needs another look. That’s the bit I think makes practice questions useful — finding out why you got something wrong, not just looking at the percentage.

Video courses and practice essays for L5M1 and L5M4

For the two CR modules, I’ve made two different kinds of resources. The video courses break the learning outcomes down into manageable lessons, explaining management theory, contracts, financial concepts and other syllabus material in plain English, with practical examples to help it stick.

The practice essay courses are for the next stage: taking what you know and turning it into a written answer. You can try questions yourself, compare your approach with example answers and read my tutor notes on what content to include and how to structure your response.

They serve different purposes. The videos help you understand the subject; the essay practice helps you show the examiner you understand it. You can use either or both depending on what you need.

That’s Level 5. It might look like a bigger step on paper, but you’re bringing a lot of knowledge with you from Level 4. Choose electives that interest you, practise the exam formats you will actually be sitting, and don’t feel that you have to do everything in module-number order just because somebody wrote the syllabus that way.

Written by Elizabeth Evans MCIPS. Study Procurement is an independent learning resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by CIPS.