Qualifications: what are the different levels and types mean
Qualifications serve as evidence of your acquired knowledge and skills, providing employers, teachers, and learners with a clear understanding of what you have learned and what you are capable of. To simplify the wide range of qualifications available, they are categorised into different levels to demonstrate their relative standing and the potential progression pathways they offer.
At OBPUK, we ensure that our program handbooks explicitly specify the type of qualification and its corresponding level, providing students with the necessary information to make informed decisions about their educational journey.
What is a CPD Course?
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses are designed to help professionals enhance their knowledge, skills, and competence within their chosen field. CPD ensures that learners stay up-to-date with industry best practices, emerging trends, and evolving professional standards.
OBPUK CPD courses are practical, career-focused, and flexible, enabling learners to apply new knowledge and skills directly to their professional practice. Non-regulated CPD programmes provide structured learning for professional growth, helping individuals improve performance, broaden expertise, and advance their careers, while remaining adaptable to the learner’s schedule and specific development goals.
Qualifications & Levels
Qualifications serve as formal evidence of your knowledge, skills, and competencies, providing employers, educators, and learners with a clear understanding of your professional capabilities. To simplify the diverse range of qualifications, they are categorised into levels, which reflect their complexity, depth, and potential progression pathways.
At OBPUK, our programme handbooks clearly specify the type of qualification and its corresponding level, allowing learners to make informed decisions about their professional development journey.
CPD Qualification Types Offered by OBPUK
Undergraduate Diploma Programmes
OBPUK Undergraduate CPD programmes are entry-level professional development courses, suitable for individuals seeking to build foundational skills in a specific field. These programmes provide a broad overview without requiring advanced prior knowledge. They are ideal for professionals starting their career or seeking to formalise existing knowledge.
- Duration: 12 – 48 weeks
- Credits: 120
- Level: 4 – 6
- Award Type: Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Graduate Diploma
- Purpose: Build core professional skills, gain practical knowledge, and prepare for further CPD or higher-level professional courses.
Postgraduate Diploma Programmes
Postgraduate CPD programmes provide advanced professional development, offering in-depth knowledge and specialised skills for individuals pursuing senior roles or specialised careers. These programmes focus on practical application, critical thinking, and advanced competencies required in professional practice.
- Duration: 9 – 12 months
- Credits: 120
- Level: 7
- Award Type: Postgraduate Diploma
- Purpose: Deepen expertise, specialise in professional practice, and enhance career progression opportunities.
How OBPUK CPD Programmes Help Professionals
- Provide structured, career-focused learning pathways.
- Enhance practical skills and industry-relevant knowledge.
- Enable flexible study options to accommodate working professionals
- Offer recognised CPD certification for career development.
- Allow progression from entry-level to advanced professional learning.