posted 9th November 2026
CIPS Level 6 is the last qualification before MCIPS Chartered status, so it's a big commitment of money and time. This guide answers the questions we hear most often at The Procurement Academy: what you'll study, what it costs, and how many hours you'll need to put in.
CIPS Level 6 at a glance
- Full title: CIPS Level 6 Professional Diploma in Procurement and Supply
- Academic level: same level as an honours degree
- Modules: 7 (four core modules plus three electives)
- Credits: 60
- Study time: 600 hours in total (CIPS Total Qualification Time)
- Typical duration: around 12 months part-time
- Exams: 4 written (constructed response) and 3 objective response; 15 hours in total
- Cost with TPA: from £2,795, including 16 full study days
- Where: Leeds, Nottingham or live online
- Leads to: eligibility for MCIPS, once you also have three years' relevant experience
What is CIPS Level 6?
The CIPS Level 6 Professional Diploma in Procurement and Supply is the highest qualification on the CIPS pathway and the final step towards MCIPS Chartered status. It is regulated by Ofqual, set at the same level as an honours degree, and covers strategy, ethical leadership and the future of the procurement profession.
At Levels 4 and 5 you learn how procurement works and how to manage it. Level 6 asks you to think like a head of procurement: setting commercial strategy, leading change and judging how global events affect supply chains.
Who can study CIPS Level 6?
To start CIPS Level 6 you need to have completed the CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Procurement and Supply, or to hold exemptions from Levels 4 and 5. It suits senior buyers, category managers, procurement managers and heads of department who want Chartered status.
Many of our Level 6 learners started with us at Level 4 and moved up through Level 5, so they already know our tutors and the way we teach. If you're still working towards Level 5, see our CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma courses.
What modules are in CIPS Level 6?
CIPS Level 6 has seven modules. You take four compulsory core modules worth 42 credits, and choose three elective modules worth 18 credits from a list of six. That makes the 60 credits you need for the qualification.
Core modules (all four required, 42 credits)
- L6M1 Strategic Ethical Leadership: 12 credits, constructed response exam
- L6M2 Global Commercial Strategy: 12 credits, constructed response exam
- L6M3 Global Strategic Supply Chain Management: 12 credits, constructed response exam
- L6M4 Future Strategic Challenges for the Profession: 6 credits, constructed response exam
Elective modules (choose three, 18 credits)
- L6M5 Strategic Programme Leadership: 6 credits, objective response exam
- L6M7 Commercial Data Management: 6 credits, objective response exam
- L6M8 Innovation in Procurement and Supply: 6 credits, objective response exam
- L6M9 Supply Network Design: 6 credits, objective response exam
- L6M10 Global Logistics Strategy: 6 credits, objective response exam
- L6M11 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Principles: 6 credits, objective response exam
There is no L6M6. The codes jump from L6M5 to L6M7.
What changed in the updated CIPS Level 6 syllabus?
CIPS has refreshed all four core modules and added a new elective, L6M11 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Principles. Since January 2026, all Level 6 exams have been based on the updated syllabus, and the ESG module was first examined in March 2026.
If you're buying books second-hand or using old notes, make sure they match the updated syllabus. If you add CIPS books to your TPA package, you'll get the current Level 6 editions.
How are CIPS Level 6 modules assessed?
The four core modules are assessed by constructed response exams: three-hour, essay-style papers where you apply theory to scenarios. The pass mark is 50%, with a merit at 60% and a distinction at 75%. The three electives are assessed by shorter objective response exams, which have a pass mark of 70%.
All CIPS exams are taken on a computer, either at an exam centre or at home with remote invigilation. The written core papers are where most of your preparation goes. At Level 6 the examiners want to see you weigh up options and make a recommendation, not just describe a model, and we spend a lot of class time practising exactly that.
When can I sit CIPS Level 6 exams?
CIPS core module exams (constructed response) run four times a year, in March, May, July and November. You can sit them at an exam centre or with remote invigilation. Elective exams (objective response) can also be taken remotely in January and September, which gives you six chances a year.
Because the four core exams are only available in four exam series a year, they set the pace of your qualification. We plan each TPA cohort's teaching around the exam timetable, so you always know which exam you're working towards.
How much does CIPS Level 6 cost?
With The Procurement Academy, CIPS Level 6 costs from £2,795, including 16 full study days with your tutor. You can study in a classroom in Leeds or Nottingham, or join live online.
CIPS exams and books can be added to your package. Ask us for a full quote, for yourself or for your employer.
What isn't included in the cost?
Your CIPS membership isn't included. You need it to sit CIPS exams, and you pay it directly to CIPS each year. If you need to resit an exam, a resit fee also applies.
Will my employer pay for CIPS Level 6?
Many of our Level 6 learners are funded by their employer, because the qualification develops the strategic skills organisations need from their senior procurement people. We regularly provide formal quotes and invoice organisations directly, and we can complete your company's new supplier forms.
How long does CIPS Level 6 take?
CIPS sets the Total Qualification Time for Level 6 at 600 hours: 250 guided learning hours, 335 hours of self-study and 15 hours of exams. Most people studying part-time alongside a full-time job complete CIPS Level 6 in around 12 months.
CIPS works on 10 hours of study for every credit, so you can plan your time module by module:
- 12-credit modules (L6M1, L6M2, L6M3): about 120 hours each
- 6-credit modules (L6M4 and your three electives): about 60 hours each
How many hours a week should I study for CIPS Level 6?
Over 12 months, 600 hours works out at roughly 11 to 12 hours a week, and that includes your classes. In practice most learners study less in quiet weeks and more in the run-up to an exam, so it's worth blocking out time in your diary early for each exam series.
Can I complete CIPS Level 6 faster?
You can take more than one exam in the same series, so a shorter timeline is possible. The limit is the core modules: their written exams only run in March, May, July and November. Doubling up also doubles your workload, so we recommend it only if you have the time to prepare properly.
What is CIPS Level 6 equivalent to?
CIPS Level 6 is at the same level as a UK bachelor's degree with honours. It sits at Level 6 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) in England, the same level as an honours degree, and is recognised by employers in the UK and internationally.
Does CIPS Level 6 give you MCIPS?
Not on its own. Once you've completed CIPS Levels 4, 5 and 6, you can apply to upgrade to MCIPS Chartered Procurement and Supply Professional if you also have at least three years' experience in a position of responsibility in procurement and supply and a current CIPS Ethics certificate.
MCIPS lets you use the letters after your name, and it's the standard many employers ask for in senior procurement job adverts.
Why study CIPS Level 6 with The Procurement Academy?
- Choose how you learn: classroom courses in Leeds and Nottingham, or live online classes you can join from anywhere in the UK.
- 16 full study days: Level 6 from £2,795, with exams and CIPS books available as part of your package.
- Taught to the exam: we plan teaching around the CIPS exam timetable and put the emphasis on written exam technique for the core modules.
- We stay with you from Level 4 to MCIPS: many of our learners start with us at Level 4 and finish with us at Level 6, with tutors who know them and their goals.
- Help for employers: formal quotes, direct invoicing and supplier set-up handled for you.
Find out more about why it pays to study CIPS with an approved study centre.
Ready to take the final step to Chartered status? Visit our CIPS Level 6 Professional Diploma courses page or get in touch for a quote. If you're not sure Level 6 is the right starting point, read CIPS Qualifications Explained: Which Level Should You Start At? or our guide to CIPS Level 4 modules, exams, cost and study time.
