CIPS Level 3 Advanced CertificateProcurement & Supply Operations

As this is an entry-level qualification, there are no formal entry requirements. 

Your course is fully online and is assessed through 5 in-person exams.

You'll study 4 core units and your choice of 1 elective unit.

Core units

• Procurement and supply environments
• Ethical procurement and supply
• Contact administration
• Team dynamics and change

Elective units

• Socially responsible procurement
• Socially responsible warehousing and distribution

For full details of what you’ll learn on each unit, download our CIPS Level 3 course guide.

You'll sit 5 exams on this course, each lasting 2 hours. This consists of your core exams:

• Procurement and supply environments
• Ethical procurement and supply
• Contact administration
• Team dynamics and change

Plus your elective exam:

• Socially responsible procurement OR
• Socially responsible warehousing and distribution

Exams are set by CIPS and you'll pay a CIPS fee for each exam. We'll arrange your exams for you and you'll sit them either at your nearest CIPS exam centre, or remotely from home. There's a small additional fee for remote exams. You can check you meet the technical requirements for remote exams here.

In the UK, exam sessions take place 4 times each year:

• March
• May
• July
• November

We recommend spreading your exams between the sessions, but you're free to take multiple exams in one session as long as the schedules don't overlap.

We’re the UK’s most trusted online CIPS provider, rated Excellent from more than 10,000 independent student reviews.

We’re also the world’s most experienced online learning provider, having been pioneers in distance learning for 130 years.

Our flexibility, unlimited support, and interest-free* payment plans make it easy to shape learning around your life.

That’s why every year, thousands of students like you advance their careers with us.

There are 5 levels of CIPS qualification.

If you're new to CIPS:

• You should begin at Level 2 or 3 if you don't have any qualifications or professional experience.
• You can start at Level 4 if you're 18+ with two A Levels (or equivalent), or 21+ with at least two years of business experience.
• Level 4 is the most advanced course you can begin with.

The CIPS Level 2 Certificate is ideal if you're a current or aspiring Administrative Assistant, Contracts Administrator, Stock Controller or Merchandiser. It'll help you understand the key transactional processes of procurement.

The CIPS Level 3 Advanced Certificate is perfect if you want to excel as an Administrator, Assistant Buyer, Assistant Contract Officer, Contract Analyst, or Stock/Inventory Controller/Planner. You'll learn to handle key operational procurement tasks.

The CIPS Level 4 Diploma is ideal if you're a current or aspiring Buyer, Contract Officer, Procurement Executive/Specialist, or Supply Chain/Inventory/Logistics Planner or Analyst. You'll learn to advise key stakeholders on the performance of procurement procedures and processes.

The CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma is your next step after Level 4. It'll help you excel as a Senior Buyer or Contract/Supply Chain Manager, and develop your ability to guide business decisions from a procurement perspective.

The CIPS Level 6 Professional Diploma is the final step in your CIPS education. This prestigious qualification will enable you to excel in strategic senior roles such as Head of Commercial, Head of Logistics/Transport, Senior Procurement Manager, Supply Chain Manager and Operations Manager.

It will also allow you upgrade to CIPS Chartered Membership (MCIPS) once you have 3 years' experience managing or teaching procurement.

Right away! When you enrol, you’ll be able to log in to your course and get started within an hour.

There are no set start dates or schedules – everything is shaped around you.

• Unlimited support online or by phone
• Interactive online learning designed by CIPS experts
• E-books and other additional learning resources
• 24/7 access to the Student Community, your all-in-one learning platform
• Student forums to network and share advice with other learners
• In-house student services team, so you’re never more than a message or phone call away from a helping hand

You can check the technical requirements for accessing your e-books here.

You'll also have unlimited lifetime access to our Career Hub, giving you thousands of resources to help you impress employers, master critical business skills, and build your dream career. It includes:

• A CV and cover letter builder
• An interview simulator
• An elevator pitch builder
• Career and work psychology assessments
• In-depth industry and employer profiles
• 350+ employer films with practical advice from hiring managers
• 1000+ short courses, articles and videos on key career skills like negotiating a raise and leading a team

You can take a sneak peek at the Career Hub by signing up here.§

If you’re funding the course yourself, our flexible monthly payment plans allow you to spread the cost of your monthly instalments. 

If your employer is funding all or part of your course, we can invoice them directly for your course fees – just let your course advisor know and we’ll arrange everything.

Get in touch with our CIPS Advisors on +44 141 404 6595.

They’ll talk through your experience, education and ambitions to make sure you’re choosing the right course, then get you enrolled with a flexible monthly payment plan.

If you have any disabilities which you think might affect your studies or assessments, please tell your Course Advisor before you enrol so we can advise you on whether reasonable adjustments can be made to accommodate your needs.

Your payments will be charged in GBP. The monthly payments listed in your local currency are an estimate based on the current exchange rate from xe.com.

This means that the amount you’ll pay each month in your local currency may vary based on the current exchange rate.

Your bank may use a different exchange rate from the one listed here, or charge a fee for converting your payments into GBP; we’d advise that you speak to your bank directly for more details.