Step into the management role you are ready for. The CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership is the chartered qualification that signals capability, to your employer, to your team, and to yourself. It is the primary route to Chartered Manager (CMgr) status. Studied 100% online over 12 months alongside your existing role.
✓Are aged 19 or over and ready to commit to 8 to 12 hours per week
✓Need flexible, self-paced online study around work or family
✓Want a regulated qualification recognised by UK employers and leading professional bodies
✓Prefer portfolio assessment over traditional written exams
✓Have existing experience in your field that you want formally accredited
Your career after this course
✓You need a face-to-face classroom environment to learn
✓You require traditional written exams for assessment
✓You cannot commit 8 to 12 hours of study per week
✓You expect to qualify in less than the typical course duration
✓You do not have access to the workplace evidence required (where applicable)
About this qualification
What you'll learn
You are managing people and delivering results, but you want the professional credential that reflects the level at which you are already operating. The CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership is the benchmark qualification for established middle managers, the point at which operational competence meets strategic awareness, and where professional credibility becomes chartered.
This is an Ofqual-regulated Level 5 qualification awarded by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), sitting at the same RQF level as a foundation degree. The CMI is the only chartered professional body for management in the UK, and the Level 5 Diploma is its flagship qualification for managers with responsibility for teams, departments, or business units. The programme covers management and leadership in organisational contexts, financial resource management, stakeholder engagement, leading and managing change, strategic planning and performance management, and developing organisational capability.
The programme is studied 100% online at your own pace, with 12 months of full course access. Your dedicated UK tutor provides detailed written feedback within 2 working days of each submission. Assessment is by written assignments and a management report, all grounded in your current management role, which means your real-world experience is the primary source of evidence. No exams. No classroom attendance.
Completing the Level 5 Diploma makes you eligible to apply for Chartered Manager (CMgr) status, the professional designation awarded by the CMI to managers with qualifying experience plus a Level 5 or higher CMI award. CMgr is recognised by employers as the benchmark of management excellence. It also opens direct routes to senior management, director-level, and head-of-function roles, with salaries typically ranging from £45,000 to £75,000 depending on sector and organisation size.
CMI Level 5 is the most widely cited management qualification in UK job advertisements at middle-management level. It is embedded in the leadership development programmes of NHS trusts, local authorities, large retailers, financial services firms, and the public sector. Online delivery allows you to study without stepping away from your role, something that matters enormously to managers who cannot afford downtime. Many learners report that applying the coursework directly to their organisation accelerates real change in their team.
The course is available with interest-free monthly payments, spread the cost at 0%, no lump sum required, start any day of the year. Many employers reimburse the cost through training budgets. This qualification is for managers who are ready to lead at a higher level, professionals approaching their first senior leadership appointment, and those who want the CMI credential behind their name. If you are already leading, this is how you prove it.
Chartered Management Institute (CMI)RQF Level 5100% Online9 to 12 months4 unitsSelf-paced
Curriculum
What you'll study
4 units across 1 level of study. Portfolio-assessed — no exams.
What you'll need
Entry requirements
You need to be aged 18 or over to enrol.
Functional Skills English at Level 2 or GCSE English at grade 4 (C) or above.
A reliable internet connection, computer or tablet, and basic word-processing skills.
There is no minimum study commitment. As a guide, most learners spend around 8 to 12 hours a week, but you can study more or less based on your own pace and how you feel at the time. The course flexes around your life.
At least 12 months of management or supervisory experience.
Not sure if you qualify?
Our admissions team can talk you through your options.
The qualification is fully portfolio-assessed. There are no written exams. You complete a mix of assignments, case studies, reflective accounts, and a final project demonstrating competence against every assessment criterion.
Each unit is graded as Pass or Refer. Tutor feedback is delivered within 2 working days, every time, with the option to refine and resubmit work. You always have a clear picture of what is due, when, and what good looks like, every brief includes a worked example and a marking rubric.
Assessments are submitted through your online learner dashboard. Final certification follows internal quality assurance and external moderation by the CMI.
01
Portfolio-based
Coursework and a written portfolio. No traditional written exams.
02
Submit online
All assignments submitted through your learner dashboard.
03
Tutor feedback
Detailed feedback in 3 to 5 working days. Refine and resubmit until you reach the grade you want.
04
Graded across units
Pass, Merit or Distinction on each unit. Top grades stack to the highest UCAS point total.
Careers
Where this can take you
Typical roles and salary ranges this qualification opens up.
Middle Manager
Typical salary range
£40,000 to £65,000
Lead a department or function with multiple direct and indirect reports across UK organisations.
Operations Manager
Typical salary range
£42,000 to £70,000
Lead operations across logistics, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, or services.
Project Manager
Typical salary range
£42,000 to £75,000
Lead complex projects with cross-functional teams, often combined with PRINCE2 or APM.
Programme Manager
Typical salary range
£55,000 to £90,000
Manage portfolios of related projects, typically reporting to a director.
HR Manager
Typical salary range
£40,000 to £65,000
Lead the people function for a business unit or mid-sized organisation.
Branch / Area Manager
Typical salary range
£35,000 to £60,000
Manage multiple sites in retail, hospitality, banking, or services.
✓Talk to our support team by phone, email or live chat
✓See your progress and next steps on your dashboard
✓Join the learner community forum when you want to chat to others
Funding and finance
✓Pay monthly to spread the cost with no interest
✓Pay in full and save versus monthly
✓No credit checks and no contract. Pause or cancel anytime
✓We can send funding paperwork to your employer if they sponsor you
✓Our enrolment team will talk you through every option
✓14 day money back guarantee on every enrolment
Accreditation and recognition
✓Awarded by a recognised UK awarding body
✓Regulated by Ofqual, the same standard as college courses
✓Accepted by UK universities, employers and professional bodies
✓You get a certificate when you finish
✓Listed on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications
✓Independently quality checked through IQA and EQA
How it works
✓Start any time. There are no set term dates or cohorts
✓Study at your own pace around work and family
✓No exams. You complete coursework, a portfolio and assignments
✓Resubmit your work at no extra cost to reach the grade you want
✓Use the optional study planner if you like a bit of structure
✓How long you study is entirely up to you. Most learners spend a few hours each week, but you can do more or less based on your own pace
What learners say
Trusted by thousands of learners
Real feedback from learners studying with Lift College.
The flexibility was a game changer for me. I studied around my shifts and my tutor was incredibly supportive throughout.
I was nervous about going back to study after 15 years, but the platform is so easy to use and the feedback I got on assignments was genuinely useful.
Got into my first-choice university with a place on a Nursing BSc. The Access to HE Diploma gave me exactly what I needed.
Good value and well structured. I appreciated that I could resubmit work without extra cost — really helped me improve.
Customer service was excellent. Any time I had a question it was answered within hours. Highly recommend.
I needed a qualification that actually meant something to employers. Ofqual regulation was the deciding factor, and it delivered.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Chartered Manager (CMgr) status is awarded by the CMI to professionals who hold a Level 5 or higher CMI qualification plus 3+ years of management experience. The CMI Level 5 Diploma counts toward the academic requirement.
