A degree is essentially built up over three years, one at level 4, one at level 5 and one at level 6. So is it a degree? No. Is it at degree level? Technically, yes, it's roughly equivalent to the second year of a degree. Semantics maybe!

In reply to Julie Dix:

It's a pity then there's no Level 6 qualification given that Level 7 is directly eviqualant to a completed Masters unlike Level 5 and a Degree.

If an employer was looking for Masters as an requirement you could say you have an equivelant qualification from the CIPD and reference the EQF/RQF table but you cannot do that if an employer was looking for a Degree and you were on Level 5.

I mistakenly thought a CIPD Level 5 Intermiediate Diploma was equivelant to an Ordinary Degree based on how they word it on both the CIPD and their partners websites.

In reply to Mark:

The L7 isn't automatically a masters either though - it's usually a postgraduate certificate or diploma, which is level 7 study but not a full masters.
There are lots of nuances within the UK education system which can trip people up, unfortunately.

In reply to Julie Dix:

Also, foundation degrees are Level 5 and so are the old Higher National Diplomas. (Cynics might say that Foundation Degrees are essentially HNDs rebadged in order to get 'degree' into the name)..
Both are to best of my knowledge equivalent to two years full time undergraduate degree-level study. A full Bachelors Degree is indeed classed as L6 but is awarded after three years full time undergraduate study.

One year of postgraduate study will get you a Postgraduate Certificate at L7 but two years for a Postgrad Diploma or a Masters but also at L7, but accepted as the result of a wider range of study than the Postgrad. Cert (or similarly HND compared with Bachelor Degree).

As Julie says, nuances apply.

The Open University used to have a coherent classification of its undergraduate modules at Foundation / (OU-only) Level 1 (First Year undergraduate level) and Levels 2, 3 and 4 (post-first year, Level 2 being pass degree level and 3 and 4 good honours degree level provided you got good enough grades) - with a nifty weighted scoring algorithm combining levels and pass grades in order ultimately to determine whether you got a pass degree or a 2.1 or a 2.2 or even a First if you were lucky and / or gifted and / or swotty.

In reply to Mark:

The old Professional Qualification Scheme was Level 6 it was moved up to a Level 7 a few years after it became the Professional Development Scheme, which in turn was replaced by the L7 Advanced Diploma. The current L5 Diploma has been designed for management level (some providers have an arrangement with ILM so you also get a Level 5 in management for successful completion). The level can also be topped to a full degree (although it will probably be Business Studies - do your research on costs carefully though!).

In reply to Julie Dix:

L7 plus a dissertation = Masters.

Here's an explanation...

https://www.cipd.co.uk/Community/blogs/b/cipdstudentblog/posts/finding-the-right-cipd-qualification-for-you

If there's still doubt, you are welcome to call the CIPD Membership and Qualifications Enquiry team on 020 8612 6208.

In reply to Steve Bridger:

Here's the definitive document for higher education qualifications in the UK: www.qaa.ac.uk/.../qualifications-frameworks.pdf
Page 17 gives an overview. Level 5 is _an_ undergraduate level but not the level of an undergraduate degree.

Another point to note (particularly relevant re. the level 7 qualifications) is that a qualification can be at a particular level, but have a smaller 'size' than the 'full' qualification listed by QAA - e.g. a master's degree is normally 180 credits at level 7, while a postgraduate diploma is typically 120 and certificate 60.

In summary and after reading the responses to your question: Level 5 is a foundation degree and not a batchelor degree.

In reply to Robert James Munro:

No

In reply to Paul:

Many might think that there are some strange bedfellows occupying the same NQF levels - for just one example, A Levels or an NVQ3 or a completed Advanced Apprenticeship are all classed as in the same Level 3. So it can be apples and pears and big fruits and normal size ones and bonsai examples and all sorts. Having worked for many years in the world of NVQ3s for example, I do think it’s pushing it more than a bit to equate one of those with GCSE A Level and there’s a world of difference as regards breadth between a full advanced apprenticeship completion and a solitary nvq3. So very blunt instruments indeed....