Award
The shortest route in. One focused area of practice — useful when you need a specific competence, or want to test a subject before committing further.
Home / Qualifications / Award, Certificate & Diploma
Award, Certificate & Diploma qualifications from Level 2 to Level 8
375+ qualifications delivered by SBTL and certified by seven awarding and certification bodies — with clear progression routes into undergraduate, master's and MBA top-up degrees.
Qualifications by levelLevels 5 and 7 carry the degree pathways
Level 2
7
Level 3
46
Level 4
26
Level 5
108
Level 6
20
Level 7
104
Level 8
11
345
Qualifications
6
Awarding bodies
22
Subject categories
2–8
Levels covered
Qualification types
Award, Certificate or Diploma
All three sit at the same level and carry the same academic standing. What changes is size — how many credits you study, how long it takes, and how much ground it covers.
Certificate
A broader grounding across several units. The middle step, and often the point at which learners decide to continue to the full diploma.
Diploma
The full qualification at that level. Diplomas and extended diplomas are what carry credit into a university top-up degree.
SBTL is a delivery centre — we teach, assess and support you throughout. Your qualification is awarded and certified by the body named on your certificate.
Recognition
Who certifies your qualification
Seven bodies sit behind the portfolio. The name on your certificate is theirs — recognised by employers and universities in the UK and internationally.
The UK’s chartered body for management and leadership, spanning team leading through to strategic leadership, coaching, consulting and sustainability. Selected routes carry Chartered Manager status inside the qualification.
62courses
Levels 2–7
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Leadership and management qualifications at every stage from team leading to strategic leadership, including coaching, mentoring and NVQ diplomas built around workplace practice.
19courses
Levels 2–7
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Ofqual-regulated qualifications spanning 17 subject areas — business, accounting, health and social care, IT, law, HR, logistics, tourism, psychology, education and more. Widely used for university progression.
66courses
Levels 3–8
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Ofqual-regulated diplomas across 16 subject areas — business, accounting, health and social care, IT, cyber security, data science, law, HR, psychology, education and more.
53courses
Levels 3–8
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A broad portfolio credit-rated against the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework and mapped here to equivalent RQF levels — business, accounting, healthcare, HR, law, IT, marketing, psychology and more.
1courses
Levels 3–7
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International specialised and professional diplomas in business, offered as named pathways including healthcare, marketing, HR, finance, project management, tourism and general business.
17courses
Levels 4–7
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A professional certification provider with certifications from foundation to advanced across business, leadership, IT, cyber security, data science, HR, marketing, finance and more — including routes with integrated real-world experience.
97courses
Levels 3–7
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Our admissions team will match your experience and career goal to the right awarding body and level.
Talk to admissionsCourse counts are qualifications currently delivered, as at September 2026.
Subject areas
Twenty-two fields to specialise in
From first-line management to cyber security and healthcare. Pick the field you work in, or the one you are moving into.
Accounting and Finance
Business Management
Coaching and Mentoring
Cyber Security
Data Science
Digital Marketing
Education and Training
Equality and Diversity
Hospitality and Tourism
Human Resources
Information Technology
Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Management and Leadership
Marketing
Professional Consulting
Psychology
Public Administration
Sustainability Leadership
University pathways
Where these qualifications take you next
A diploma is not the end of the route. Hold the right credits and you can move straight into the final year of a degree, or onto a master's top-up, without starting again.
1
Level 5, 240 credits → Undergraduate degree
Finish a 240-credit Level 5 qualification and you can enter the final year of a bachelor's degree as a top-up.
You hold
Level 5 Extended DiplomaQualifi or OTHM · 240 credits
Or equivalently
EduQual Diploma, SCQF Level 8240 credits
Progress to
BSc or BA (Hons) Top-UpFinal year only
2
Level 7, 120 credits → Master's degree
A 120-credit Level 7 diploma covers the taught stage of a master's. The top-up is the dissertation stage.
You hold
Level 7 DiplomaQualifi or OTHM · 120 credits
Or equivalently
EduQual Diploma, SCQF Level 11120 credits
Progress to
MSc, MBA or LLM Top-UpDissertation stage
3
CMI Level 7 Diploma + experience → MBA Top-Up
A route for practising senior managers. Three CMI Level 7 diplomas qualify, alongside three years of leadership experience.
You hold one of
CMI Level 7 DiplomaStrategic Management & Leadership Practice · Strategic Sustainability Leadership · Strategic Leadership of AI
Plus
3 years' leadership experienceIn a management role
Progress to
MBA Top-UpFinal stage
Degrees are awarded by the university you progress to, each of which sets its own entry requirements. Our admissions team will confirm which universities are open to you before you enrol.
Embedded Chartered Manager
Chartered Manager status, built into the diploma
Eleven CMI routes carry Chartered Manager (CMgr) assessment inside the qualification itself. You finish the diploma and the chartered assessment together — no separate application, no second body of evidence.
Level 5 · 3 routes
Diploma and Extended Diploma in Management and Leadership, plus the Diploma in Sustainability Management and Leadership.
Level 6 · 1 route
Diploma in Professional Management and Leadership Practice — the bridge between operational and strategic management.
Level 7 · 7 routes
Certificates, Diplomas and the Extended Diploma across Strategic Management and Leadership Practice, Strategic Sustainability Leadership, and Leadership Coaching and Mentoring.
Why CMgr matters
The highest status a practising manager can hold in the UK. Employers read it as independent proof of management capability, not just study.
Foundation Chartered Manager
Every CMI course also earns you FCMgr
Foundation Chartered Manager (FCMgr) is CMI's entry point to chartered status. Complete any CMI qualification from Level 3 to Level 7 with us — or any CBIT CMI-Recognised course — and you become eligible to apply on completion.
All CMI qualifications, Level 3 to Level 7
Every CMI Award, Certificate and Diploma we deliver from Level 3 upward carries FCMgr eligibility — management and leadership, coaching and mentoring, professional consulting, sustainability leadership and AI adoption alike.
All CBIT CMI-Recognised courses
CBIT courses carrying CMI recognition also make you eligible for FCMgr on completion — so you can pick the route that fits your experience and still finish with chartered recognition.
Start here
FCMgr — Foundation Chartered Manager
The entry grade of chartered status. Earned on completion of any qualifying CMI or CBIT CMI-Recognised course, whatever your level of management experience.
Progress to
CMgr — Chartered Manager
The full chartered grade, assessed inside eleven Embedded CMgr routes at Levels 5, 6 and 7 — no separate application needed.
Why choose SBTL
Support that stays with you throughout
From your first enquiry to your certificate, you study with a centre built around learner support.
Accredited and recognised
Accredited and recognised qualifications and certifications, respected by employers worldwide.
Interest-free payment plans
Spread your fees across the length of your course at 0% interest, with no hidden charges.
Dedicated expert tutors
Unlimited one-to-one sessions and written feedback on your work, included in your fee.
ISO 9001:2015 certified
Teaching, assessment and learner support all run to a certified quality management standard.
Study fully online
Learn around your job and your time zone, with new intakes opening every month.
Start when you're ready
Monthly intakes and flexible deadlines mean you don't wait for a September start date.
Rated Excellent by our learners on Trustpilot — genuine, independently verified reviews.
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Find the qualification that fits
Filter 375+ Awards, Certificates and Diplomas by level, subject and awarding body — and see which ones carry a degree pathway.
Browse all our Award, Certificate and Diploma coursesInterest-free payment plans available · Expert tutor support included · Monthly intakes