What is the Equivalent to CMI Level 5 in Education?
Thu 05 Feb 2026
Angela Tracey-Brown
Product Manager - CMI & CIPD
A CMI Level 5 qualification is a great tool in the toolbox for many aspiring middle managers.
But there is some confusion about the qualification, who it is for and what you will learn when you study for the diploma.
To help clarify, we will compare a CMI Level 5 to equivalents in British education and tell you who it is for, what you will learn and the different units available.
What is a CMI Level 5 Certificate?
The CMI Leadership and Management Level 5 certificate is a prestigious qualification that is highly sought-after by employers.
Businesses across the world respect and recognise the CMI qualifications because the CMI is the only organisation able to award the prestigious Chartered Manager status.
The Certified Management Institute (CMI) is the UK's leading management and leadership institute and is backed by a Royal Charter. It offers a detailed framework for different qualifications across all levels of management, each of which offers a unique set of skills and knowledge.
The CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership qualification is a great qualification for anybody aspiring to be a middle manager, operational manager or project manager. The course helps them grow their strategical and tactical leadership skills to the next level.
What educational qualifications are like CMI Level 5?
Recognised as sitting on the same level of the Regulated Qualifications Framework, the CMI Level 5 qualification is comparable to the following educational qualifications:
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Foundation Degree
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Higher National Diploma
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Year 2 of a bachelor’s degree
The CMI Leadership and Management Level 5 certificate course is perfect for those who aspire to become or are already managers. With an extensive selection of units from which you can choose, the CMI Level 5 Certificate will support your needs. You can tailor the programme to match your current job description, as well as future career goals.
What CMI Level 5 diploma online qualifications are available?
At MOL, we provide three different options for CMI Level 5 qualifications. If you consider yourself a middle manager, our CMI Level 5 qualifications cover numerous advanced management and leadership practices, to assist you in taking your career further than ever before.
If you desire to enhance your management skills and career, our live online CMI courses are the perfect solution. With dedicated tutor support, they can be taken entirely online around your existing commitments.
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CMI Level 5 Diploma (8 units) - This 12-month course will help you achieve professional recognition by proving your abilities with CMI L5 Diploma. By completing all units, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how to become an effective and skilled manager with the knowledge you need to progress into a more senior role.
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CMI Level 5 Certificate (3 units) – Over the 4-month duration, this course will strengthen and develop your ability as a middle manager. By focusing on specific management areas relevant to your role, you’ll become a more confident and accomplished manager.
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CMI Level 5 Award (1 unit) – This course is delivered over 5 weeks and is ideal if you’re a middle manager wanting to gain further knowledge, techniques and skills in a particular area. It is also ideal if you currently don’t have a qualification to demonstrate your management skills.
CMI Level 5 qualifications will give you the tools necessary to improve your management abilities, making you a more appealing candidate for career advancement.
In addition, these skills are essential for managing people, teams and relationships effectively, which is perfect for those who are managers and leaders.
What do you learn with CMI Level 5 qualification?
The core of the CMI Level 5 qualification is built around the knowledge and skills you need to lead teams. However, the specific areas of learning are quite detailed and can involve:
Leadership & Management Essentials
You will learn how to lead a team and develop the individuals within the team to achieve success. You will gain insight into working within the structure of a company and alongside other senior members and how to lead by example.
You will also explore the different ways you might need to handle underperformance, conflict resolution and similar tasks.
Planning
You will learn how to build a comprehensive plan, set achievable targets and goals alongside how to manage a team of individuals to achieve the results. Topics like resources, risk management and monitoring of quality will be tackled.
Managing Finances
You will be taught how to work within the financial systems set up by an organisation, how to efficiently budget and how to work towards acquiring further resources to succeed.
Strategic Thinking
Companies will need to change and adapt in order to succeed. As such, you will need to learn how to handle required change, how to plan and account for changes and how to model out expected impact.
You will also need to communicate with stakeholders and inform them of the greater strategy to secure buy-in and create a healthy relationship with them.
How MOL can help with you CMI Level 5
Our courses are designed with you in mind so you can study how, where and when you want to.
Are you ready to start your CMI Level 5 journey and gain a qualification from the leading management qualification body?
Get in touch with one of our Qualification Advisors today.
Management & Leadership
Qualifications
CMI qualifications are designed to provide you with the tools, support and guidance needed to take on any professional challenge.