Level 4 Diploma in Coaching

The unit titles read like a coaching engagement in order, and that is the order that makes sense to take them in. Understand and Establish a Coaching Agreement comes first, then Create Positive Coaching Relationship, Effective Communication in a Coaching Environment, Action Planning and Goal Setting for Coaching, Manage Progress and Accountability in a Coaching Environment, and finally Meet Ethical and Professional Coaching Standards. By the end you have walked a real coachee through the whole cycle and written it up.

The people who choose it are line managers who have been told to coach rather than tell, HR and learning staff, sports coaches moving into workplace coaching, and a few people considering coaching as a second career. Practice is compulsory: you need a willing coachee, and you will record and reflect on your sessions. What the diploma does not do is make you an accredited coach with any professional coaching body; those bodies run their own credentialing with hours and supervision requirements. It gives you 120 credits at Level 4 and a grounded, ethical practice, which is a good place to start from.

Qualifi sets the entry requirements for this qualification and LSPM, as the approved centre, applies them when it assesses your application. As published by the awarding body:

• Learners who have demonstrated some ability and possess Qualifications at Level 3, for example ‘A’ Levels or vocational awards;
• Learners who have spent some time in an organisational role and shown they have capability and drive to develop
• Learners seeking further professional development and gain work related skills and knowhow.

Source: the Qualifi specification. If you are not sure whether your qualification counts as equivalent, send us the details and we will put the question to LSPM's admissions team, who make the decision.

Qualifi's wording covers Level 3 qualifications, organisational experience and a wish to develop professionally. My own advice is to be sure you can find someone to coach for at least the middle four units before you apply.

Written assignments for each unit, with recorded or logged coaching sessions and a reflective commentary providing the evidence. No exams. Check LSPM's arrangements for feedback on drafts.

Assignments are set and marked by LSPM's tutors, moderated within LSPM and sampled by Qualifi before LSPM claims certificates. Draft feedback and resubmission arrangements are LSPM's own practice; confirm them at enrolment. How assessment works in full.

A Qualifi Level 5 diploma in a related people or management field, since coaching does not continue as a Level 5 title in LSPM's range.

Second-year entry to a degree in coaching, business or organisational psychology, where a university is willing to recognise it.

Internal coaching roles, people-development posts, or a foundation for later professional coaching accreditation.