In brief

What you are signing up for

Principles of Project Management and Fundamentals of Management in Projects, both 20 credits, are the two units that carry the discipline itself: lifecycle, scope, scheduling, risk, stakeholders and the management structures around a project. People Management, Introduction to Business Finance and Business Marketing supply the surrounding competences that project leads are expected to have, and Personal and Professional Development asks you to plan your own route through the profession.

The whole diploma lends itself to one case project that you choose early, drawn from your workplace where possible; learners we have introduced describe LSPM running it exactly that way. Every assignment adds a document to it: a charter, a schedule, a risk register, a budget, a communications plan and finally a lessons-learned report. It is not a certification from APM or PMI, and it does not exempt you from their exams; it is an academic Level 4 of 120 credits that happens to leave you with a complete project file. Second-year degree entry follows the usual rule that the university decides.

Intended photograph: Intended photograph: a Gantt chart on a large screen, a learner annotating a printed risk register beside it, colleagues in discussion. Any teaching setting shown would be LSPM's; this site has no premises of its own.
Contents

The six units

  1. Principles of Project Management20 credits
  2. People Management20 credits
  3. Introduction to Business Finance20 credits
  4. Fundamentals of Management in Projects20 credits
  5. Business Marketing20 credits
  6. Personal and Professional Development20 credits
six mandatory units, no optional units 120 credits

Unit titles and credit values are taken from the OTHM qualification specification. The order in which LSPM teaches them is set by LSPM and confirmed at enrolment.

Principles first, then people and finance, then Fundamentals of Management in Projects as the integrating unit, then marketing, with Personal and Professional Development running lightly throughout and assessed last.

Entry

Entry requirements

OTHM 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:

  • Relevant Level 3 Diploma or equivalent qualification
  • GCE Advanced level in 2 subjects or equivalent qualification
  • Mature learners (over 21) with relevant management experience (learners must check with the delivery centre regarding this experience prior to registering for the programme)

Source: the OTHM 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.

The published routes in are a Level 3 diploma, two A levels, or the over-21 experience route. Anyone who has coordinated a piece of work with a deadline, a budget and other people involved has the experience that counts.

Assessment

How you are assessed

A portfolio of project documents built up across the units, each with a written commentary, plus a reflective development plan. There are no exams. Ask LSPM whether feedback is given on each document before it is finalised.

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

Progression

Where it leads, stated carefully

Level 5 Diploma in Project Management from OTHM, continuing into programme and portfolio topics.

Advanced entry to a project management or business degree, if the university accepts the diploma for that purpose.

Project coordinator, PMO analyst or junior project manager roles, often alongside a practitioner certification taken separately.

We do not name partner universities on this page. If and when LSPM shows us a written progression agreement for this diploma, it will be listed here with the date it was signed.

Readership

Who it suits

Likely to get a lot from it

  • Coordinators who have been running projects informally and want the method.
  • Technical specialists being moved into project lead roles.
  • Administrators in PMOs who want to understand the documents they process.

Better served by something else

  • Anyone wanting an APM, PRINCE2 or PMI credential; those are separate examinations.
  • People with no project to work on, since the case project is the spine of the assessment.
  • Experienced project managers seeking advanced or agile-specific material; this is a first year.
Questions

Asked about this programme

Does it cover agile as well as traditional methods?

Yes, at an introductory level. Principles of Project Management contrasts predictive and adaptive approaches and you can run your case project in either style.

Why are marketing and finance units in a project diploma?

Because OTHM's view, and ours, is that a project lead who cannot read a budget or explain a project's value to stakeholders will struggle. Both units are taught through the case project.

Can the case project be hypothetical?

It can, though real ones produce better work. Community projects, events and small business changes all work well when a workplace project is not available.

Documents

Read before you decide

Programme brochure

Brochure slot: PDF to be supplied by LSPM, with its fees, dates and tutor profiles for this programme. Ask us for it by email in the meantime and we will obtain the current version from LSPM.

Official specification

OTHM Level 4 Diploma in Project Management specification, published by the awarding body. The authoritative source for units, learning outcomes and assessment criteria. Also listed on the Ofqual register under 610/1780/2.