Month: June 2020

Here is another instalment of multiple choice questions, with solutions and feedback. They relate to modules L4M5, L4M6 and L4M7.For those who are not familiar with the Profex Study Packs, you should be aware that each Pack ends with a chapter of such questions for practice ahead of the ‘live’ exam.

Some good news for everyone studying the CIPS qualification at Levels 5 and 6.

• The L6M4 syllabus (Future Strategic Challenges for the Profession) is fiendishly difficult. We are required to assess future challenges for the profession – but no crystal balls are allowed in the exam room. Whoever wrote the syllabus does not appear to have foreseen the impact of, say, a global pandemic, which seems ironic at a time when we have thought of nothing else for the past few months. (Oh, and if anyone from Easton House is reading this, please could you amend the blunder in Assessment Criterion 1.1? Legality is clearly meant to be leagility.) These difficulties are aggravated by the fact that CIPS apparently do not intend to publish a Study Guide for this module. (We have some ideas about a Profex resource for lecturers that may fill the gap, but it’s too early for details.) So what’s the good news? Simply that yesterday CIPS circulated an email to all members with details of relevant research carried out by academics at Aston University and the University of Liverpool. If you are studying this module, be sure you access this research.
• We’re working on our Profex book for L6M2 Global Commercial Strategy. Picture our delight when we noticed that Learning Outcome 4.0 is word for word identical (two command words excepted) to Learning Outcome 3.0 from the L5M4 module, Advanced Contract and Financial Management. You may be wondering why there is such a substantial amount of duplication (and so are we). But look on the bright side: if you’ve already passed L5M4 you’ve done 25% of the work you need to do for L6M2.

We have had a query (a slightly panicky query) from a learner studying the L5M8 module Project and Change Management. Her concern relates to Assessment Criterion 3.4 and specifically to the topic ‘critical path method’ or CPM. She has not been able to find study material that makes this topic understandable.

CPM is indeed somewhat more technical and computational than most syllabus topics. However, this should not cause panic.

• For one thing, it is most unlikely (and perhaps impossible) that an exam question would ask you to construct a critical path network. More likely is that you might be asked a question involving the interpretation of a given network.
• And for another, there is help on the way. Our Study Pack for L5M8 is currently being printed. And we have decided to make our coverage of CPM available now, ahead of publication: download it as a PDF here.

Please let us know if you have difficulties understanding any topics on the syllabus for this or other modules: choyvfuvat@cebsrk.pb.hx. If enough learners are struggling with a particular topic we will consider publishing explanatory material on this forum.

How ready are you for attempting the L4M1 exam? Our quiz will help you to diagnose whether you have mastered the study material … or not!

The references in the answers are to chapters and sections of the Profex Study Text.

So how did you do? If you found any worrying gaps in your knowledge, you should refer in the first instance to your Profex PassNotes. And if that’s not enough, you will find full details in your Profex Study Text.