Examinations

Overview

IoD awards, certificate and diploma level examinations and qualifications are now credit rated under the internationally recognised Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).

Flexible examination dates are available throughout the year, and are offered via remote invigilation using a computer-based testing system which can be used on your home or work computer.

The Certificate in Company Direction is composed of four separate modular exams:

Award in Role of the Director and the Board
Award in Finance for Non-Financial Directors
Award in Director’s Role in Strategy and Marketing
Award in Leadership for Directors

The exams can be taken in any order, all at once or month by month. Candidates will be awarded the Certificate in Company Direction once all four modular exams have been successfully completed.

Each modular exam is 45 minutes in duration and composed of 16 multiple-choice questions drawn from a randomised question bank. Twelve of these are one-mark and four are two mark questions, with varying degrees of difficulty.

Exam Registration

IoD Awards, Certificate and Diploma in Company Direction programmes can be booked together with your examination through your Professional Development Account Manager, or by contacting the Professional Development team.

If you have already booked onto an IoD programme and wish to register for an examination, please contact the Assessment and Professional Standards team directly.

+44 (0) 20 7766 8910

examinations@iod.com

Exam Format

Certificate and Diploma examinations are offered via remote invigilation using a computer-based testing system which can be used on your home or work computer. The system is simple and easy to use, and test tutorials and practice exams are available as familiarisation tools. 

For more information and technical specifications regarding Computer-Based Testing, please contact examinations@iod.com.

Regulations and Policies

Examination Guides and Regulations

All candidates are bound by all IoD rules and regulations governing the conduct of the examination. Please ensure that you read the regulations prior to registration. Registering for an examination will be taken as confirmation that you have read and accepted these regulations.

IoD Examination Regulations

IoD Certificate Exam Guide

IoD Diploma Exam Guide

Exemption Policy

On the 1st October 2016 the IoD implemented a new exemption policy pertaining to candidates from modules for the Certificate in Company Direction, stating that candidates may be exempted from both the relevant course and the examination. Exemptions are only issued on a like for like basis, which demands at least 70% syllabus similarity for an exemption to be granted. It is important to note that IoD exempts against relevant masters level modules of 10+ credits, and furthermore, exemptions against Batchelor’s cannot be considered.

IoD Exemption Policy

Disclosure of examination results to third parties

If you do not wish the IoD to disclose your results to third parties, including your tutors, please write to us at examinations@iod.com to opt out. This information will be limited to your grade (eg Pass).

In relation to the release of examination results to third parties (programme managers), if you have not ‘opted out’ for purposes of non-disclosure, the IoD may inform your regional director if you have been successful in the Certificate and Diploma examinations. This information will be limited to your grade (e.g. Pass).

Cancellation of examinations by IoD

In the rare situation where it is not possible for your examination to be conducted following efforts by IoD to accommodate the examination – for example in the event of natural disaster, geopolitical or other significant circumstances or where the conduct of agents appointed by IoD fail to discharge their responsibility, the result of which will carry a significant risk, candidates will be notified and offered a further examination sitting without charge.  It is stressed that this will be extremely rare.