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Applied Learning · Dual Designation Program Earn Two Industry-Leading Designations in One Seamless Journey Earn the NISCL-CSCL and MCIPS Designations

Become a Chartered Supply Chain Leader

As Canada's exclusive dual designation pathway, this program enables you to earn both the NISCL-CSCL and MCIPS designations through a single integrated learning journey.

Together, these credentials demonstrate your expertise against the Global Standard—the internationally recognized competency framework setting the benchmark for procurement and supply professionals worldwide. 

Next Cohort: Fall 2026. Applications due August 28, 2026.

Dual Des­ig­na­tion Why This Pro­gram Stands Apart NISCL’s Applied Learn­ing Pro­gram com­bines glob­al­ly bench­marked com­pe­ten­cies, prac­ti­cal appli­ca­tion, expert instruc­tion, and indi­vid­u­al­ized sup­port into one learn­ing journey.

  • Globally Benchmarked. Locally Delivered.

    Aligned to the Global Standard to help you build competencies and elevate your profile in Canada and across the world.

  • Canada’s Only Dual Designation Pathway

    Earn both NISCL-CSCL and MCIPS through one streamlined learning journey.

  • Support, Every Step of the Way

    Instructor guidance, individualized assignment support, and ongoing feedback.

  • Learning That Delivers Immediate Impact

    Learn from experienced leading industry practitioners

    Apply insights directly to your organization with assessments based entirely on work-based assignments.

  • A Small Cohort, By Design

    Small, consistent cohorts (max. 16 participants)

    Strong peer connections and collaboration

    Ongoing learning with the same professionals throughout the program

  • A Capstone Project That Delivers Real Business Value

    No final exam.

    Instead, you’ll complete a real-world project for your organization with guidance from expert instructors.

What Our Des­ig­na­tion Can­di­dates Have to Say

“The most valuable part has been combining practical procurement and supply chain knowledge with internationally recognized professional standards, strengthening my understanding of strategic sourcing, contract management, and supplier relationships. The dual designation pathway offers both local and international recognition. It’s a strong investment in professional growth, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to advance their procurement and supply chain career.”

— Harpreet Singh , Assistant Purchasing Manager, Richmond School District No. 38

“The program’s emphasis on practical application made learning meaningful, reinforcing procurement and supply chain principles through real workplace scenarios. Its leadership focus pushed me to think strategically and view challenges from a leadership perspective, not just an operational one. I’d highly recommend it to anyone advancing their career. It has increased my confidence, broadened my perspective, and equipped me to think and act like a leader.”

— Somatie Persad , Materials Officer, Trinidad Generation Unlimited

“Working at OHS Global, I’ve applied concepts from the program directly to my daily procurement work. The lessons on sourcing, supplier management, and contracts have helped me make better decisions and improve our processes. I’d recommend this program to anyone who wants practical knowledge they can use at work and add real value to their organization.”

— Safat , Procurement Manager, OHS Global Inc.

Down­load a cus­tomiz­able employ­er sup­port let­ter to help con­vey the pro­gram’s value.

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Start Your Dual Des­ig­na­tion Journey

Earn two respected designations through one integrated learning experience.

Pro­gram Details

CIPS Applied Learning Program provides your team with a non-exam, work-based route to MCIPS - a globally recognized accreditation, while delivering proven return on investment for your organization. 

By completing the Applied Learning Program, your team can achieve up to MCIPS Chartered professional status. Complete the Advanced Practitioner level to earn your NISCL-CSCL and the MCIPS Designations.

NISCL Applied Learning Brochure 2026

Two people shaking hands at a meeting

Level 1: Practitioner

Duration: 12 months

Curriculum includes:

  • Module 1: Driving value through procurement and supply
  • Module 2: Managing expenditures with suppliers
  • Module 3: Developing contracts in procurement and supply
  • Module 4: Sourcing essentials in procurement and supply
  • Module 5: Effective negotiation in procurement and supply

Each module consists of 2 hours of e-learning and a 2 day instructor-led workshop.

Global Standards competency levels:

  • Operational

Outcomes:

  • Diploma level membership via CIPS
  • Eligibility to begin the Advanced Practitioner Level

Level 2: Advanced Practitioner

Duration: 18 months

Curriculum includes: 

  • Module 1: Leadership and Management in Procurement and Supply
  • Module 2: Commercial Management in Procurement and Supply
  • Module 3: Global Strategic Supply Chain Management
  • Module 4: Category Management
  • Module 5: Contract Management in Procurement and Supply
  • Module 6: Project, Program and Change Management

Each module consists of 2 hours of e-learning and a 2 day instructor-led workshop.

Global Standards competency levels:

  • Managerial and professional

Outcome: 

  • The NISCL-CSCL and MCIPS Designations

Want to fast-track to Advanced Prac­ti­tion­er directly?

For individuals with sufficient experience, it is possible to begin the program at the final Advanced Practitioner level by successfully completing a paid assessment. The Competency Assessment is based on the Global Standard for Procurement and Supply. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate you meet the required competencies for the Practitioner level and bypass it to begin at the Advanced Practitioner level.  

Talk to us to understand if you are eligible for The Competency Assessment.

Fre­quent­ly Asked Ques­tions (FAQs)

Eli­gi­bil­i­ty & Structure

What are the eligibility requirements?
If you are cur­rent­ly employed in a sup­ply chain role or have worked in a sup­ply chain func­tion pre­vi­ous­ly and have rel­e­vant edu­ca­tion (sup­ply chain, busi­ness, finance, oper­a­tions, etc.), you are eli­gi­ble to apply for the Applied Learn­ing program.
Does my experience/education need to be Canadian?
No, any expe­ri­ence can be accept­ed, regard­less of where it was earned.
Do I have to be currently employed?
No, you don’t have to be cur­rent­ly employed, but pre­vi­ous expe­ri­ence in sup­ply chain and pro­cure­ment is required.
What’s the structure of the program?
The Applied Learn­ing dual des­ig­na­tion pro­gram is made up of two lev­els, Prac­ti­tion­er and Advanced Prac­ti­tion­er, with each lev­el com­pris­ing sev­er­al mod­ules. Each mod­ule con­sists of e‑learning to be com­plet­ed in advance of a two-day instruc­tor-led live work­shop host­ed over Zoom, and an assign­ment. There are no tests or exams in the Applied Learn­ing pro­gram; every assign­ment is designed to be imme­di­ate­ly imple­mentable to improve your sup­ply chain function.
Is the program virtual/online?
Yes, all resources, work­shops, and sub­mis­sions are com­plet­ed virtually.
What topics does the program cover?
The Applied Learn­ing pro­gram cov­ers top­ics such as: • Dri­ving Val­ue Through Pro­cure­ment & Sup­ply • Man­ag­ing Sup­pli­er Expen­di­tures • Con­tract Devel­op­ment • Sourc­ing Essen­tials • Effec­tive Nego­ti­a­tion • Lead­er­ship & Man­age­ment • Com­mer­cial Pro­cure­ment Strat­e­gy • lob­al Strate­gic Sup­ply Chain • Cat­e­go­ry & Con­tract Man­age­ment • Pro­gram & Change Leadership
Do both levels result in the designations?
No, the NIS­CL-CSCL and MCIPS des­ig­na­tions are award­ed only after com­ple­tion of the Advanced Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el. After com­plet­ing the Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el, grad­u­ates are award­ed a Diplo­ma-lev­el Mem­ber­ship with CIPS, a cre­den­tial that’s reflect­ed in the CIPS directory.
Can I take a challenge exam to get the designations instead of doing the coursework?
No, you can­not com­plete a chal­lenge exam to earn the NIS­CL-CSCL and MCIPS designations.

Cost & Financial

What’s the cost of the program?
The Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el of the pro­gram is $8,500.00 plus applic­a­ble tax­es. The Advanced Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el of the pro­gram is $9,995.00 plus applic­a­ble tax­es. Indi­vid­u­als par­tic­i­pat­ing in the Cor­po­rate Sub­scrip­tion pro­gram are enti­tled to 20% off their tuition cost.
Is there a payment plan available?
Yes. You are not expect­ed to pay for the entire pro­gram upfront. Pay­ments are divid­ed over the course of your program.
Can I apply for OSAP?
No. This pro­gram does not qual­i­fy for OSAP, as it is offered by a pro­fes­sion­al asso­ci­a­tion and leads to a pro­fes­sion­al des­ig­na­tion rather than a post­sec­ondary degree or diploma.
Can I apply for the Canada Training Credit?
Yes. NIS­CL is a cer­ti­fied edu­ca­tion­al insti­tu­tion for the pur­pos­es of the Cana­da Train­ing Cred­it (CTC). Apply­ing for the CTC is the candidate’s responsibility.
Will I receive a T2202?
No. NIS­CL does not issue T2202 tax forms, and pro­gram fees are not eli­gi­ble for the stan­dard tuition tax cred­it pro­vid­ed by des­ig­nat­ed post­sec­ondary institutions.

Pro­gram Logistics

What is the weekly time commitment?
There is no week­ly time require­ment for the Applied Learn­ing pro­gram, as there are only 10 days of live learn­ing per lev­el. Each two-day work­shop is rough­ly 6 – 8 weeks apart, mean­ing you have about a month to com­plete each assign­ment on your own time, when­ev­er it best suits your schedule.
How long does the program take?
Com­plet­ing both lev­els of the pro­gram takes approx­i­mate­ly 2.5 years. The Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el lasts 12 months. The Advanced Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el lasts 18 months.
Can I take courses closer together to finish sooner?
No. When you join the Applied Learn­ing pro­gram, you com­mit to attend­ing pre-sched­uled work­shops with your cohort.
Can I complete the capstone final project based on a project I have already completed or am currently working on?
No. The cap­stone project must rep­re­sent a net-new project.
Can I fast-track my completion?
For indi­vid­u­als with suf­fi­cient expe­ri­ence, it is pos­si­ble to begin the pro­gram at the final Advanced Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el by suc­cess­ful­ly com­plet­ing a paid assess­ment. The Com­pe­ten­cy Assess­ment is based on the Glob­al Stan­dard for Pro­cure­ment and Sup­ply. It pro­vides an oppor­tu­ni­ty to demon­strate you meet the required com­pe­ten­cies for the Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el and bypass it to begin at the Advanced Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el. To bypass the Prac­ti­tion­er lev­el, you’ll need to score a 3 or above in 10 of the 11 themes.
Do I have support through the program if I don’t understand assignments?
Absolute­ly. There is an Assign­ment Help Ses­sion as well as indi­vid­u­al­ized assign­ment sup­port through­out the learn­ing journey.
What if I need to take a break from the program?
In the case of exten­u­at­ing cir­cum­stances, you may be eli­gi­ble to defer com­ple­tion of the pro­gram and pick up where you left off in the fol­low­ing term. This is approved on a case-by-case basis.

Pro­gram Differentiation

What makes the Applied Learning program unique?
The Applied Learn­ing pro­gram is bench­marked against the Glob­al Stan­dard for Pro­cure­ment and Sup­ply. It is the only path­way in the world to offer both the NIS­CL-CSCL and MCIPS des­ig­na­tions — you get both a nation­al­ly rec­og­nized Cana­di­an des­ig­na­tion and an inter­na­tion­al­ly rec­og­nized des­ig­na­tion that car­ries Char­tered sta­tus after one year of maintenance.
Is this the same program my manager completed?
Like­ly not. In 2024, we intro­duced the Applied Learn­ing pro­gram via our part­ner­ship with the Char­tered Insti­tute of Pro­cure­ment & Sup­ply (CIPS) and have ful­ly adopt­ed it toward the NIS­CL-CSCL designation.
Why did you update the program?
Offer­ing the Applied Learn­ing pro­gram aligns Cana­di­an pro­fes­sion­als with the Glob­al Stan­dard for Pro­cure­ment and Sup­ply, reduces work­load, and intro­duces appli­ca­tion-based learn­ing that’s imme­di­ate­ly imple­mentable in your day-to-day.

Start Your Dual Des­ig­na­tion Journey

Earn two respected designations through one integrated learning experience.