About the qualification
Qualification Number: 610/6747/7
Operational Start Date: 1st January 2026
Total Qualification Time: 60 hours
Guided Learning: 34 hours
What are the objectives for the Level 3 Award for Professional Investigators?
- Gives learners the skills to plan, conduct and report investigations to legal and organisational standards.
- Builds confidence in scoping enquiries and assessing risks before progressing.
- Teaches how to choose and use lawful, proportionate investigative methods.
- Strengthens analytical skills: evaluating, corroborating and grading information.
- Embeds best practice in securing, handling and preserving records and exhibits.
- Develops practical competence in interviewing and information management.
- Supports creation of clear, accurate reports and evidential statements.
- Equips learners to communicate with clients professionally while protecting confidentiality.
- Enables learners to carry out proportionate, defensible investigations aligned with national legislation and organisational policy.
What is a Professional Investigator?
The role of a Professional Investigator is to establish facts ethically and lawfully so that organisations and individuals can make informed decisions. Working across private, public and employment contexts, investigators plan enquiries, gather and analyse information from open and closed sources, interview relevant parties, manage exhibits and evidence, and report impartially on their findings. They operate to sector Codes of Conduct and professional ethics, and comply with key legislation governing privacy, surveillance, data protection, disclosure and the handling and continuity of evidence. Collaboration with clients, colleagues and external agencies is central to the role, alongside proactive management of risk, health and safety, and conflicts of interest to preserve integrity and public confidence.
What’s Changed in the New Qualification?
Sharper structure, stronger skills
The old qualification centred on two knowledge-based units assessed mainly by MCQs and a small portfolio. The new version widens into practical competence, adding real-world investigation planning, interviewing, evidence handling, and report writing
Assessment that reflects the role
Instead of two fixed exams, learners now evidence competence through a broader range of assessment methods: observation, professional discussion, practical tasks, and written work – all designed to mirror the investigative environment.
Updated content for a modern investigative landscape
Legislation, codes of conduct, digital information sources, and ethical practice have all been strengthened and expanded. The new qualification puts greater emphasis on lawful, proportionate, and ethical investigation throughout.