Our Level 3 Award for Professional Investigators has been updated to reflect developments in best practice, skills and assessment. The new qualification specification went live on 1 January 2026 and is now open for training providers to apply for approval to deliver.
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.
What’s changed in the new qualification?
Sharper structure, stronger skills
The old qualification centred on two knowledge-based units assessed mainly by Multiple Choice Question examinations 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.
What does the Level 3 Award for Professional Investigators cover?
This award provides learners with the knowledge and skills required to plan, conduct and report professional investigations. Learners will also develop practical competence in interviewing, information management and grading, and preparing client-focussed communication plans.
On completion, learners will be able to deliver proportionate, defensible investigations that align with organisational policy and national legal frameworks.
There are two mandatory units for this qualification, learning outcomes include:
- Understanding the law, legislation, ethics and Codes of Conduct related to professional investigations, and how this affects how investigations are conducted.
- Understanding how to report and present the findings of an investigation.
- Being able to plan an investigation, including suitable and ethical processes, sources and resources available, risks and mitigations.
- Being able to carry out and report on basic investigations, including demonstrating a range of communication techniques, managing conflicts of interest, effective interviewing, and producing investigative reports and evidence statements.
- Understanding how to research and analyse information to support an investigation, including the different types of research and evaluation techniques, maintaining integrity of evidence, and legislative parameters in obtaining and handling information, and security and confidentiality of information.
All learning outcomes for each of the units can be seen in the qualification handbook.
Ready to deliver?
If you are a centre looking to deliver this qualification, get in touch with us today to discuss. If you are not an existing centre, you can start the approval process today to get set up – our quality assurance experts are on hand to help.
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