Find answers to your questions about Purdue’s Lean Six Sigma online certificate programs below and, if we haven’t answered your particular questions, please contact a program advisor:


About the Courses

What differentiates Purdue’s LSS program from others?

The Purdue program has a reputation for excellence among employers nationwide. Unlike many other LSS programs, we have developed proprietary, quality-assured content for each of our courses. Our program also is distinguished by the experience and expertise of our instructors, their hands-on approach to teaching, and their dedication to student success.

Are there prerequisites to Purdue’s online Lean Six Sigma courses?

There are no prerequisites for the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Lean Principles courses. Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Lean Principles are prerequisites for the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt course. Students must have already earned Purdue’s Green Belt and Lean Principles certificates. Note that some students with a Green Belt from another provider may be asked to take a refresher course; however, this is rare.

Are Purdue’s Lean Six Sigma courses geared to professionals in specific industries?

Our courses apply to any industry. Purdue LSS students come from a broad array of industries including healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, and automotive.

Do you recommend Purdue’s online Lean Six Sigma courses to people who are working in the healthcare industry?

Yes! An increasing number of healthcare industry professionals are taking Lean Six Sigma courses to reduce waste and defects in their organization’s processes. Read Healthcare Advancement with Lean Six Sigma for more information.

I am currently unemployed. How do I complete the required Lean Six Sigma Black Belt project?

Students who are unable to complete the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt project through their employer can complete it through another organization. We encourage students to reach out to a small business or nonprofit organization to identify a mutually beneficial project.

Does Purdue offer Master Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification?

We do not offer the Master LSS Black Belt Certification at this time.

Schedule

How often are each of the three programs offered?

Please visit our registration page for information about our course schedule. We are happy to help you put together tentative schedules for completing the three courses.

How long does it take to complete each Six Sigma course?

It takes 10 weeks to complete the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Online Certification course, 8 weeks for the Lean Principles course, and 16 weeks for the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt course. The Six Sigma Green Belt Refresher course must be completed within a 6-month window. Please click on individual program pages for details.

Can I begin studying before the course begins?

Yes, you can access the first learning module a week before the official start date. When you register for the course you will receive information about how to log into Brightspace. One week before the start date you will receive an email with a set of instructions that includes the password for accessing lecture videos.

Lean Principles Certificate Learning Tracks

What are learning tracks?

Learning tracks are a way of presenting Lean Principles content in a way that is relevant to our students’ specific industries. This includes using examples and terminology that speak to the goals of a certain sector, e.g. products per minute versus people per shift.

The three tracks are:

  • Healthcare/Service
  • General Business/IT
  • Manufacturing/Production

Each pathway includes targeted instructions, readings and case studies. These tracks also extend to the discussion forums, allowing students to connect with peers in similar professional environments.

How do I pick my track?

Three different tracks are available for each learner in Purdue’s Lean Principles course, which allows for a more personalized overall experience. Learners choose their track during the first week of the course. More information will be provided during the initial WebEx session.

Can I switch my track during the certificate course?

Yes. If the track you choose does not seem like the right fit and you would like to engage with a different track during the course, please contact your instructor for assistance.

Will my certificate reflect this specialization?

Purdue LSS Lean Principles Certificate example No, you will still receive a general certificate in Lean Principles. However, you will be better equipped to apply the principles to your organization. If you elect to receive Continuing Education Units, your official Purdue record will not list a specialization.

What if I’m not sure which track is right for me?

Please contact a program advisor at LSSonline@purdue.edu or toll-free (888) 390-0499. They can talk with you about your organization and professional needs, and then recommend the best track.

Fees and Discounts

Are textbooks and materials included in course fees?

Some courses require students to purchase additional texts and software. These are valuable materials for students to reference even after course completion. All exams are built into the coursework without additional fees. Please view our course pages for detailed information.

Do you offer active duty military discounts for spouses?

Purdue’s Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean Principles, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt courses are eligible for the Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill benefit. Check your eligibility or enrollment status on eBenefits, online at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs website. Spouses are considered dependents and as such are sometimes eligible to have the Post-9/11 benefit transferred to them.

Do you provide discounts for corporations?

Yes, discounts are available for groups of coworkers. The total discount varies depending on the size of the group. For detailed information about group discounts, please reach out to a Program Advisor at (888) 390-0499.

Course Materials

What course materials are required for the LSS courses?

You will find most of your course materials in Brightspace, but some courses require additional material. The textbook used in the Black Belt course is The Six Sigma Handbook, Fifth Edition by Pyzdek and Keller and The Black Belt Memory Jogger, Second Edition. The Black Belt also requires the use of the statistical software package QI Macros. This tool supports Lean Six Sigma analysis which is woven throughout the course exercises and project work. More information regarding a student rate for this software can be obtained from your Program Advisor.

Students in Lean Principles will need Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation, by James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones.


Technical Requirements

What are the Technical Requirements for LSS courses?

To access the online course environment, you will need an Internet connection with a speed suitable for viewing streaming video. Also, students are expected to have access to standard software such as word processing and spreadsheets.

A comprehensive list of technical requirements can be found on the Purdue online admissions page.


Lecture Videos

Why can’t I get the lecture videos to play?

The video lecture files are in MP4 format, and you can play them as streaming video through your media player or you can download files to your computer or handheld media player to view without an Internet connection. Your Internet connection speed can make a difference in the rate of buffering during playback and also the time required to download a video. Rarely, security/firewall settings on your computer and/or data network will prevent you from downloading or viewing the videos. This usually happens only on secure computers or corporate networks.

Are there troubleshooting steps that you recommend?

Occasionally, a student’s computer setup prevents them from playing the videos as described above. If you can’t stream the videos by left clicking on the file you want to watch, then do a “right click” with your mouse and select “save target as” to save the file to the hard drive. When the download is complete, “right click” on the file and select “open.” If the file doesn’t play, repeat the procedure, but select “open with” a different media player.

Sometimes a Web browser tries to open the lecture video files with Real Player if that is your default player. Most browsers have an Options area where you are able to change the default program for playing video files.

If the video still won’t play after trying the above suggestions, try copying the URL (to the lecture video file), and then opening your media player (rather than clicking on the lecture video file to start it). In the player menu, select “File/Open URL” and paste the link into the text box and hit “Enter.” You will likely only have to do this process once and it usually corrects any problems other than firewall restrictions. If these options don’t work, please try a different computer, such as one at your local library, or seek to have the setup on your own computer modified to accommodate the playing of an MP4 video file.

If you don’t have a media player installed or the player you do have installed is not successfully playing the videos, you can try installing VLC Media Player, a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player that plays most multimedia files as well as DVD, Audio CD, VCD, and various streaming protocols.


Course Quizzes in Brightspace

I don’t think I got full credit for a fill-in-the-blank question in one of the quizzes. What should I do?

This question comes up when a student has responded to a fill-in-the-blank question with more words than requested. When you get a fill-in-the-blank, be sure to read the context before and after the question. For instance, if the word “percent” automatically appears after the blank that you need to fill in, don’t type the word “percent” or the sign “%” because it will cause you to get the answer wrong. Just type the number that you think is the correct answer, such as 20 or twenty. Most of the fill-in-the-blank questions have been adjusted so that the first few letters of the word you need to complete are already provided.

Can I retake quizzes?

Yes, the quizzes are open for two weeks and you can take them up to three times. The system automatically retains the highest score from your attempts. The quiz questions refresh, so you will see a different set of questions for each attempt. The fill-in-the-blank questions are random and, as a result, are not always included by the system in every attempt.

Why can’t I see the correct answers to the quiz questions after I’m done with a quiz?

The system was intentionally designed to ensure the rigor of the course and final exam. It blocks access to printouts of quiz answers (some of the quiz questions reappear in the final exam). You will, however, always have access to your quiz scores.

Failure to Pass and Re-Enrollment

Why did I receive a notice that I did not pass the course?

You must earn the minimum 80% of available points in each of the courses to successfully complete the course. You also are required to turn in your assignments and complete your quizzes the week that they are due. Please check the syllabus for details about course requirements. If you are missing an assignment or a quiz when the course ends, you will not pass the course, even if you have the required minimum number of points. Please refer to the letter from your instructor for details about how to work around special circumstances that might keep you from turning in an assignment or completing a quiz within the required time frame.

What steps do I take to re-enroll?

You have many opportunities to begin Lean Six Sigma courses each year. To re-enroll, simply register for the course you desire and understand that you will have to pay the fee to retake it.

CEUs

What are CEUs and how do I get them for the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean Principles, or Lean Six Sigma Black Belt courses?

The Lean Six Sigma Green Belt course is certified for 4.5 CEUs (continuing education units) from Purdue University. The Lean Principles course is certified for 3.5 CEUs and the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt course is certified for 9.0 CEUs. If you successfully finish a course, we send an email asking whether you want CEUs, and you have the option of completing a course CEU form. Purdue keeps track of CEUs in a cumulative CEU database. Some professions require that individuals earn a certain number of CEUs each year to maintain a license or to support professional development. We leave it up to each student to fill out the form and return it for the CEU credit. It does not require an additional fee. Please note that everyone who successfully completes the course receives a printed certificate of completion from Purdue University.

Certification

Do I have to take a separate certification exam after I complete any of the courses in the series?

No. Each of the courses in the Purdue online Lean Six Sigma series has a final exam built into the course. The final exam is taken during the last week of learning and it is an online exam. A score on the final exam is one of the required elements for passing the course. You also will have case study assignments to submit for the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt; tools assignments in the Lean Principles course; and a management-approved project in the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Is there a standard governing organization for Lean or for Six Sigma certification?

No, so many educational providers incorporate the certification process into their courses. Other providers require students to pay a separate fee to take an exam after they have completed a course. Purdue embeds the exam into its courses, so there is no additional exam fee.

Does Purdue offer online Project Management certification?

Yes, we offer two project management courses – Project Management Essentials, which provides students with fundamental project management skills and a strong start on the path toward becoming a PMP® credential holder, and our PMP® Exam Prep course. Many of our students complete both. For more information on these courses: Project Management Certification. PMP is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

Learning Activities

What are the various learning activities in the online Lean Six Sigma courses?

Learning activities in the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Lean Principles courses include reading; watching video lectures that cover key topics in the course material, available 24/7; participating in online discussions; completing assignments; and taking online self-tests, quizzes and a final exam. The Black Belt course utilizes a more advanced and in-depth use of the methods and tools of Lean and Six Sigma than the prerequisite online Lean Six Sigma Green Belt course. The Black Belt course requires project deliverables in addition to all of the items noted above for the other two courses. For information on our more advanced course, please see the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt page. With all courses, you have an opportunity for coaching via email and phone with your instructor.

Are there group projects within any of the online certificate programs?

All course work is completed individually.

Is there any interaction with other students?

Discussion boards are available in most courses to reach out to fellow online learners to brainstorm ideas, suggestions, etc.

Tech Support

If the above FAQ answers do not address a specific question about accessing the course materials in Brightspace, please send an email to Purdue University Online at Purdue University: lean6sigma@purdue.edu.

After hours, please check with Information Technology at Purdue (ITAP) online.

Their standard hours of operation are: Monday-Thursday 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Friday 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; and Sunday 1 – 6 p.m. Please provide your full name, course title and section, and tell them this online Brightspace course is a non-credit offering through Purdue University Online after calling (765) 494-4000 and selecting option 2 for students.


Additional Support

For non-technical questions or if you need other assistance, please contact your Program Advisor: (888) 390-0499 or LSSonline@purdue.edu.


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Information

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