UC Carl H.

Lindner College of Business Launches Six Sigma

Green Belt Certification Program
Undergraduates who display statistical proficiency and project competency can earn a "valuable
asset" with their degree.
Date: 5/22/2014 12:00:00 AM
By: Judy Ashton
Phone: (513) 556-7162

The Carl H. Lindner College of Business launched a Six Sigma certification program for
undergraduates and hopes to certify several students by the end of the fall 2014 semester.
Lindner College of Business students who pass a written proficiency test and display competency in
a hands-on project environment that addresses a business improvement need can obtain the
professional Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
"Firms have saved millions of dollars from Six Sigma projects; students having these skills and
certification will be a valuable asset to companies in all industries, large and small," says James
Evans, professor of business analytics in the Operations, Business Analytics and Information
Systems Department overseeing the certification program.
Evans is internationally known for his textbooks and research in quality and performance excellence,
and has recently published the second edition of "An Introduction to Six Sigma and Process
Improvement" (Cengage Learning) with co-author William Lindsay.
Though the curriculum for certification primarily focuses on Operations Management/Industrial
Management, any Lindner College of Business student can obtain the certification through required
coursework. However, successful completion requires a strong aptitude in statistics and problem
solving with additional review and preparation.
The required courses are:
BANA 2081 Business Analytics I or STAT 2037 for IM majors
OM 3080 Operations Management
OM 4075 Quality Management
OM 4080 Project Management
OM 5090 Six Sigma Green Belt Project and Certification Exam
The three-hour certification examination consists of 50 multiple-choice questions and will be offered
once at the end of each semester (Fall and Spring). A 70 percent or better is required to
pass. Students may retake the examination as needed.
Certification is typically granted at a hierarchy of proficiency levels, using the martial arts analogy:
Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt and Master Black Belt, with Green Belt certification being the
entry-level certification in companies.
Six Sigma practitioners from GE Aviation, Kroger and the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and
Research Institute in Columbus have volunteered to serve as advisors to support this initiative and
ensure certification integrity, Evans says.
The most common organizations offering certification are companies that certify in-house (e.g.
General Electric, Johnson & Johnson, Motorola), consulting companies (iSixSigma.com, QAI Global
Services, sixsigma.us), professional organizations (ASQ, Institute of Industrial Engineers), and
universities (Ohio State, University of Michigan, Emory, Villanova).
"Professional and consulting organizations charge upwards of $3,000 or more for certification,
making it burdensome for students or recent graduates to pursue," Evans says.
The American Society for Quality provides a Body of Knowledge (BOK) for each belt level. The
Green Belt BOK fits well within the existing OM/IM curriculum; most content is covered in the
required business statistics, Operations Management core, quality management, and project
management courses.
"Thus, content-wise, we cover most of the ASQ BOK, much of which goes beyond what is taught in
company programs," Evans says.