Lean Six Sigma Advanced Certificate
Learn DMAIC and data-driven tools to optimize processes and advance your business career.
97%
Graduate Outcomes Rate
95K+
Average Salary Nationwide
65%
Lean Six Sigma Skills Appear in Over Half of All Job Postings for Engineers
24%
Demand Growth for Process Improvement Skills
Overview for Lean Six Sigma Adv. Cert.
Lean Six Sigma is a methodology for increasing organizational productivity and efficiency through a structured problem solving process called DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control). The focus is on improving organizational systems and work processes.
Lean Six Sigma Certification: On-Campus or Online
The advanced certificate in Lean Six Sigma is for engineers, process-improvement facilitators, and other practitioners looking to increase their effectiveness or enhance their qualifications to broaden their careers. Lean Six Sigma has many benefits for organizations, among them:
- Reduction of new product development time
- Reduction of product delivery time
- Reduction of waste and costs
- Reduction of work-in-process inventory
- Reduction of product variability
- Increased profits
- Increased customer satisfaction, retention and loyalty
The focus of the courses in this certificate is on quality control situations in engineering and on driving process improvements in a broad range of business environments and industries to achieve the benefits outlined above. The certificate's courses may be completed on-campus or online.
Lean Six Sigma Training
Industry certifications such as Lean Six Sigma green belt and black belt are not the focus of this certificate program, however, students interested in obtaining these credentials are well prepared to do so after the deep topical coverage offered in this advanced certificate program. RIT’s Center for Quality and Applied Statistics offers three levels of certification for Lean Six Sigma practitioners: Yellow Belt, Green Belt, and Black Belt. Learn more about RIT’s offerings in Lean Six Sigma, including training schedules, examples of projects, and more.
What is a Graduate Certificate?
A graduate certificate, also called an advanced certificate, is a selection of up to five graduate level courses in a particular area of study. It can serve as a stand-alone credential that provides expertise in a specific topic that enhances your professional knowledge base, or it can serve as the entry point to a master’s degree. Some students complete an advanced certificate and apply those credit hours later toward a master’s degree.
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Don't Delay Your Ambitions Until the Fall
This program offers a spring start, which means you can jumpstart your graduate journey and begin your studies this January.
Curriculum for 2025-2026 for Lean Six Sigma Adv. Cert.
Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements
Lean Six Sigma Advanced Certificate
The curriculum below outlines the typical course sequence(s) for this program.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| ISEE-682 | Lean Six Sigma Fundamentals | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Applied Statistical Quality Control | ||
| Statistical Quality Control | ||
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| Elective | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Design of Experiments | ||
| Design of Experiments | ||
| Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Notes:
- This represents the typical sequence for a student taking two courses per semester. The program is also offered for part time study only. Students typically take one or two courses per semester, and will take two to four semesters to finish the certificate. This schedule is only one example since courses are offered on campus and online and many possible scenarios are possible.
Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DECS-743 | Operations and Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| DECS-744 | Project Management | 3 |
| BANA-680 | Data Management for Business Analytics | 3 |
| INTB-710 | Global Business Analytics | 3 |
| ISEE-626 | Lean System Design | 3 |
| ISEE-703 | Supply Chain Management | 3 |
| ISEE-704 | Logistics | 3 |
| ISEE-720 | Production Control | 3 |
| ISEE-723 | Global Facilities Planning | 3 |
| ISEE-728 | Production Systems Management | 3 |
| ISEE-745 | Manufacturing Systems | 3 |
| ISEE-750 | Systems and Project Management | 3 |
| ISEE-751 | Decision and Risk Benefit Analysis | 3 |
| ISEE-752 | Decision Analysis | 3 |
| ISEE-771 | Engineering of Systems I | 3 |
| ISEE-786 | Lifecycle Assessment | 3 |
| MGIS-650 | Introduction to Data Analytics and Business Intelligence | 3 |
| PROF-710 | Project Management | 3 |
| PROF-711 | Advanced Project Management | 3 |
| PROF-712 | International Project Management | 3 |
| PROF-714 | Agile Project Management | 3 |
| SERQ-723 | Service Analytics | 3 |
| STAT-611 | Statistical Software - R | 3 |
| STAT-614 | Applied Statistics | 3 |
| STAT-641 | Applied Linear Models - Regression | 3 |
| STAT-642 | Applied Linear Models - ANOVA | 3 |
| STAT-745 | Predictive Analytics | 3 |
| STAT-747 | Principles of Statistical Data Mining | 3 |
Note for online students
The frequency of required and elective course offerings in the online program will vary, semester by semester, and will not always match the information presented here. Online students are advised to seek guidance from the listed program contact when developing their individual program course schedule.
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Admissions and Financial Aid
This program is available on-campus or online.
On Campus
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM Designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time | Fall, Spring, or Summer | Rolling | No |
Online
| Offered | Admit Term(s) | Application Deadline | STEM Designated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time | Fall, Spring, or Summer | Rolling | No |
Part-time study is 1‑8 semester credit hours. RIT will not issue a student visa for advanced certificates.
Application Details
To be considered for admission to the Lean Six Sigma Adv. Cert. program, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:
- Complete an online graduate application.
- Submit copies of official transcript(s) (in English) of all previously completed undergraduate and graduate course work, including any transfer credit earned.
- Hold a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) from an accredited university or college. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (or equivalent) is recommended.
- Satisfy prerequisite requirements and/or complete bridge courses prior to starting program coursework.
- Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.
- Submit a personal statement of educational objectives.
- Submit one letter of recommendation.
- Entrance exam requirements: None
- Submit English language test scores (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, etc.), if required. Details are below.
English Language Test Scores
International applicants whose native language is not English must submit one of the following official English language test scores. Some international applicants may be considered for an English test requirement waiver.
Duolingo (DET): 120
IELTS: 6.5
LanguageCert Academic: 70
PTE Academic: 56
TOEFL: 79
International students below the minimum requirement may be considered for conditional admission. Deaf and hard-of-hearing test takers with significant hearing loss do not need to take the listening and speaking sections for the TOEFL and IELTS. Each program requires balanced sub-scores when determining an applicant’s need for additional English language courses.
How to Apply Start or Manage Your Application
Cost and Financial Aid
An RIT graduate degree is an investment with lifelong returns. Graduate tuition varies by degree, the number of credits taken per semester, and delivery method. View the general cost of attendance or estimate the cost of your graduate degree.
A combination of sources can help fund your graduate degree. Learn how to fund your degree
Additional Information
Prerequisites
Applicants must have college-level credit or practical experience in statistics (at least one course in probability and statistics).
Online Degree Information
The online Lean Six Sigma Advanced Certificate can only be completed part-time, taking one or two courses per term. The average time to completion is one year. Delivery is a blend of asynchronous and synchronous study, and academic advisors work with students to select courses that meet degree requirements and student schedules. Students typically spend 10-12 hours per week per class, depending on the content and their background knowledge. For specific details about the delivery format and learning experience, contact the Program Contact listed on this page. RIT does not offer student visas for online study.
Online Tuition Eligibility
The online Lean Six Sigma Adv. Cert. is a designated online degree program that is billed at a 43% discount from our on-campus rate. View the current online tuition rate.
Online Study Restrictions for Some International Students
Certain countries are subject to comprehensive embargoes under US Export Controls, which prohibit virtually ALL exports, imports, and other transactions without a license or other US Government authorization. Learners from the Crimea region of the Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria may not register for RIT online courses. Nor may individuals on the United States Treasury Department’s list of Specially Designated Nationals or the United States Commerce Department’s table of Deny Orders. By registering for RIT online courses, you represent and warrant that you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any such country or on any such list.
Contact
John D. Hromi Center for Quality and Applied Statistics