Online Master of Science in Lean Manufacturing
The Only Program of Its Kind in North America – Developed in Partnership with General Motors
Lean Manufacturing applies Lean and Six Sigma philosophy, practices and tools to organizational challenges to reduce and eliminate waste and create a more efficient process – creating optimized processes and services to reduce time, cost and errors.
Fast Facts
Make an impact right away - our Learn Today-Use Tomorrow philosophy combines theory with practice, allowing you to apply your classroom learning directly to the job.
- $945 per credit hour*
- 100% online, 40 credit-hour curriculum
- 8 starts a year**
- Finish in as few as 18 months
- No GRE or GMAT is required
- Become an expert in Lean enterprise development and Six Sigma, value stream mapping, Pareto charts, fishbone diagrams, etc.
- Increase your competitive edge - Add as few as 5 courses to add a second degree to your credentials: Choose from MBA, MS Operations Management, or MS Engineering Management.
This course is an introduction and integrated overview of contemporary global manufacturing operations. The focus is on the importance of agility and the introduction of lean concepts in business and manufacturing. Instruction will emphasize the application of attitudes, skills, and knowledge required of managers, supervisors, team leaders, and manufacturing professionals in a cross-functional and cross-cultural manufacturing environment.
Career Outlook
Lean Manufacturing will experience a faster than average growth rate of 14% from 2020 to 2030, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Examine salary expectations from Industry Week’s 2021 salary survey:
- Automotive Plant Manager: $125,694
- COO/CTO: $167, 243
- Hospital Administrator: $114,118
- Lean/Continuous Improvement Management: $124,500
- VP/Director, Production/Supply Chain: $162,938
- Consulting/Education
- VP/Director, Purchasing/Procurement: $157,750
- R&D/Product Development: $131,917
- Quality Management: $100,375
Students examine techniques to maximize production efficiency and to maintain control over each step in the production process. DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control), the structured problem-solving methodology, provides the framework for the course.
Curriculum
Kettering’s Lean Manufacturing program is now redesigned and updated thanks to the collaboration of subject matter experts currently working in the field to better enhance the student experience. These updates include:
- Latest research and Lean methods
- Critical thinking about Lean and different ways it is/can be utilized
- In-depth understanding on impact of projects based on real world situations
- Real-world business situations, problems and decisions
- Enhanced teamwork collaboration, as well as enhanced focus on individual leadership training in the industry.
This course begins with an overview of the theory and application of lean production systems. Systems thinking and business dynamics are presented along with contemporary lean thinking principles, lean enterprise development, and value stream mapping. Specific emphasis will be devoted to modern enterprise improvement techniques such as Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints, and Business Process Reengineering.
This course covers topics in quality assurance including an introduction to quality and quality philosophy, statistical methods of quality improvement, the concept of variation and its reduction, statistical process control, and acceptance sampling. In this course, students will make extensive use of statistical software.
MS in Lean Manufacturing – Core Courses
This course addresses a critical issue facing organizations in the design of a competitive and low-cost manufacturing operation. The intent of this course is to survey the basic techniques of methods design, work measurement, business process analysis, and ergonomics. The student will be expected to solve complex problems encountered during the design, analysis, or operation of a facility that produces goods or services.
This course is intended to provide the operations professional with an understanding of the data typically available within a manufacturing or service environment, and how to use information derived from such data employing a lean paradigm to improve operations. The course covers basic financial accounting, activity-based metrics, trend analysis, decision making and linking operational decisions to strategic considerations.
Students should take this course as one of their last two core courses. The focus of this course is on a business-focused, project-oriented perspective applicable to the integrated operating environment. Project Management tools and techniques, recognized as part of the body of knowledge by the Project Management Institute, are examined in detail. The Final Project is designed to enable students to apply project management concepts, and techniques to ensure application of lean principles to a process or service.
Earning your online MS in Lean Manufacturing from Kettering University Online you learn from expert faculty and gain the latest real-world knowledge and skills in lean principles. You graduate as part of an extensive alumni network with connections to notable organizations such as General Motors, Bosch, Boeing, Fisher-Price, Whirlpool, GE, and NASA. Engineer your future and engineer your success with the edge an MS in Lean Manufacturing from Kettering University Online can provide.
Connect with us — get your questions answered. Complete the form at the top of the page to download your program guide and schedule a time to speak with an Admissions Advisor.
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