Jump to: Admission Requirements | Curriculum
Master of Science in Lean Systems Online
Lean thinking has emerged as a powerful approach for enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, and achieving operational excellence in both manufacturing and service industries. While other Lean programs focus primarily on manufacturing, the Master of Science in Lean Systems (MSLS) provides the knowledge and tools necessary to understand, implement, and lead Lean practices in a variety of organizational settings.
The Master of Science in Lean Systems (MSLS) provides students with a deep understanding of Lean principles, systems thinking, and their application across diverse industries. The program combines the core tenets of Lean methodology with cutting-edge systems engineering concepts to produce graduates who are adept at optimizing complex systems, driving operational excellence, and leading transformative change within organizations.
Lean Systems 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.
- $965 per credit hour – Financial aid and military benefits are available for qualified applicants
- 100% online, 40 credit-hour curriculum – Seven core courses plus your choice of one of the following three-course graduate certificates: Global Leadership, Lean Principles for Healthcare, Operations Management, Management & Leadership, Foundation of Data Science, Supply Chain Level I or Supply Chain Level II
- Finish in as few as 18 months
- No GRE/GMAT required
- Multiple intakes per year – Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer
- Become well-versed in Six Sigma and lean enterprise development, value stream mapping, Pareto charts, fishbone diagrams, etc
- Two Degrees in Two Years – Earn a second master’s degree with only 5 additional courses to further boost your credentials and increase your competitive edge. Choose from MBA, MS Operations Management, or MS Engineering Management.
“The quality and the expertise of the professors and the faculty and the staff - everyone here at KUO really exemplifies what I believe the future of education needs to be. I found that it was almost exactly like being on campus. I could drop the professor an email, set up a time to meet, and have really in-depth conversations.”
Dave L, MSLM + MBA, 2022
About Lean Management Systems
Lean Systems is a continuous improvement process. The lean approach embodies a commitment to the relentless pursuit of efficiency and quality. Lean Systems focuses on applying lean principles in a variety of industries outside of manufacturing.
The Master of Science in Lean Systems degree is designed to equip students with the advanced knowledge and practical skills to implement Lean and Six Sigma methodologies across diverse organizational settings. Students graduate prepared to influence change in their organization, by minimizing waste, driving efficiency, ensuring quality, initiating continuous improvement, and sparking innovation.
Why Choose Kettering’s Lean Systems Master’s Degree over a Certificate?
Instead of acquiring skills solely on the job and tailored to a specific role, our approach is to equip you with the ability to apply lean systems principles across various professions. The journey begins with a foundational understanding of assessing and enhancing quality in different processes and contexts. This is followed by a data-driven process that enables the identification of actionable steps for improvement.
The Master of Science in Lean Systems degree will help you:
- Develop Lean Expertise: Gain a robust understanding of Lean and Six Sigma principles.
- Enhance Practical Skills: Experience the impact of lean management principles through real-world assignments and projects.
- Foster Innovation and Improvement: Encourage a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within organizations.
- Prepare for Diverse Settings: Apply Lean methodologies in various industries, including non-manufacturing environments.
Career Outlook for Lean Systems
Participating in structured assessments, we proactively identify and address issues while harmonizing them with lean systems principles. This involves the analysis of institutional data, prioritization of actions with stakeholder support, and a commitment to ongoing reevaluation to uphold quality standards in domains like customer service and quality control. These competencies in lean systems equip individuals with problem-solving, data analysis, collaborative, and continuous improvement skills that are highly sought-after in the professional world, ensuring a competitive edge and facilitating career advancement.
Those pursuing a career in lean systems can work in various industries, including aerospace, agriculture, apparel, automotive, construction, consumer products, forestry, healthcare, government, sports, retail, service, and technology.
Option to Earn Two Degrees in Two Years
Kettering University Online is offering students the unique opportunity to earn an Online MBA, MS Operations Management or MS Engineering Management in addition to an MS in Lean Systems with only FIVE additional courses. One Kettering degree provides a strong return on investment. A second Kettering graduate degree increases your marketability and skills while setting your resume apart in competitive STEM fields.
Undergraduate degree with a background in the sciences, Data Science or Analytics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science, or Business Analytics preferred, but not required.
Kettering University Online – Master of Science in Data Science FAQs
What Are the Admissions Requirements?
Domestic
Domestic Students
- An Undergraduate degree with 3.0 on a 4.0 grading system, or the international equivalent (85 overall grade point average on a 100-grade-point scale.) A 2.5-2.99 GPA will be considered on a provisional basis.
- Resume
- Statement of Purpose - Indicate your reason(s) for pursuing a graduate degree at Kettering University
- Three Professional Letters of Recommendation (one must be from a supervisor)
- Official transcripts from a regionally accredited U.S. university or an international equivalent
- Up to 8 hours of transfer credits may be available
- No GRE or GMAT is required
International Students
In addition to the Domestic requirements, international students also require:
- International students are required to submit educational documentation to an evaluation service such as Educational Perspectives, which is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). This will be at the expense of the student. Kettering University undergraduate students need not submit their Kettering transcripts but are required to submit transcripts from any other university.
- International applicants whose native language is not English and who have not earned a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution may be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
Our minimum score requirements are:
- TOEFL: Paper-based: 550
- Computer-based: 213
- Internet-based: 79
- IELTS: Minimum Band score of 6.0
Admissions
Our knowledgeable and supportive Admissions Advisors help you understand KUO's program structure, mission, core values, and goals. They help you understand how the program you are interested in pursuing aligns with your career goals and assist you in preparing a strong file for the Admissions Committee.
Student Support
Online students enrolled with KUO receive individual guidance from a Professional Advisor. KUO is committed to helping you thrive as an online student —that is why we offer support from the start of your classes until graduation, ensuring you stay connected to the university.
We provide a unique option for you to enroll in just five extra courses to earn your online MBA, MS Operations Management, or MS Engineering Management. As a lean systems professional, your business acumen will complement the technical skills you bring to the job every day.
Get your MBA as a second degree by taking just four additional courses
Get two master’s degrees plus your customized certificate to add weight to your resume
No need to complete a 2nd certificate course; get your 2nd master’s degree in record time
All courses need to be within 6 years.
Online Master in Lean Systems – Core Courses
Online Master of Lean Systems – Certificate Options
The Master of Lean Systems Online curriculum includes 7 core courses plus your choice of one of the 3-course graduate certificates listed below.
- MGMT 679 | Leadership
- MGMT 649 | Ethics and Leadership
- BUSN 689 | Organizational Behavior
- MGMT 619 | Project Management
- MGMT 609 | Technology Management
Plus, one of the following, according to your program:
- MGMT 661 | Operations Management (non-MSOM programs)
- IME 676 | Lean Six Sigma (MSOM program only)
- IME 656 | Engineering for Healthcare Systems
- HMGT 609 | Healthcare Management
Plus, your choice of:
- SCM 610 | Foundations Supply Chain Management OR
- IME 676 | Lean Six Sigma
- MGMT 620| Business Communication and Presentation
- MGMT 621 | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Plus, your choice of:
- MGMT 622| Organized Labor and Management Relations
- MGMT 649 | Ethics and Leadership
- SCM 610 | Foundations Supply Chain Management
- SCM 611 | Collaboration Supply Chain Management
- SCM 612 | Customer Relationship Management
- SCM 613 | Supply Chain Logistics
- SCM 614 | Procurement and Risk Management
- SCM 615 | Supply Chain Planning
- COMM 601: Communicating About Data
- MATH 650: Statistical Methods for Data Science
- CS 641: Foundations of Data Science
Earning your online Master's Degree in Lean Systems 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 Systems from Kettering University Online can provide.
Lean principles can also apply to manufacturing. If you are interested in learning lean principles with a focus on manufacturing, read about Kettering’s online Master of Science in Lean Manufacturing program.
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.
Through reviewing a list of curated resources, actively participating in discussion questions, and completing assignments, learners also deepen their knowledge of Lean and Six Sigma to eliminate waste, drive efficiency, ensure quality, initiate continuous improvement, and spark innovation in various organizational settings.
This course examines techniques to maximize production efficiency and maintain control over each step in the process. The structured problem-solving methodology DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) provides the framework for the course.
The course starts from the discussion of the evolution of production systems, from craft to mass and lean production. Principles of systems thinking and business dynamics applied to production systems are also studied. Contemporary lean thinking principles, lean enterprise development, and value stream mapping are studied and used in student projects.
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. Statistical software such as MINITAB is used throughout the course.
This course covers work analysis of the application of process analysis, methods improvement, work measurement and ergonomic techniques to meet the competitive goals of a manufacturing company or office environment. The intent of this course is to survey the basic techniques of methods design, work measurement, business process analysis, and ergonomics.
The course covers basic financial accounting, activity-based metrics, links to strategy, trend analysis, and decision-making. Student teams operate simulated companies in competition.
The course provides the opportunity to work on a team-based Lean Systems project. This project focuses specifically on an issue in a non-manufacturing organization or business or service process that would benefit from the application of Lean principles, tools and techniques.