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New Horizons New Horizons Project Management Academy Project Management Academy Six Sigma Online Six Sigma Online Velopi Velopi Watermark Learning Watermark Learning
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New Horizons New Horizons Project Management Academy Project Management Academy Six Sigma Online Six Sigma Online Velopi Velopi Watermark Learning Watermark Learning
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FREE! White Belt Certification

Frequently Asked Questions

Because Your Questions are Important to Us

Still need a few things cleared up? Our FAQ’s Section has the answers to many of the more common questions that our students ask. If you still have questions, please feel free to fill out the form below to have a customer service specialist eagerly assist you.

General Information:

Six Sigma Certification can be applied to many aspects of business, and therefore can benefit almost all companies. By enrolling your employees, Six Sigma can drastically improve your organization’s bottom line, and at the same time help your employees climb the corporate ladder. Six Sigma has become the flagship method for separating your organization from its competition.

Six Sigma is a highly disciplined approach that enables us to focus on creating and delivering nearly-perfect products and services. The underlying idea being that if you can measure how many “defects” you have in a process, you can systematically figure out a way to eliminate them and get as close to “zero defects” as possible. This concept is the motivating factor why employers today are increasingly searching for candidates with this type of certification

Our Yellow Belt Certification is typically ideal for individuals that will not play an active role in Six Sigma implementation; it teaches the basic fundamentals of the Six Sigma methodology. Yellow Belt Certification serves as excellent overview of the important relationship between a solid quality process and its effect on the organization’s profitability.

Employees who will be expected to use Six Sigma on a daily basis should enroll into the Green Belt Program. Those wishing to manage the efforts of the Green Belts and/or use more in-depth statistical approaches to solve problems and achieve results are encouraged to enroll directly into the Black Belt Program.

In terms of employment opportunities, Black Belt Certification is the most ideal, as holding this title means that you are not only knowledgeable in Six Sigma, but also that you can lead Six Sigma efforts within an organization. All of the material from the Yellow Belt and Green Belt Programs are included in the Black Belt Program. Any student wishing to enroll directly into the Black Belt Program is encouraged to do so.

Lean Six Sigma training, put simply, means a program includes “lean” principles woven into the Six Sigma Curriculum. Most (if not all) Six Sigma programs are actually identical to their “Lean” Six Sigma counterparts.

The primary reason for this widespread misunderstanding is because although Six Sigma began decades ago, it only became a household name when the military began implementing ‘lean’ principles. Since the military referred to it as “Lean Six Sigma”, it seems to have caused confusion ever since.

To accommodate both employers and employees alike, we offer both varieties in our curriculum of training courses.

If you are unsure which to choose, we typically recommend “Six Sigma” for most people. We recommend “Lean Six Sigma” for training candidates who work in the public sector or armed forces.

They both have benefits!  On-demand courses are flexible, convenient, and often cost-efficient.  However, instructor-led courses allow you to engage in discussion, interact with an expert instructor, and expand your professional network.

Learn More about the benefits and differences here.

Pricing, Pre-Enrollment Questions, etc.:

Our pricing is deeply discounted for many of our programs:

  • Black Belt (Average Industry Price: $2,397.50): Our Price: $995.00
  • Green Belt (Average Industry Price: $1,591.25): Our Price: $395.00
  • Yellow Belt (Average Industry Price: $459.75): Our Price: $195.00

Note: Although all of our programs include the required textbook in electronic format (.pdf), students also have the option to purchase a physical copy of the textbook during payment.

For those seeking our advanced certifications (note: all of our advanced certifications have prerequisites):

  • Green Belt Level II: $200.00
  • Black Belt Level II: $200.00
  • Black Belt Level III: $200.00
  • Master Black Belt: $400.00


Change Currency:

We offer the same quality Six Sigma training you will find at many top universities.

However, many of these leading collegiate training providers have a problem.  They offer both classroom-based and online-based programs.

Classroom-based training is much more expensive for these providers since they have to pay for facilities, full-time instructors, travel costs, etc.  When asked to justify the higher price, their only real justification is that since an instructor speaks to an entire class, you would have learned significantly more than if you would have read the same material yourself (even though U.S. Department of Defense studies have shown that online training proved to be more effective in courses of greater complexity than classroom-based instructor-led training).

Let us not also forget that in a classroom environment, students are rushed through their programs (and often not given a chance to absorb the material) due to strict time constraints.  Most importantly, students are not provided a way to easily reference the material later (it is only natural that students will forget pieces of what they have learned as time goes on).

This reasoning makes learning Six Sigma in an online environment HIGHLY preferable to classroom-based training.

In a perfect world, this shouldn’t matter since many respected colleges and universities also offer online courses.  Often, these colleges and universities keep their online prices inflated to help subsidize their classroom-based programs.  This is why you will see our same program sold for double or triple the price elsewhere.

We would much rather keep our prices honest and pass the savings directly to you.

Withdrawals/refunds (minus a 15% service charge of the full balance) are granted for 3 days* after purchase. All withdrawal/refund requests must be made by email to refund@sixsigmaonline.org. Please include your name and address. All refunds will be credited to the original payment source.  No refunds will be permitted after any Six Sigma Certification has been issued.  Textbooks are not eligible for refunds.

*note: refund requests must be made within 72 hours of our initial receipt of your payment.

There are no prerequisites to our primary online certification programs (White Belt, Yellow Belt, Green Belt, and Black Belt). 

These programs incorporate all of the information material from the lower level programs.  For instance, our Black Belt Program touches upon all of the topics covered in our White Belt, Yellow Belt, and Green Belt curriculum.

Our advanced certifications do have prerequisites. For example, our Green Belt Level II Certification requires a Green Belt Certification. 

We also obviously expect our students to have internet access with a compatible web browser, and a valid email address.

Additionally, you may need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader and a Flash plug-in (if not already installed) .

You are free to enroll directly into the White Belt, Yellow Belt, Green Belt, or Black Belt Program.  

These programs incorporate all of the information material from the lower level programs.  For instance, our Black Belt Program touches upon all of the topics covered in our White Belt, Yellow Belt, and Green Belt curriculum.

Enrollment restrictions do apply to the following advanced level programs:

  • Green Belt Level II
  • Black Belt Level II
  • Black Belt Level III
  • Master Black Belt

Payment can be arranged either via our website (credit card), direct wire transfer, or by check. The quickest way to get started is to simply pay via our website using a credit card. After payment is made online, you will be able to immediately begin the registration process.

If you prefer, we can also arrange an invoice for you. New company accounts are based on Prepay Terms (as soon as payment is received students are enrolled). However, after there is some established history we can typically provide Net 30 or Net 60 terms.

If you wish to have the enrollment costs invoiced for payment by check or wire transfer, please email the following information to bursar@sixsigmaonline.org:

-Student’s name(s)
-Student’s email address(es)
-Student’s mailing address(es)
-Which course each student(s) will be enrolling into
-Whether each student will/will-not be purchasing a physical textbook through us
-Your company’s name (or organization paying for your course), address, and
contact information

Yes, our online system allows for group enrollments.  Once payment has been arranged you will be emailed a link that will allow you to assign your desired employees to their respective programs.

Alternatively, you can contact us at bursar@sixsigmaonline.org to make other payment arrangements (please refer to the other FAQ in regards to payment by check/invoice).

Many students prefer to obtain more than one of our Green Belt or Black Belt Certifications to increase their job prospects by standing out from the crowd.  

For instance, some people will wish to obtain BOTH a “Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification” and “Six Sigma Black Belt Certification”.

In other situations a student will want to add specialized certification such as a  “Lean Six Sigma Black Belt in Healthcare Certification” to their standard “Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification”. 

In fact, it is actually pretty common to see students purchase several versions of the same colored “belt” to maximize their marketability to employers.

No matter what combination you choose, once you complete one of your programs, you can request to transfer your exams scores over to the other version of the course.  Just submit a request to customercare@sixsigmaonline.org.

To be eligible, purchase would still be required for EACH program.

Please note that we DO NOT transfer scores over for our free White Belt Programs.  

What to Expect:

We offer the same quality Six Sigma training you will find at many top universities. 

However, many of these leading collegiate training providers have a problem.  They offer both classroom-based and online-based programs. 

Classroom-based training is much more expensive for these providers since they have to pay for facilities, full-time instructors, travel costs, etc.  When asked to justify the higher price, their only real justification is that since an instructor speaks to an entire class, you would have learned significantly more than if you would have read the same material yourself (even though U.S. Department of Defense studies have shown that online training proved to be more effective in courses of greater complexity than classroom-based instructor-led training).

Let us not also forget that in a classroom environment, students are rushed through their programs (and often not given a chance to absorb the material) due to strict time constraints.  Most importantly, students are not provided a way to easily reference the material later (it is only natural that students will forget pieces of what they have learned as time goes on).

This reasoning makes learning Six Sigma in an online environment HIGHLY preferable to classroom-based training.

In a perfect world, this shouldn’t matter since many respected colleges and universities also offer online courses.  Often, these colleges and universities keep their online prices inflated to help subsidize their classroom-based programs.  This is why you will see our same program sold for double or triple the price elsewhere.

We would much rather keep our prices honest and pass the savings directly to you.

You will have 12 months from the time of payment to complete all of your exams and project (if applicable). However, please note that our students are not pressured to finish their program. Even if you require more than 1 year to complete your program, course extensions are always available before the deadline upon request from Customer Care (free of charge).

The average (working professional) student takes between 3-8 weeks to complete our Yellow Belt Certification Program, 2-3 months to complete our Green Belt Certification Program, and approximately 6-8 months to complete the Black Belt Program. Please remember that these are very rough estimates and the time required varies greatly between individuals. Our typical students spend a few hours per week working towards their certification on average. We have had many students complete their Black Belt Certification within 1 month.

Certification Requirements are as follows:
  • Each student has 1 year to complete his/her course
  • If using a Payment Plan, the full balance must be paid before certification occurs.

 

For certification you must meet the following requirements:

Enrollments after August 1st, 2018 have the following certification requirements:

Basic Programs:

White Belt: Successful passing of 3 online exams with a 70% or higher
Yellow Belt: Successful passing of 11 online exams with a 70% or higher
Green Belt: Successful passing of 24 online exams with a 70% or higher
Black Belt: Successful passing of 33 online exams with a 70% or higher.

Advanced Level Programs:

Green Belt Level II: Completion of the Green Belt Certification and successful participation in 1 Six Sigma Project.
Black Belt Level II: Completion of the Black Belt Certification and successful participation in 1 Six Sigma Project.
Black Belt Level III: Completion of the Black Belt Level II Certification and successful participation in 1 Six Sigma Project.
Master Black Belt: Successful completion of our Black Belt Level III Program, (90% minimum exam scores), & submission of 2 additional Black Belt Projects.

Enrollments prior to August 1st, 2018 have the following certification requirements:

Yellow Belt: Successful passing of 5 online exams with a 70% or higher
Green Belt: Successful passing of 8 online exams with a 70% or higher
Lean & DFSS: Successful passing of 9 exams with a 70% or higher
Black Belt: Successful passing of 15 online exams with a 70% or higher & satisfactory completion of a final Black Belt Project.

Master Black Belt: Successful completion of our Black Belt Program (90% minimum exam scores) & submission of 2 additional Black Belt Projects.

Enrollments after August 1st, 2018:

Upon satisfactory completion of your Six Sigma Course, you will receive your verifiable Six Sigma Certificate in electronic form. 

Enrollments prior to August 1st, 2018 have the following certification requirements:

Upon satisfactory completion of your Six Sigma Course, you will receive your stamped Six Sigma Certificate. Additionally, Black Belt students will receive a Certificate of Project Completion.

Because our certification courses are conducted in a more independent approach, you are able to save substantial amounts that would have otherwise been allocated for additional full-time consultants and facilities.

However, if a student is having a serious problem grasping a particular concept, students can typically receive assistance (at no additional charge) by emailing support@sixsigmaonline.org for a follow-up by one of our resident Master Black Belts. But again, the program is primarily designed to be an independent course.

One thing to keep in mind when comparing Six Sigma online training providers… most providers charge an extra fee for instructor support (typically about $100USD/hr).

Our standard Black Belt Certification Program does not require a project. 

Up until August 2018 we required every Black Belt student to complete a project for certification.  However, we found that it was more beneficial to our students to allow them to obtain an incremental Black Belt certification so that employers would feel more comfortable with their abilities to execute a project. 

With that said, we STRONGLY suggest that students pursue at a bare minimum their Black Belt Level II Certification (providing a Certificate of Project Completion) after completing their standard Black Belt Certification. 

Many employers expect a Certificate of Project Completion if you have earned a Black Belt Certification.

Most of our students do not experience any problems with the project portion of the program (whether submitting a hypothetical or real project).  In fact, it was only very recently that we even allowed students the option to receive any type of Black Belt designation without a project first being submitted.

Students who experience difficulty with the project component are provided a sample project to use as a guide.

Our programs (and the projects) do not need to be carried out in a “live” workplace environment. Additionally, some students reformat previous projects to adapt to our requirements.

In the past, Six Sigma Projects have been required to be based in a “live” business environment. However, employers are not always willing to provide the necessary resources for a project (or to report financial data to an outside organization for review). It is for this primary reason that our students can submit either a “live” sponsored project or they can submit a “hypothetical” project to demonstrate their thorough understanding and proficiency of the Six Sigma Methodology.

The projects are graded by one of our resident Master Black Belts. The MBB reviewing the project will be checking to ensure that certain “criteria” are met to demonstrate an understanding of Six Sigma project implementation. They typically look for things like comparing possible projects in pre-planning, project charters, understanding and implementation of analysis tools, adequate control plans, etc.

If the project does not meet our requirements, students are free to resubmit their project as many times as necessary during their 12 month training period. When a project is not accepted, the student is given feedback in the form of which parts of the project need improvement before re-submission.

The final project requirement is as follows:

The required project can either be conducted in a “live” business environment or can be a “hypothetical” project.

If you will be submitting a “hypothetical” project, you will be graded primarily on the steps that are taken (as opposed to the actual “data” you submit). Again, the main purpose of your project is to measure your ability to carry out a Six Sigma Project from start to finish. Simply choose a project that you would consider to be worthwhile, then guide the project through each step of the Six Sigma Process.

The project/business plan can be either a Service, Industrial, Commercial, or Community project (either real or hypothetical).  It must use the tools that were taught in the various levels of Six Sigma training. Although there is no required length, the project must demonstrate a level of proficiency and knowledge that will be required to apply the concepts and methodology in a real-world setting as a student transitions into a Six Sigma Professional.

Simply put, your project should include every action/result that will take place during each stage of the DMAIC process.

The project should DEMONSTRATE A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT for the client/company. We realize the wide spectrum of possible choices/improvements can be overwhelming.  Refer to what you have learned and apply the knowledge you have gained. If you are in need of an improvement area, consider one of the following examples:

Commercial – Order entry, Call Center proficiency or any process within a service organization.
Community – Increase the efficiency of a public service organization with processes.
Industrial – Optimize a production process or manufacturing process. Optimize a product’s performance.

Generally speaking, many students submit projects that are at minimum 12 pages (most commonly 20-30 pages when counting supporting charts/graphs). Styles are typically well-outlined or in an essay format.  It is important to keep in mind that there is no required general format or length for your project; a clear concise plan is most important (i.e. Project Charter, DMAIC, Gantt chart, etc.).

Shareable badges are available for an additional fee of $29.00 each.

Important Note: This purchase should only be completed after you have been awarded your desired certification. 

Please allow up to 48 hours to receive a link to your digital badge via email.

Payment can be arranged using the following link:

Technical Support

The most common complaints can be resolved by adjusting your browser’s security settings.

Any other technical difficulties experienced while using our service should be directed to
support@sixsigmaonline.org

Note: Six Sigma Online is not responsible for any lost exam data resulting from improper use of our services.

Unfortunately, we no longer allow students to review their completed exams/assignments. This helps to ensure the integrity of our courses.

It is important to keep in mind that many answers are “weighted”. In some situations there may be multiple correct answers, it is important to choose the “best” answer to receive the maximum amount of points.

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The History of Six Sigma

Originally developed by Bill Smith at Motorola in 1986, the Six Sigma Training program was created using some of the most innovative quality improvement methods from the preceding six decades. The term “Six Sigma” is derived from a field of statistics known as process capability. The term 6 Sigma refers to the ability of manufacturing processes to produce a very high proportion of output within specification. Processes that operate with “six sigma quality” over the short term are assumed to produce long-term defect levels below 3.4 defects per million opportunities. Six Sigma’s goal is to improve overall processes to that level of quality or better.