Student Six Sigma Black Belt Certification

Six Sigma Certification

Seniors and graduate students in the School Engineering and Applied Sciences have the opportunity to earn Six Sigma Black Belt certification through a program that matches them with companies in need of business improvement assistance.

Program participants gain a distinct advantage in the competitive workforce by extending their quality improvement knowledge beyond the classroom. Through practical experience, they grasp how to effectively utilize tools and methodologies, and comprehend the nuances of implementation that are only understood through client site work.

The program has made its way around the world since its inception in 2004 and is known as far away as India and China, and has become a reason to attend UB.

What is Six Sigma?

The Six Sigma methodology is a quality-management program aimed at virtually eliminating defects from processes through a structured, problem-solving approach. It focuses on addressing problems at the root cause level by using rigorous data gathering and statistical analysis, decreasing the need for unnecessary inspection and rework processes.

Six Sigma student.

About the Program

Qualified candidates complete a single, two-semester Six Sigma Black Belt project at a host company, committing approximately 14 to 16 hours per week to working on projects mostly onsite. Candidates are paired with Six Sigma Black Belt certified mentors through a partnership with UB TCIE to conduct their company projects. Students help various organizations increase efficiency. Some project outcomes include:

  • At a hospital, efforts resulted in more patients seen in a day, improved morale, and an overall smoother operation.
  • Annual rework costs were reduced by 50 percent at a designer and manufacturer of heat exchanger products. 
  • Work at a custom steel fabricator determined that implementing a number of changes reduced labor hours, cost and cycle time, and improved throughput time, quality and material handling.

Aside from project completion, Six Sigma Black Belt certification requires satisfactory performance on a four-hour comprehensive exam. Program announcement and application requirements for the next program year are generally released in February.

IE Student First Hand Experience

Black belt Six Sigma first hand account

Prerequisites

Admission to the Six Sigma certification program requires completion of IE 408/508 Quality Assurance and IE 409/509 Six Sigma Quality with a grade of B or better. The courses cover statistical methods, management principles, and methods for dramatically improving product quality and productivity.

Contact

Program administration is provided by UB TCIE Executive Director Timothy Leyh. For more information on the Student Six Sigma Black Belt Certification, contact UB TCIE.

About UB TCIE

UB TCIE, the bridge that connects the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences with organizations and businesses, is committed to cultivating a strong regional and state economy. TCIE supports hundreds of public and private businesses annually, enabling them to survive and thrive.