Quick Access:

• University White Belt Cert: ATU Sligo
• University Yellow Belt Cert: Georgia
• University Green Belt Cert: TUM
• Green Belt Cert Prep: ASQ E-Learning, LinkedIn Learning, Pyzdek Institute, Udemy

Lean Six Sigma blends the principles of lean manufacturing – quality control through waste reduction and continuous improvement – with Six Sigma, a set of techniques and tools for process improvement. This powerful synergy drives projects and team collaborations to increase performance and minimize defects.

In this Best Courses Guide (BCG), we’ve selected the best Lean Six Sigma courses for you from 80 Six Sigma courses in our catalog. If you’re a budding enthusiast starting as a White Belt or an aspiring professional gearing up for a Green or Black Belt certification, this guide is for you.

Click on the shortcuts for more details:

• Our Top Picks
• Why You Should Trust Us
• How We Made Our Picks and Tested Them

Our Top Picks

Lean Six Sigma Certification: Professional vs. University

Lean Six Sigma certifications offer a structured way to validate expertise and proficiency in this specialized domain. Depending on your career aspirations and industry demand, you can choose between two primary types of certifications: Professional and University-based.

Professional Certification: To secure a professional certification, one must pass an exam from an institution recognized in this field. Renowned bodies such as ASQ (American Society for Quality) and IASSC (International Association for Six Sigma Certification) offer these certifications. Notably, when selecting Lean Six Sigma courses, ensure they align with the syllabi of these recognized exams. It’s crucial to understand the varied prerequisites for different certifications. For instance, to attempt the ASQ Green Belt Certification, a candidate must have 3 years of professional experience on a Six Sigma project. In contrast, the IASSC does not mandate any prior experience.

University Certification: University-level certifications are another viable path. They hold relevance across numerous industries and offer academic rigor combined with practical insights. However, before embarking on this route, it’s advisable to consult with your employer and peers to determine the most fitting certification for your specific objectives.

In conclusion, whether you opt for professional or university certification, your decision should align with your career goals, industry demands, and the value a particular certificate holds in your domain.

Lean Six Sigma Belts

The Six Sigma Belts hierarchy indicates the level of expertise and responsibility one holds in a project:

• White Belt: Introductory level; supports local teams but isn’t deeply involved in projects.
• Yellow Belt: Specialists assisting project teams in problem-solving.
• Green Belt: Advanced analysts leading projects and assisting Black Belts. Median US salary: $114,900 (according to Salary.com).
• Black Belt: Experts spearheading projects and offering training.
• Master Black Belt: Top-tier professionals shaping strategy, developing metrics, and mentoring lower belts.

BCG Stats

• All courses accrue over 2M students.
• Three courses offer free Six Sigma White Belt Certification.
• 6 courses are free or free-to-audit, 4 courses are paid.
• 7K students follow Class Central’s Six Sigma subject.

Best University-level Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification (TUM)

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification is a free-to-audit with limited access specialization from Technical University of Munich (TUM), one of the leading universities in Europe. You’ll be equipped with the crucial tools for your Six Sigma projects, learn the specific tasks, engage with a project storybook template for DMAIC-phase results documentation, and benefit from graded feedback. Weekly live sessions ensure your questions are addressed.

Complete the initial three courses to earn a TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification, setting the stage for your subsequent Green Belt project. While this course is beginner-friendly, a basic grasp of statistics and quality management can be beneficial.

To access the free-to-audit option, visit each course page linked below. 

Specialization outline:

1. Lean Production – Introduction to Six Sigma and the DMAIC cycle with a focus Define and Measure phases, including basic statistics and calculating process capability.
2. Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control – Grasp statistical data analysis, familiarize yourself with quality tools like 8D and the 5 Whys, and understand Design for Six Sigma (DFSS).
3. Six Sigma: Define and Measure – Learn Lean Production elements to improve quality and productivity.
4. Lean Six Sigma: Green Belt Certification Project – Undertake a comprehensive project to secure the TUM Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification.

Each course is 6-8 weeks long and the Green Belt Certification Project is 20 weeks long.

Also Great: Six Sigma Yellow Belt Cert Prep (University System of Georgia)

Six Sigma Yellow Belt is a free-to-audit specialization offered by the University System of Georgia. Designed around “The Certified Six Sigma Handbook” (2nd edition), this course equips you with tools essential for professional accreditation. For those keen on the Yellow Belt exam, purchasing the handbook is advised.

Note: This specialization doesn’t offer “professional accreditation” in Six Sigma.

To access the free-to-audit option, visit each course page linked below. For more information, see A Guide on How to Sign up for Coursera Courses for Free.

Specialization outline:

1. Six Sigma Principles – Gain insights into Six Sigma’s fundamentals, its value to organizations, and an introduction to its tools and metrics.
2. Six Sigma Tools for Define and Measure – Learn the initial two phases of DMAIC, become acquainted with project management tools, foundational statistics, and the significance of data collection.
3. Six Sigma Tools for Analyze – Explore the third DMAIC phase, lean tools, and foundational statistics. Understand FMEA, MSA, and GR&R alongside measure and analysis phase tools.
4. Six Sigma Tools for Improve and Control – Grasp tools for the final DMAIC phases, understand correlation, regression, hypothesis testing, and the essence of control plans.

Upon completion, advance to the next specialization: Six Sigma Green Belt.

Best University-level Lean Sigma White Belt Course with Free Certificate (ATU Sligo)

Learn from subject matter experts the foundations of Six Sigma and Lean in a comprehensive seven-week online course, White Belt Lean Sigma Quality MOOC from ATU Sligo, and earn a free White Belt certificate. This award-winning course has enrolled over 15,000 participants across 50 countries. ATU Sligo, Ireland’s largest online provider of accredited Quality, Lean Six Sigma and Operational Excellence programs, brings this course ideal for complete beginners.

Key topics:

• Introduction to Lean and the seven ‘wastes’
• Introduction to Six Sigma and the sources of variation in a process – the 5 M’s
• Lean Tools & Techniques
• Flow charts and Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
• Quality Costs
• Quality Metrics – Yield & PPM
• Six Sigma DMAIC problem-solving methodology
• Problem Solving Tools – Fishbone diagram
• Error Proofing (Poka-Yoke)
• Descriptive Statistics
• Introduction to Statistical Process Control (SPC)
• Lean & Six Sigma examples from the Manufacturing, Service and Healthcare sectors.

Upon completion, advance to the Certificate in Lean Sigma Quality (Six Sigma Green Belt) accredited by QQI.

Most Recognized Industry-level Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Cert Prep (ASQ E-Learning)

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt E-Learning is a practical course provided by ASQ, one of the most recognized Six Sigma institutions in certifications. In this course, you will learn from global experts and Master Black Belt holders. While a Yellow Belt certification is not required, having 3-5 years in a specific industry role is a prerequisite.

Upon completing this course, participants will be well-prepared to undertake the Six Sigma Green Belt Certification CSSGB, though the exam fee is not included.

In this course, you will learn:

• Use the DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) methodology.
• Apply Lean practices to identify and reduce waste and improve efficiency.
• Lead and execute process-level improvement projects by collecting, analyzing, and quantifying data.
• Develop statistical hypotheses using simple statistical tools and more.

Best from LinkedIn Learning: Six Sigma Green Belt Cert Prep

Becoming a Six Sigma Green Belt is a learning path that gathers expertise from renowned professionals. While this program doesn’t grant “professional accreditation” in Six Sigma, it significantly prepares learners for certification exams. No previous experience is required.

Learning path breakdown:

Operational Excellence Foundations: Improve processes, products, and services; and increase and sustain your competitive advantage.

Six Sigma Foundations: Use Six Sigma to drive improvements in the performance of your processes, products, and services.

Statistics Foundations 3 – Using Data Sets: Go beyond the basics of statistics, understanding its real-world applications and data set usage.

Statistics Foundations 4 – Advanced Topics: Master advanced statistical concepts: t-distribution, chi-square testing, regression testing, ANOVA, and more.

Learning Minitab: Discover Minitab for statistical analysis and data-driven decision-making.

Six Sigma: Green Belt: Learn what you need to operate as a Six Sigma Green Belt, covering hypothesis testing, descriptive statistics, experiment design, and more.

Root Cause Analysis – Getting to the Root of Business Problems: Learn how to solve your business’s problems at their root with sustainable solutions.

How to Manage Lean Six Sigma Projects – Part I: Learn how to identify, select, and plan Lean Six Sigma projects.

How to Manage Lean Six Sigma Projects – Part II: Learn how to manage and run Lean Six Sigma projects in the Analyze, Improve and Control phases of DMAIC.

Change Management Foundations: Learn how to assess your organization’s readiness for change and apply a powerful, step-by-step approach to help employees make changes that stick.

Upon completion, you can start the next learning path: Becoming a Six Sigma Black Belt.

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training and Pyzdek Certification (Pyzdek Institute)

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training and Certification is a comprehensive and interactive course. Learn with the help of subject matter experts, take an online proctored exam, and demonstrate your mastery in the application of Lean Six Sigma methods by completing a real-world project with coaching assistance from a Master Black Belt. No previous knowledge is required.

This course also provides hundreds of quiz questions, homework assignments, grading and feedback by instructors, and supporting material – templates, workbooks, forms, tutorials, etc. There is also a dedicated forum to keep in touch with peers and instructors. You can check the detailed curriculum here.

In order to receive a full Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification, you must complete a real-world project. This project will be reviewed and graded by a Master Black Belt. You will gain access to a project management software with all necessary tools and templates while you work on your project.

Most Affordable Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Training and CPD Certification (Udemy)

If you want to learn the Six Sigma principles, tools, with a realistic study case and step-by-step guidance then Six Sigma: Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (Accredited) on Udemy is for you. The structure of the program allows you to understand how to easily apply what you have learned in a work environment. By completing this course you will receive a CPD accredited Green Belt certification. This course requires you to have completed the Yellow Belt Certification.

In this course, you will receive a hands-on understanding of 100+ tools and techniques. These methods are essential for participating in DMAIC improvement projects. You will learn the 5 phases in 15 structured steps helping you understand the entire methodology in thorough detail. By taking up this course, you will be able to identify the problems and implement solutions to eradicate them.

You also have access to Minitab exercises with raw data provided for each exercise.

Best YouTube Introduction to Six Sigma Green Belt Training (Simplilearn)

Six Sigma Full Course | Six Sigma Explained | Six Sigma Green Belt Training | Simplilearn is a free introductory course to Six Sigma where you will learn the foundations and definitions of DMAIC process and Lean. This course content is aligned to ASQ and IASSC, although this is just an introduction, and the full course is available on the Simplilearn platform.

The topics covered in this course are:

• Six Sigma basics, introduction and overview
• DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and related tools such as the 5 whys
• Six Sigma vs Lean

Free Independent White Belt Certifications

Six Sigma White Belt Training & Certification (Six Sigma Online)

Learn the basics of Six Sigma tools, applications, and history with a series of readings and quizzes. This is a great course for complete beginners who are not necessarily involved with the project but need to understand its importance.

This course also covers:

• What Six Sigma is and the challenges it often faces
• Six Sigma’s history and application
• Other process improvement and quality methods

This course provides a free textbook to all levels.

Six Sigma White Belt Certification (MSI)

Learn the very basics of Lean and Six Sigma, understand the difference between each belt and what roles they play, and an overview of the DMAIC process.

The topics covered in this course are: History of Six Sigma, The DMAIC Method and Why it is used, Six Sigma Belts and Roles, and Basics of Lean.

You don’t need to sign-up to study the material, simply click on “enroll now”. After completing the material you can try the exam which requires 13 correct answers from 15 to get your White Belt certification.

Why You Should Trust Us

Class Central, a Tripadvisor for online education, has helped 60 million learners find their next course. We’ve been combing through online education for more than a decade to aggregate a catalog of 200,000 online courses and 200,000 reviews written by our users. And we’re online learners ourselves: combined, the Class Central team has completed over 400 online courses, including online degrees.

How We Made Our Picks and Tested Them

Trying to find “the best” can be daunting, even for those of us who live and breathe online courses. Here’s how I approached this task.

First, I combed through Class Central’s Catalog and the internet to find a variety of free and paid courses.

Second, when choosing courses, I considered the following factors:

• Renowned Institutions: I picked the most recognized institutions in Lean Six Sigma.
• Instructor experience: I looked for instructors with extensive experience in Lean Six Sigma.
• Course content: I looked for courses that covered a wide range of topics, from the basics to more advanced techniques.
• Student reviews: I read student reviews (when available) to get a sense of the quality of each course.

To evaluate each course, I watched some of the course videos and read the course syllabus. I also looked at the course’s rating and reviews on Class Central.

Ultimately, I used a combination of data and my own judgment to make these picks. I’m confident these recommendations will provide you with the knowledge and skill to start your Lean Six Sigma journey.