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About This Course:

Do you want to learn how to design? Using the Delft Design Approach, you will learn how to use a number of key design methods to create meaningful products and services.

This course is an introduction to the Delft Design Approach offering a model and a set of signature methods from Delft to teach you how to get from understanding the user in context to defining a meaningful design challenge and – in the end – deliver a great design! The course challenges you to experience the design process yourself and reflect on your work with the help of students and excellent teaching staff from Delft, and industrial experts.

No previous knowledge of design methods is required, yet some experience with designing (something) is helpful.

This course has been awarded with the 2015 Open Education Award for Excellence in the category ‘Open MOOC’ by the Open Education Consortium.

 

What You’ll Learn:

  • How to study users in their own environment;
  • How to translate user insights into a design challenge that will spark creativity;
  • How to create a meaningful design to meet your challenge;
  • How to design and to structure your projects with the support of design thinking, a model and several methods;
  • How to evaluate and present your design.
 

Syllabus:

This course is self-paced and structured along 6 steps. Most steps can be done in about a week, except for step 5 which might take two weeks). The course is then structured as follows:

Step 1: Understanding meaning in design
​•How do the things around us attain their meaning?
​•How and why do we design meaningful things?

Step 2: Understanding the context of use
• How and why do we gain empathic understanding of the users we design for?
• How do we derive insights to inspire the design process?

Step 3: Defining a design challenge
• How do we identify the key design problem when we look at the user’s current situation?
• How do we define a meaningful design challenge that will drive the creative phases of design?

Step 4: Generating ideas
• How do we generate ideas?
• How do we filter promising ideas?

Step 5: Developing concepts (Optional EXTRA: Prototyping Concept)
• What is a design concept and how do we develop a concept?
• What role does sketching have in developing concepts?
• How do we evaluate concepts and decide between them?

Step 6: Testing with user & final presentation (Optional EXTRA: Testing Prototype of Concept)
• How do we test key qualities of a concept?
• How do we present a concept?

Meet Your Instructors:

Annemiek van Boeijen

Annemiek is assistant professor in industrial design and design aesthetics at the Delft University of Technology. She conducts research on the role of culture in design processes. She is co-editor of the Delft Design Guide. She received her MSc. and PhD from Delft University of Technology.
Jaap J.J. Daalhuizen

Jaap J.J. Daalhuizen

Jaap was assistant professor at the Delft University of Technology. He now works at the Technical University of Denmark. He conducts research in design methodology and design thinking. He is co-editor of the Delft Design Guide. He received his MSc. and PhD from Delft University of Technology.

Learner testimonials

” The Delft Design course taught me how to fully understand the end-users and their needs and how to meet them through product development.”

Joseph,the Philippines

” The Delft Design course taught me how to fully understand the end-users and their needs and how to meet them through product development.”

Joseph,the Philippines

About This Course:

Learn about Lean Management, a customer-centric methodology that improves processes by eliminating waste and focusing on value-added tasks.

This course will introduce the main tenets of the Toyota Production System, which includes Just-in-Time manufacturing, quality management tools, and the critical concept of Kaizen, the Japanese practice of continuous improvement. You will also learn about the key organization and managerial approaches that are used in Lean.

You will learn how to analyze process flows in order to establish process capacity and identify the process bottleneck. You will then calculate resource utilization and cycle time to evaluate the impact of set up times, batching, defects and reworks on key process performance measures, including inventory, flow rate and flow time.

We will also discuss the impact of key concepts of Lean, including Heijunka, Kanban, Jidoka, Andon, Poka Yoke, and 5S, which help achieve increased productivity and quality.

Upon successful completion of this program, learners will earn the TUM Lean and Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification, confirming mastery of Lean Six Sigma fundamentals to a Green Belt level. The material is based on the American Society for Quality (www.asq.org) Body of Knowledge up to a Green Belt Level. The Professional Certificate is designed as preparation for a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt exam.

What You’ll Learn:

  • The history and background of Lean production and the complementing elements of quantity and quality control.
  • To measure production performance and how defects and waste degrade performance.
  • To understand the importance and role in Lean Production of the customer “Takt.”
  • To improve process performance through the application of Lean principles, including setup time reduction, batch optimization, and defect elimination.
  • To explain the importance of Total Productive Maintenance and the widely-used metric Overall Equipment Effectiveness.
  • To understand the difference between push- and pull-systems and how the implementation of pull-systems reduces waste.
  • To apply elements of Lean production including Heijunka, Kanban, Jidoka, and Poka Yoke.
  • To apply the 5S methodology for establishing and sustaining a productive work environment.

Professional Certificate in Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt: Quantitative Tools for Quality and Productivity

Earn a TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certificate

Six Sigma: Define and Measure
Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control
Lean Production
3 Courses 6 Months 3 - 4 Hours per week
Complete Program $264.03
Program Details

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who offers this program?
The Professional Certificate ProgramSix Sigma and Lean: Quantitative Tools for Quality and Productivity is offered by edX and the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

How many courses are in the program?
There are three courses in this program:
Course1 QPLS1x – Six Sigma: Define and Measure
Course2 QPLS2x – Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control
Course3 QPLS3x – Lean Production

Do I need to take the courses in order?
The courses should be completed sequentially, but it is not required that they are completed in any particular order. However, as Course2 QPLS2x – Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control builds on the material in Course1 QPLS1x – Six Sigma: Define and Measure, we strongly recommend that you take QPLS1x before you take QPLS2x.

Which certification do I earn for this course?
You will earn the Verified Certificate forCourse3 QPLS3x – Lean Production.

What certificates do I earn with this program?
Upon successful completion of this program, learners will earn both theedX Professional Certificate for the program and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification. In order to achieve the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification it is mandatory to complete all 3 courses in the program and achieve a Verified Certificate in each. Then, automatically, you will earn the edX Professional Certificate and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification.
The TUM LSSYB is based on the American Society for Quality (www.asq.org) Body of Knowledge up to a Green Belt Level. The Professional Certificate is designed as preparation for a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt exam.

What is the passing grade for the course?
An overall average for all homework sets and peer-review assignments of 70% is required to pass the course.

Do I need to achieve 70% on each homework?
No, you need an average grade for all homework sets and peer-review assignments of 70%. This means you can do poorly or miss a homework set as long as you do well enough on other homework sets to achieve 70% overall.

How do I receive the edX Professional Certificate for this program?
The Professional Certificate will be available from your dashboard after the end of the course.

How do I receive the TUM Lean SixSigma Yellow Belt Certification for this program?
If you have earned the Verified Certificate for all three courses in the program, then you will receive the edX Professional Certificate and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. These will be sent to you by email.
— For those finishing all courses by October 31, you will receive your certificate before November 31.
— For those finishing all courses by February 28, you will receive your certificate before March 31.
— For those finishing all courses by June 30, you will receive your certificate before July 31.

When you have passed all three courses with a verified certificate and received the edX Professional Certificate, you can also include in your CV that you have achieved the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, TUMLSSYB.

Meet Your Instructors:

Martin Grunow

Martin Grunow is a professor of production and supply chain management at Technische Universität München and an adjunct professor at Technical University Denmark, where he previously held a professorship in Operations Management. Earlier, he worked at Technical University Berlin and in the R&D department of Degussa, a multinational company producing special chemicals. His research interests are in production and logistics management with a focus on the process, electronics and automotive industries. He has coauthored more than 100 publications amongst others in International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Production Research, European Journal of Operational Research, CIRP Annals, Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, and OR Spectrum. For the latter two journals, he also acts as an editor. Martin Grunow has been on the program committee and track organizer of more than 30 international conferences and is an associate member of The International Academy of Production Engineering.

Holly Ott

Holly Ott is a professor of Production Management and IT Systems at the University of Rosenheim Applied Sciences and Management, a senior lecturer at the Technical University of Munich and an adjunct professor at Singapore Management University (Singapore), IE Business School (Madrid) and Syracuse University (New York). She holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and has worked for twelve years in quality and supply chain management in the USA, Europe and Asia for Siemens, Motorola, IBM and Infineon. Her work has been in the areas of device simulation, electrical and reliability testing, and quality and supply chain management. She holds a International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (ICGB) and is a member of the American Society for Quality (asq.org). Holly is the program chair for the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association's Supply Chain Forum and academic director of the TUM Case Centre.

Learner Testimonials

“One of the best MOOC on Lean production that you can find online. Whether you are a novice or an expert, this course gives you the concise content that is required to understand lean. The course is well structured, perfectly presented with case studies, examples, math problems, discussion forum, guest lectures given by prominent faculty members from reputed universities around the world. The best things about the course are the faculty members & the participants, who bring in rich diverse experience either educationally or professionally or both. I would recommend this course as well as other courses that are part of TUM’s Professional Certificate Program to those who want to learn or brush up their skills in six sigma and lean. Thank You Mr.Martin, Mrs. Holly, Mr. Reiner, Mr.Zubair and the entire support team. Take a bow!”

-- Murali Dhepalli

“At the beginning I took this course just to show current or future employers my experience in this topic and didn’t expect anything so new for me as it’s my filed of work as a manager in continuous improvement. But as the course commenced, I have learnt more and more details that I could already implement in day to day work. I really enjoyed this course and it’s sure that i will enroll in the additional ones in this TUMx professional program. Prof. Holly Ott and her team managed to develop a great MOOC that is fun and horizon expanding. Prof. Ott is a frequent follower (and responder) of forum discussions which encourages everyone to exchange experiences. Not to forget the emails you get during the course with great pointers to real world problems. All in all, I can recommend this MOOC a lot to anyone who is even remote interested in lean and production management.”

-- Christian Kahl

“This course is the last one in Six Sigma – Lean production offered by TUM on EdX. First thing : while it’s been said that this course can be taken as stand alone, I really think it is best to take first the 2 other courses on Six Sigma, at least if you are a novice in quality management. The course itself is really great. It covers a lot of subject and it is a good help for any manager having to deal with productivity issues, not only in manufacturing but also in service industry. The instructors are very good, they know their subject and can easily pass their knowledge to the student through the lectures. One of the best thing for me was to see the theory applied to real life examples (you’ll see that Professor Holly is really into skateboarding!). Bottom line, I recommend this course!”

-- Etienne Pavajot

“Dear TUM, I am grateful to be one of you MOOC’S student. Really, it helps me a lot specially when I took my ASQ CSSYB and CQIA. It’s almost a year now since I started this professional certificate program and I am happy to inform you that I completed all of 3 verified certificates. Although, I am working as Nurse but I know that some of those concept’s are applicable or can be applied in healthcare setting. Thank Professor Holy and Other’s TUM faculty for your great effort that boosted my passion in Quality field. Regards, Manuel”

-- Manuel

“One of the best MOOC on Lean production that you can find online. Whether you are a novice or an expert, this course gives you the concise content that is required to understand lean. The course is well structured, perfectly presented with case studies, examples, math problems, discussion forum, guest lectures given by prominent faculty members from reputed universities around the world. The best things about the course are the faculty members & the participants, who bring in rich diverse experience either educationally or professionally or both. I would recommend this course as well as other courses that are part of TUM’s Professional Certificate Program to those who want to learn or brush up their skills in six sigma and lean. Thank You Mr.Martin, Mrs. Holly, Mr. Reiner, Mr.Zubair and the entire support team. Take a bow!”

-- Murali Dhepalli

“At the beginning I took this course just to show current or future employers my experience in this topic and didn’t expect anything so new for me as it’s my filed of work as a manager in continuous improvement. But as the course commenced, I have learnt more and more details that I could already implement in day to day work. I really enjoyed this course and it’s sure that i will enroll in the additional ones in this TUMx professional program. Prof. Holly Ott and her team managed to develop a great MOOC that is fun and horizon expanding. Prof. Ott is a frequent follower (and responder) of forum discussions which encourages everyone to exchange experiences. Not to forget the emails you get during the course with great pointers to real world problems. All in all, I can recommend this MOOC a lot to anyone who is even remote interested in lean and production management.”

-- Christian Kahl

“This course is the last one in Six Sigma – Lean production offered by TUM on EdX. First thing : while it’s been said that this course can be taken as stand alone, I really think it is best to take first the 2 other courses on Six Sigma, at least if you are a novice in quality management. The course itself is really great. It covers a lot of subject and it is a good help for any manager having to deal with productivity issues, not only in manufacturing but also in service industry. The instructors are very good, they know their subject and can easily pass their knowledge to the student through the lectures. One of the best thing for me was to see the theory applied to real life examples (you’ll see that Professor Holly is really into skateboarding!). Bottom line, I recommend this course!”

-- Etienne Pavajot

“Dear TUM, I am grateful to be one of you MOOC’S student. Really, it helps me a lot specially when I took my ASQ CSSYB and CQIA. It’s almost a year now since I started this professional certificate program and I am happy to inform you that I completed all of 3 verified certificates. Although, I am working as Nurse but I know that some of those concept’s are applicable or can be applied in healthcare setting. Thank Professor Holy and Other’s TUM faculty for your great effort that boosted my passion in Quality field. Regards, Manuel”

-- Manuel

About This Course:

Learn how to statistically analyze data with the Six Sigma methodology using inferential statistical techniques to determine confidence intervals and to test hypotheses based on sample data. You will also review cause and effect techniques for root cause analysis.

You will learn how to perform correlation and regression analyses in order to confirm the root cause and understand how to improve your process and plan designed experiments.

You will learn how to implement statistical process control using control charts and quality management tools, including the 8 Disciplines and the 5 Whys to reduce risk and manage process deviations.

To complement the lectures, learners are provided with interactive exercises, which allow learners to see the statistics “in action.” Learners then master statistical concepts by completing practice problems. These are then reinforced using interactive case studies, which illustrate the application of the statistics in quality improvement situations.

Upon successful completion of this program, learners will earn the TUM Lean and Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification, confirming mastery of Lean Six Sigma fundamentals to a Green Belt level. The material is based on the American Society for Quality (www.asq.org) Body of Knowledge up to a Green Belt Level. The Professional Certificate is designed as preparation for a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt exam.
 

What You’ll Learn:

  • To identify process problems and perform a root cause analysis using cause and effect diagrams and regression analysis.
  • To analyze data using inferential statistical techniques, including confidence intervals and hypothesis testing.
  • To test and quantitatively assess the impact of different improvement options using the design of an experiment.
  • To test for the significance of effects using an Analysis of Variance.
  • To implement control mechanisms for long-term monitoring using control charts for both quantitative and qualitative measurements.
  • To apply the Six Sigma methodology for the Analyze, Improve and Control phases in your work or research.

Professional Certificate in Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt: Quantitative Tools for Quality and Productivity

Earn a TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certificate

Six Sigma: Define and Measure
Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control
Lean Production
3 Courses 6 Months 3 - 4 Hours per week
Complete Program $264.03
Program Details

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who offers this program?
The Professional Certificate Program Six Sigma and Lean: Quantitative Tools for Quality and Productivity is offered by edX and the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

How many courses are in the program?
There are three courses in this program:
Course1 QPLS1x – Six Sigma: Define and Measure
Course2 QPLS2x – Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control
Course3 QPLS3x – Lean Production

Do I need to take the courses in order?
The courses should be completed sequen tially, but it is not required that they are completed in any particular order. However, as Course2 QPLS2x – Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control builds on the material in Course1 QPLS1x – Six Sigma: Define and Measure, we strongly recommend that you take QPLS1x before you take QPLS2x.

Which certification do I earn for this course?
You will earn the Verified Certificate forCourse2 QPLS2x – Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control.

What certificates do I earn with this program?
Upon successful completion of this program, learners will earn both the edX Professional Certificate for the program and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification. In order to achieve the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification it is mandatory to complete all 3 courses in the program and achieve a Verified Certificate in each. Then, automatically, you will earn the edX Professional Certificate and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification.
The TUM LSSYB is based on the American Society for Quality (www.asq.org) Body of Knowledge up to a Green Belt Level. The Professional Certificate is designed as preparation for a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt exam.

What is the passing grade for the course?
An overall average for all homework sets and peer-review assignments of 70% is required to pass the course.

Do I need to achieve 70% on each homework?
No, you need an average grade for all homework sets and peer-review assignments of 70%. This means you can do poorly or miss a homework set as long as you do well enough on other homework sets to achieve 70% overall.

How do I receive the edX Professional Certificate for this program?
The Professional Certificate will be available from your dashboard after the end of the course.

How do I receive the TUM Lean SixSigma Yellow Belt Certification for this program?
If you have earned the Verified Certificate for all three courses in the program, then you will receive the edX Professional Certificate and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. These will be sent to you by email.
— For those finishing all courses by October 31, you will receive your certificate before November 31.
— For those finishing all courses by February 28, you will receive your certificate before March 31.
— For those finishing all courses by June 30, you will receive your certificate before July 31.

When you have passed all three courses with a verified certificate and received the edX Professional Certificate, you can also include in your CV that you have achieved the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, TUMLSSYB .

Meet Your Instructors:

Martin Grunow

Martin Grunow is a professor of production and supply chain management at Technische Universität München and an adjunct professor at Technical University Denmark, where he previously held a professorship in Operations Management. Earlier, he worked at Technical University Berlin and in the R&D department of Degussa, a multinational company producing special chemicals. His research interests are in production and logistics management with a focus on the process, electronics and automotive industries. He has coauthored more than 100 publications amongst others in International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Production Research, European Journal of Operational Research, CIRP Annals, Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, and OR Spectrum. For the latter two journals, he also acts as an editor. Martin Grunow has been on the program committee and track organizer of more than 30 international conferences and is an associate member of The International Academy of Production Engineering.

Holly Ott

Holly Ott is a professor of Production Management and IT Systems at the University of Rosenheim Applied Sciences and Management, a senior lecturer at the Technical University of Munich and an adjunct professor at Singapore Management University (Singapore), IE Business School (Madrid) and Syracuse University (New York). She holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and has worked for twelve years in quality and supply chain management in the USA, Europe and Asia for Siemens, Motorola, IBM and Infineon. Her work has been in the areas of device simulation, electrical and reliability testing, and quality and supply chain management. She holds a International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (ICGB) and is a member of the American Society for Quality (asq.org). Holly is the program chair for the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association's Supply Chain Forum and academic director of the TUM Case Centre.

Learner Testimonials

“I did not have any prior knowledge of Quality Management but have always known the value, importance, and job demand related to this topic. I am very glad that i enrolled for this course, although i have to put little extra efforts and time to understand the material but i am very thankful to Dr. Holly Ott for her special teaching skills to explain every topic in a simple way and with practical examples. I also appreciate the guest speakers and their expertise in the subject. I plan to complete all the three courses of this certificate program as soon as i can. I am into my very first course and within couple of weeks i was motivated to look into CSSGB (Certified Six Sigma Green Belt), as I know CSSGB is going to be very useful for professional advancement. I believe if i understand these three Quality Management courses my foundation to study for CSSGB with be solid. My Humble Gratitude to the entire MOOC team and EdX team and many more who are behind the scene to provide us best education from the top most educational institutes.”

--Asha Grover

“This is my second time around using statistics. In Define and Measure I was able to learn how to apply statistics to define problems in in factories and industries. And the ability to measure the results to start an improvement process. I love the instructors who lectured the course. They all have such a breadth of knowledge. My goal after completing this series is to get certified through ASQ to get my Green Belt. I feel confident that this series will lead to that goal.”

--Previous student

“If you are new to Six Sigma like me, this course will greatly expand your skills and knowledge. The course includes many examples, practical exercises, real life case studies, and guest lecturers. These help to reinforce concepts, apply the math, and master the topics.”

--David Rozene

“One of the best online course for 6 sigma. This course has helped me professionally as well as personally, whether taking a decision or solving a problem raised. Very well-articulated, elaborately explained with proper usage of tools and most importantly usage of formulae & examples for numerical problem solving. Discussion forum to share and learn from your peers and getting your doubts clearly by the staff, who promptly reply to every query posted. Thank you everyone who structured this course as is and my best wishes for your future endeavors.”

--Murali Dhepalli

“I did not have any prior knowledge of Quality Management but have always known the value, importance, and job demand related to this topic. I am very glad that i enrolled for this course, although i have to put little extra efforts and time to understand the material but i am very thankful to Dr. Holly Ott for her special teaching skills to explain every topic in a simple way and with practical examples. I also appreciate the guest speakers and their expertise in the subject. I plan to complete all the three courses of this certificate program as soon as i can. I am into my very first course and within couple of weeks i was motivated to look into CSSGB (Certified Six Sigma Green Belt), as I know CSSGB is going to be very useful for professional advancement. I believe if i understand these three Quality Management courses my foundation to study for CSSGB with be solid. My Humble Gratitude to the entire MOOC team and EdX team and many more who are behind the scene to provide us best education from the top most educational institutes.”

--Asha Grover

“This is my second time around using statistics. In Define and Measure I was able to learn how to apply statistics to define problems in in factories and industries. And the ability to measure the results to start an improvement process. I love the instructors who lectured the course. They all have such a breadth of knowledge. My goal after completing this series is to get certified through ASQ to get my Green Belt. I feel confident that this series will lead to that goal.”

--Previous student

“If you are new to Six Sigma like me, this course will greatly expand your skills and knowledge. The course includes many examples, practical exercises, real life case studies, and guest lecturers. These help to reinforce concepts, apply the math, and master the topics.”

--David Rozene

“One of the best online course for 6 sigma. This course has helped me professionally as well as personally, whether taking a decision or solving a problem raised. Very well-articulated, elaborately explained with proper usage of tools and most importantly usage of formulae & examples for numerical problem solving. Discussion forum to share and learn from your peers and getting your doubts clearly by the staff, who promptly reply to every query posted. Thank you everyone who structured this course as is and my best wishes for your future endeavors.”

--Murali Dhepalli

About This Course:

Understand the background and meaning of Six Sigma and the five steps of the DMAIC process improvement flow: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. Discuss what “Quality” means and how to identify the Voice of the Customer.
You will learn how to set an improvement project goal, calculate process yield, and identify Critical-to-Quality parameters.

You will learn how to map a process and to use the necessary statistical techniques to establish the baseline performance of a process and to calculate the process capability.

To complement the lectures, we provide interactive exercises, which allow learners to see the statistics “in action.” Learners then master the statistical concepts by completing practice problems. These are then reinforced using interactive case studies, which illustrate the application of the statistics in quality improvement situations.

Upon successful completion of this program, learners will earn the TUM Lean and Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification, confirming mastery of Lean Six Sigma fundamentals to a Green Belt level. The material is based on the American Society for Quality (www.asq.org) Body of Knowledge up to a Green Belt Level. The Professional Certificate is designed as preparation for a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt exam.

What You’ll Learn:

  • To understand the background and meaning of the Six Sigma methodology and the role of the DMAIC process improvement cycle.
  • To identify the Voice of the Customer and translate into Critical-to-Quality parameters.
  • To understand the concept of random variables, probability mass functions, and probability density functions.
  • To calculate probabilities using the Normal distribution.
  • To understand how the Central Limit Theorem applies to sampling and how to set up sampling plans.
  • To understand the importance of a Measurement System Analysis in a Six Sigma project.
  • To calculate Process Yield and Process Capability.
  • To perform a risk assessment using a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis.
  • How to apply the Define and Measure phases of the DMAIC cycle in your work or research, in order to identify problems and quantitatively assess the impact of process changes using statistical analysis.

Professional Certificate in Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt: Quantitative Tools for Quality and Productivity

Earn a TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certificate

Six Sigma: Define and Measure
Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control
Lean Production
3 Courses 6 Months 3 - 4 Hours per week
Complete Program $264.03
Program Details

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who offers this program?
The Professional Certificate Program Six Sigma and Lean: Quantitative Tools for Quality and Productivity is offered by edX and the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

How many courses are in the program?
There are three courses in this program:
Course1 QPLS1x – Six Sigma: Define and Measure
Course2 QPLS2x – Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control
Course3 QPLS3x – Lean Production

Do I need to take the courses in order?
The courses should be completed sequentially, but it is not required that they are completed in any particular order. However, as Course2 QPLS2x – Six Sigma: Analyze, Improve, Control builds on the material in Course1 QPLS1x – Six Sigma: Define and Measure , we strongly recommend that you take QPLS1x before you take QPLS2x.

Which certification do I earn for this course?
You will earn the Verified Certificate for Course1 QPLS1x – Six Sigma: Define and Measure.

What certificates do I earn with this program?
Upon successful completion of this program, learners will earn both the edX Professional Certificate for the program and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification. In order to achieve the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification it is mandatory to complete all 3 courses in the program and achieve a Verified Certificate in each. Then, automatically, you will earn the edX Professional Certificate and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification.
The TUM LSSYB is based on the American Society for Quality (www.asq.org) Body of Knowledge up to a Green Belt Level. The Professional Certificate is designed as preparation for a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt exam.

What is the passing grade for the course?
An overall average for all homework sets and peer-review assignments of 70% is required to pass the course.

Do I need to achieve 70% on each homework?
No, you need an average grade for all homework sets and peer-review assignments of 70%. This means you can do poorly or miss a homework set as long as you do well enough on other homework sets to achieve 70% overall.

How do I receive the edX Professional Certificate for this program?
The Professional Certificate will be available from your dashboard after the end of the course.

How do I receive the TUM Lean SixSigma Yellow Belt Certification for this program?
If you have earned the Verified Certificate for all three courses in the program, then you will receive the edX Professional Certificate and the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. These will be sent to you by email.
— For those finishing all courses by October 31, you will receive your certificate before November 31.
— For those finishing all courses by February 28, you will receive your certificate before March 31.
— For those finishing all courses by June 30, you will receive your certificate before July 31.

When you have passed all three courses with a verified certificate and received the edX Professional Certificate, you can also include in your CV that you have achieved the TUM Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, TUMLSSYB.

Meet Your Instructors:

Martin Grunow

Martin Grunow is a professor of production and supply chain management at Technische Universität München and an adjunct professor at Technical University Denmark, where he previously held a professorship in Operations Management. Earlier, he worked at Technical University Berlin and in the R&D department of Degussa, a multinational company producing special chemicals. His research interests are in production and logistics management with a focus on the process, electronics and automotive industries. He has coauthored more than 100 publications amongst others in International Journal of Production Economics, International Journal of Production Research, European Journal of Operational Research, CIRP Annals, Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal, and OR Spectrum. For the latter two journals, he also acts as an editor. Martin Grunow has been on the program committee and track organizer of more than 30 international conferences and is an associate member of The International Academy of Production Engineering.

Holly Ott

Holly Ott is a professor of Production Management and IT Systems at the University of Rosenheim Applied Sciences and Management, a senior lecturer at the Technical University of Munich and an adjunct professor at Singapore Management University (Singapore), IE Business School (Madrid) and Syracuse University (New York). She holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Virginia and has worked for twelve years in quality and supply chain management in the USA, Europe and Asia for Siemens, Motorola, IBM and Infineon. Her work has been in the areas of device simulation, electrical and reliability testing, and quality and supply chain management. She holds a International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (ICGB) and is a member of the American Society for Quality (asq.org). Holly is the program chair for the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association's Supply Chain Forum and academic director of the TUM Case Centre.

Learner Testimonials

“It is very fulfilling experience to complete the requirements of this course. The new knowledge I gained from the three courses are awesome. This course really like a brick and mortar learning from the start and exceeded my expectations and I am sure other learners also will agree with me. I am a Civil Engineer in construction industry taking up my MBA and this course gave me interest even more on quality that I can apply in our industry. Congratulation team!!! Job well done 😉 Can’t wait to finish the last week (I just passed the whole course few minutes ago 😉 ) …waiting for professional certificate. Thank you.”

- Mark Anthony Santiago

“This is my second time around using statistics. In Define and Measure I was able to learn how to apply statistics to define problems in factories and industries. And the ability to measure the results to start an improvement process. I love the instructors who lectured the course. They all have such a breadth of knowledge. My goal after completing this series is to get certified through ASQ to get my Green Belt. I feel confident that this series will lead to that goal.”

--Previous student

“Before I started, I was worrying the concepts and calculations it might have, for being away from school for so many years. But it turns out very easy to gasp, Prof. Holly explains in very detailed and I have no problem in understanding it. The course is very useful for a start to a systematical quality management tool. The crews are wonderful and very helpful. I love this course and have signed up for the 2nd phrase.”

--Kee Tsui

“I found extremely useful each part of this course from the begining to the end. I am Industrial Engineer working as Process Engineer for a Medical Devices manufactuirng company and we are looking forward to start with process improvement and scrap reduction projects since the delivery (PvsA) is somehow undercontrol. I’m working in three projects to reduce the scrap on my production lines and definetly I’m going to use most of the tools presented here. Great work Holly and all the team. I’m very excited to start the second course.”

— student

“Hello! My name is Luiz Fernandes and I´m from Brazil. I´m just here to say some words about this course. It was the best course I have had first of all, because is really difficult to get a course like this (not just define and measure, but all six sigma series). The price is Brazil is expensive and the quality, I think is not as good like at Technische Universität München. I had amazing teacher like Prof. Dr. Holly Ott and I can say that this course will help me a lot. I lived in a countryside, here is hard to get a good education and I belive an opportunity like this, to take an incredible course, taught by amazing professionals is something worthwhile. The content is relevant and open your eyes to how importante is quality in our world. I´m a Mechatronics technician, trying to improve myself in a poor place and I know I can do it through a good education and get a new job. I know this course was essential in this way, in my way. Thank you.”

—Luiz Fernandez

“It is very fulfilling experience to complete the requirements of this course. The new knowledge I gained from the three courses are awesome. This course really like a brick and mortar learning from the start and exceeded my expectations and I am sure other learners also will agree with me. I am a Civil Engineer in construction industry taking up my MBA and this course gave me interest even more on quality that I can apply in our industry. Congratulation team!!! Job well done 😉 Can’t wait to finish the last week (I just passed the whole course few minutes ago 😉 ) …waiting for professional certificate. Thank you.”

- Mark Anthony Santiago

“This is my second time around using statistics. In Define and Measure I was able to learn how to apply statistics to define problems in factories and industries. And the ability to measure the results to start an improvement process. I love the instructors who lectured the course. They all have such a breadth of knowledge. My goal after completing this series is to get certified through ASQ to get my Green Belt. I feel confident that this series will lead to that goal.”

--Previous student

“Before I started, I was worrying the concepts and calculations it might have, for being away from school for so many years. But it turns out very easy to gasp, Prof. Holly explains in very detailed and I have no problem in understanding it. The course is very useful for a start to a systematical quality management tool. The crews are wonderful and very helpful. I love this course and have signed up for the 2nd phrase.”

--Kee Tsui

“I found extremely useful each part of this course from the begining to the end. I am Industrial Engineer working as Process Engineer for a Medical Devices manufactuirng company and we are looking forward to start with process improvement and scrap reduction projects since the delivery (PvsA) is somehow undercontrol. I’m working in three projects to reduce the scrap on my production lines and definetly I’m going to use most of the tools presented here. Great work Holly and all the team. I’m very excited to start the second course.”

— student

“Hello! My name is Luiz Fernandes and I´m from Brazil. I´m just here to say some words about this course. It was the best course I have had first of all, because is really difficult to get a course like this (not just define and measure, but all six sigma series). The price is Brazil is expensive and the quality, I think is not as good like at Technische Universität München. I had amazing teacher like Prof. Dr. Holly Ott and I can say that this course will help me a lot. I lived in a countryside, here is hard to get a good education and I belive an opportunity like this, to take an incredible course, taught by amazing professionals is something worthwhile. The content is relevant and open your eyes to how importante is quality in our world. I´m a Mechatronics technician, trying to improve myself in a poor place and I know I can do it through a good education and get a new job. I know this course was essential in this way, in my way. Thank you.”

—Luiz Fernandez

Overview

Python is a great, beginner-friendly programming language because it was originally designed with learners in mind. It is also used by professional developers in a wide range of applications, like web programming, data science, artificial intelligence, and DevOps. It is estimated that there are about 3 million Python programmers in the world, and by some accounts, it is the fastest growing, most widely used language, especially in high-GDP countries. Out of dozens of programming languages, Python is the third most loved language and is the number one language that current and aspiring developers want to learn.

As an instructor who regularly teaches people who are completely new to programming, Arianne has found that students are often looking for more context than is provided in most introductory courses. Specifically, students want to know how various languages fit into the programming landscape, as well as what next steps they should take after the course. Introduction to Python LiveLessons attempts to fill these gaps by providing “extra context” lessons, in addition to teaching fundamental programming concepts, answering questions like, “Why are there so many languages?”, “How is Python different from other languages?”, and “What concepts should I learn next?” Afterwards, the lessons end with a crash-course on data analysis and web development, the two primary uses of Python.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Lesson 1: Introduction to Programming and Python
Lesson 2: Python and Programming Basics
Lesson 3: Control Flow with Conditionals
Lesson 4: Lists and Loops
Lesson 5: Advanced Language Topics
Lesson 6: Introduction to Data Analysis in Python
Lesson 7: Introduction to Web Development in Python
Summary

Description

This 7+ hour LiveLesson video helps absolute beginners get started in Python, which is one of the most popular and in-demand languages in use today. Python was created with beginners in mind, but don’t let its simple nature fool you. It is used by professional developers in a wide range of applications, such as web programming, data analysis, machine learning, and DevOps. While most introductory courses focus on the basics of the language, this course goes one step further to explain how Python is used in practice in the fields of data analysis and web development.

Students learn fundamental programming concepts–for example, variables and functions. They are given hands-on, modular problems to solve so they can progress as they go. Finally, students tie it all together and experiment with some real programming in the form of text-based games.

The overall goal of this course is to help absolute beginners learn from scratch, navigate the esoteric world of software development, and then kick-start their programming journey with introductions to two of the more common uses of Python: data analysis and web development.

What You Will Learn

Students will learn how to

  • Think like a programmer
  • Solve mini practice problems in Python
  • Use common libraries like “math” and “random”
  • Build three small games to practice their learning
  • Use PyCharm, a code editor for Python
  • Clean up code so it is easy to understand

Once the basics are down, Arianne will provide

  • A brief introduction to data analysis
  • A brief introduction to web development
  • An overview of classes, external libraries, and virtual environments in Python

Who Should Take This Course

  • Primary: People who are curious about programming and have little to no experience in it
  • Secondary: Beginner/novice programmers who already know one language and want to learn Python

Course Requirements

  • General computer skills are an asset‚Äìfor example, moving, copying, renaming, and deleting files on the computer they will be using
  • Experience using text-editors and/or spreadsheet applications
  • Comfort using web browsers and search engines

Meet your instructor

Arianne Dee

Arianne Dee is a full-stack software developer, technology educator, and all-around maker, located in Vancouver, Canada. She has four years of professional Python experience and loves Python for its intuitive syntax and broad applications. Over the years she has been an instructor for introductory programming courses through Canada Learning Code, presented at Python conferences, and coauthored the open-source project django-graph-api. Arianne is the instructor of Rethinking REST LiveLessons (Addison-Wesley, 2019) and has worked on various Live Trainings on these topics.

About this course:

Photovoltaic systems are often placed into a microgrid, a local electricity distribution system that is operated in a controlled way and includes both electricity users and renewable electricity generation. This course deals with DC and AC microgrids and covers a wide range of topics, from basic definitions, through modelling and control of AC and DC microgrids to the application of adaptive protection in microgrids. You will master various concepts related to microgrid technology and implementation, such as smart grid and virtual power plant, types of distribution network, markets, control strategies and components. Among the components special attention is given to operation and control of power electronics interfaces.

What You Will Learn:

  • Difference between a microgrid, a passive distribution grid and a virtual power plant
  • Ancillary services provided by microgrids and PV
  • Operation of centralized and decentralized control, forecasting, and evaluation of different market policies through a case study
  • Operation of active power control and voltage regulation
  • Different layouts and topologies of microgrids and power electronic components, and the role of power electronics converters in microgrids
  • Microgrid protection, adaptive protection, and the consequences of using a fault current source and fault current limitation
  • Main motivations and challenges for the implementation of DC microgrids
  • Verified learners will have the added benefit of evaluating different strategies to control multiple inverters and to analyze local control to improve stability.

Prerequisites

  • Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering and/or the successful completion of PV1xPV2xand PV3x (or firm grasp of their content).
  • In order to carry out the assignments in the course, you will need to install a free software which requires a 64-bit computer, 4 GB ram and 5-6 GB of hard-drive space.
  • Operating systems supported: Window 7 or newer, OSX 10.10 (Yosemite) or newer, Ubuntu 14.04 or 16.04.

MicroMasters® Program in Solar Energy Engineering

Master the technical knowledge needed for a career in solar energy

Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Energy Conversion
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
Solar Energy: Integration of Photovoltaic Systems in Microdgrids
Solar Energy Engineering: Comprehensive Exams
5 1 year 1 month in total 9 - 10 hours each week
Complete Program $1125.00
Program Details

Meet Your Instructors:

Seyedmahdi Izadkhast

Postdoctoral fellow researcher, DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage at TU Delft
Seyedmahdi Izadkhast received PhD degrees within SETS doctorate from Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands; Comillas Pontifical University, Spain; KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. Since January 2016, Dr. S. Izadkhast has been working as a postdoctoral research fellow with DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S) at the Delft University of Technology, where he is also the lecturer of "AC & DC Microgrids" course, and OnlineSolar and instructor/project leader of "Systems Engineering" course. Moreover, he has been involved in numerous international research projects like GRID4EU, NICE GRID, CSGriP, and DCSMART ERA-Net SG+.

Laura Ramirez

Assistant Professor of Energy Conversion at TU Delft
Laura Ramirez is an Assistant Professor of Energy Conversion with the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy of Delft University of Technology and DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage group (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science). In 2003, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and her Bachelor’s degree in Music with a major in Piano at the Universidad de Costa Rica (but she cannot improvise). She graduated with honors from her M.Sc. studies in Electrical Power Engineering at Delft University of Technology in 2007. Laura worked on her PhD project from September 2007 to December 2011. In 2013, she was awarded with the Erasmus Energy Science Award.

Pavol Bauer

Full Professor, Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy at TU Delft
Pavol Bauer is a full Professor in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy of Delft University of Technology and head of DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage group. He earned his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the Technical University of Kosice (‘85) and Ph.D. from Delft University of Technology (’95). He has worked on many projects for industry, focusing on solar wind and wave energy, power electronic applications for power systems and electric mobility. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE (’97), former chairman of Benelux IEEE Joint Industry Applications Society, Power Electronics and Power Engineering Society chapter, chairman of the Power Electronics and Motion Control (PEMC) council, member of the Executive Committee of European Power Electronics Association (EPE).

About this course:

In this course you will learn how to turn solar cells into full modules; and how to apply full modules to full photovoltaic systems.

The course will widely cover the design of photovoltaic systems, such as utility scale solar farms or residential scale systems (both on and off the grid). You will learn about the function and operation of various components including inverters, batteries, DC-DC converters and their interaction with both the modules and the grid.

What You Will Learn:

  • How to design a PV system ranging from a residential rooftop system to a utility scale solar farm taking in to account:
  • The effects of the position of the sun and solar irradiance on PV module performance Components of a PV system:
  • PV modules, inverters, DC-DC converters, batteries, charge controllers and cables
  • The economics and impact on the grid of PV systems
  • Audit learners can develop their skills and knowledge in relation to the above learning objectives by having access to the video lectures, a limited number of practice exercises and discussion forums.
  • Verified learners are offered a number of study tools to demonstrate they have mastered the learning objectives. They will have access to all exercises: practice, graded and exams.

Prerequisites

  • Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering and/or the successful completion of PV1x and PV2x (or firm grasp of their content).

MicroMasters® Program in Solar Energy Engineering

Master the technical knowledge needed for a career in solar energy

Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Energy Conversion
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
Solar Energy: Integration of Photovoltaic Systems in Microdgrids
Solar Energy Engineering: Comprehensive Exams
5 1 year 1 month in total 9 - 10 hours each week
Complete Program $1125.00
Program Details

Meet Your Instructors:

Olindo Isabella

Assistant Professor, Photovoltaics Material and Devices at TU Delft
Dr. Olindo Isabella is assistant professor in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at the TU Delft faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. Between 2011 and 2012 he was visiting researcher at AIST (Tsukuba, Japan) working on high performance thin-film a-SiGe:H absorber for multi-junction thin-film silicon solar cells. He received his PhD (cum laude) from Delft University of Technology in 2013 for his research on light management in thin-film silicon solar cells, overseeing activities on c-Si solar cells and PV systems. He has contributed to two scientific books, has 3 patent applications and is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.” He developed and manages the Lab course on photovoltaics offering students hands-on experience with all aspects of photovoltaic systems.

Ravi Vasudevan

Postdoctoral Researcher with the Photovoltaic Materials and Devices at TU Delft
Dr. Ravi Vasudevan obtained his MSc and PhD from the Delft University of Technology. He has researched solar energy and is an expert in silicon heterojunction solar cells. He also is experienced in solar energy education. He has given many lecturers at the BSc and MSc level for various solar-based courses at TU Delft. He also helped to develop the MSc course in PV Systems taught at TU Delft and is in charge of managing the creation of the Solar Energy Engineering ProfEd series hosted on the edX platform.

About this course:

The technologies used to produce solar cells and photovoltaic modules are advancing to deliver highly efficient and flexible solar panels. In this course you will explore the main PV technologies in the current market. You will gain in-depth knowledge about crystalline silicon based solar cells (90% market share) as well as other emerging technologies including CdTe, CIGS and Perovskites. This courseprovides answers to the questions: How are solar cells made from raw materials? Which technologies have the potential to be the major players for different applications in the future?

What You Will Learn:

  • Design concepts and fabrication processes of various photovoltaic technologies, In-depth knowledge on the entire crystalline silicon solar cell landscape including, Market-leading polycrystalline based cells
  • High efficiency/cutting edge monocrystalline based solar cells
  • Application of thin film solar cells, like CIGS, CdTe, thin-film silicon, Perovskites, Concentrated PV and space applications for III/V semiconductor based solar cells.
  • Audit learners can develop their skills and knowledge in relation to the above learning objectives by having access to the video lectures, a limited number of practice exercises and discussion forum.
  • Verified learners are offered a number of study tools to demonstrate they have mastered the learning objectives. They will have access to all exercises: practice, graded and exam questions.

Prerequisites

  • Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering and/or the successful completion of PV1x (or firm grasp of its content).

MicroMasters® Program in Solar Energy Engineering

Master the technical knowledge needed for a career in solar energy

Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Energy Conversion
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
Solar Energy: Integration of Photovoltaic Systems in Microdgrids
Solar Energy Engineering: Comprehensive Exams
5 1 year 1 month in total 9 - 10 hours each week
Complete Program $1125.00
Program Details

Meet Your Instructors:

Arno Smets

Professor, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science at Delft University of Technology Dr. Arno H.M. Smets is Professor in Solar Energy in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at the faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delft University of Technology. From 2005-2010 he worked at the Research Center for Photovoltaics at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Tsukuba Japan. His research work is focused on processing of thin silicon films, innovative materials and new concepts for photovoltaic applications. He is lecturer for BSc and MSc courses on Photovoltaics and Sustainable Energy at TU Delft. His online edX course on Solar Energy attracted over 150,000 students worldwide. He is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.” Professor Smets was awarded the first ever edX Prize for Exceptional Contributions to Online Teaching and Learning for his Solar Energy course. To learn more, visit here.

Miro Zeman

Head of the Electrical Sustainable Energy department at TU Delft
Professor Miro Zeman is the head of the Electrical Sustainable Energy department at the TU Delft faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. His research interests encompass the development of novel materials and concepts for the improvement of thin-film silicon solar cell performance and modeling of devices based on amorphous semiconductors. Since receiving his PhD in 1989 he was in charge of more than 30 Dutch and 6 European projects dealing with the development of thin-film solar cells and technology for their fabrication. He has authored and co-authored more than 270 scientific publications; he contributed to 3 scientific books. He acts as a reviewer for several scientific journals. He regularly attends world conferences on advanced materials and photovoltaics in Europe, USA, Japan and China, where he contributed with more than 80 presentations. He is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.”

René van Swaaij

Associate Professor, Photovoltaics Material and Devices at TU Delft
Dr. René van Swaaij is associate professor in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at the TU Delft faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. He is the programme director of the master programme Sustainable Energy Technology. His research interests lie mainly with the processing of silicon based solar cells and the physics underlying the operation of these cells. He is in charge of several projects in the field of thin-film silicon solar cells and lectures on semiconductor device physics in BSc and MSc courses. René has authored and co-authored more than 100 journal and conference papers is and is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.”

About this course:

The key factor in getting more efficient and cheaper solar energy panels is the advance in the development of photovoltaic cells. In this course you will learn how photovoltaic cells convert solar energy into useable electricity. You will also discover how to tackle potential loss mechanisms in solar cells. By understanding the semiconductor physics and optics involved, you will develop in-depth knowledge of how a photovoltaic cell works under different conditions. You will learn how to model all aspects of a working solar cell. For engineers and scientists working in the photovoltaic industry, this course is an absolute must to understand the opportunities for solar cell innovation.

What You Will Learn:

  • The principles behind the potential loss mechanisms in photovoltaic devices
  • The semiconductor physics necessary to understand solar cell performance and engineering
  • The optics and light management tools necessary for optimal solar cell design
  • To model all aspects of a working solar cell, understanding the efficiency limits and design rules
  • Audit learners can develop their skills and knowledge in relation to the above learning objectives by having access to the video lectures, a limited number of practice exercises and discussion forums.
  • Verified learners are offered a number of study tools to demonstrate they have mastered the learning objectives. They will have access to all exercises: practice, graded and exam questions.

Prerequisites

  • Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering or the successful completion of TU Delft’s MOOC Solar Energy

MicroMasters® Program in Solar Energy Engineering

Master the technical knowledge needed for a career in solar energy

Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Energy Conversion
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
Solar Energy: Integration of Photovoltaic Systems in Microdgrids
Solar Energy Engineering: Comprehensive Exams
5 1 year 1 month in total 9 - 10 hours each week
Complete Program $1125.00
Program Details

Meet Your Instructors:

Arno Smets

Professor, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science at Delft University of Technology Dr. Arno H.M. Smets is Professor in Solar Energy in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at the faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delft University of Technology. From 2005-2010 he worked at the Research Center for Photovoltaics at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Tsukuba Japan. His research work is focused on processing of thin silicon films, innovative materials and new concepts for photovoltaic applications. He is lecturer for BSc and MSc courses on Photovoltaics and Sustainable Energy at TU Delft. His online edX course on Solar Energy attracted over 150,000 students worldwide. He is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.” Professor Smets was awarded the first ever edX Prize for Exceptional Contributions to Online Teaching and Learning for his Solar Energy course. To learn more, visit here.

Miro Zeman

Head of the Electrical Sustainable Energy department at TU Delft
Professor Miro Zeman is the head of the Electrical Sustainable Energy department at the TU Delft faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. His research interests encompass the development of novel materials and concepts for the improvement of thin-film silicon solar cell performance and modeling of devices based on amorphous semiconductors. Since receiving his PhD in 1989 he was in charge of more than 30 Dutch and 6 European projects dealing with the development of thin-film solar cells and technology for their fabrication. He has authored and co-authored more than 270 scientific publications; he contributed to 3 scientific books. He acts as a reviewer for several scientific journals. He regularly attends world conferences on advanced materials and photovoltaics in Europe, USA, Japan and China, where he contributed with more than 80 presentations. He is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.”

René van Swaaij

Associate Professor, Photovoltaics Material and Devices at TU Delft
Dr. René van Swaaij is associate professor in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at the TU Delft faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. He is the programme director of the master programme Sustainable Energy Technology. His research interests lie mainly with the processing of silicon based solar cells and the physics underlying the operation of these cells. He is in charge of several projects in the field of thin-film silicon solar cells and lectures on semiconductor device physics in BSc and MSc courses. René has authored and co-authored more than 100 journal and conference papers is and is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.”

Program overview

Solar energy technology use is expanding rapidly. The Solar Photovoltaic (PV) sector is the largest and fastest growing renewable energy employer worldwide with an increasing need for experts that can support this growth.

In this MicroMasters program you will gain the knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in the solar energy field and become a successful solar energy professional. This program will teach you what is expected from solar experts, and will prepare you for employment in various capacities including:

  • Systems design and engineering
  • Solar systems installation
  • Device fabrication and characterization
  • QA and reliability testing
  • Project management and consultancy as well as (technical) sales

What will you learn

  • The physics of and how to model all aspects of a working solar cell: performance, efficiency limits and design rules.
  • Design concepts and fabrication processes of various photovoltaic (PV) technologies and applications.
  • How to evaluate components of a PV system: PV modules, inverters, DC-DC converters, batteries, charge controllers and cables.
  • Application techniques for designing a PV system ranging from a residential rooftop system to a utility scale solar farm.
  • Design concepts of microgrids that include PV systems.
  • How to assess the economics and ecology of PV systems and communicate these accordingly.

Program Class List

1
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Energy Conversion

Course Details
Learn how solar cells generate electricity, and about the semiconductor physics and optics required to design and manufacture solar cells.

Course Duration

12 weeks

Time Commitment

10 - 11 hours per week

Price

$250.00

2
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Technologies

Course Details
Explore the main PV technologies in the current market, to gain in-depth knowledge on the design and processing methods of solar cells.

Course Duration

11 weeks total

Time Commitment

10 - 11 hours per week

Price

$250.00

3
Solar Energy: Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

Course Details
Explore the wide range of solar energy applications and learn to design a real PV installation with excellent performance and reliability.

Course Duration

11 weeks

Time Commitment

10 - 11 hours per week

Price

$250.00

4
Solar Energy: Integration of Photovoltaic Systems in Microgrids

Course Details
Learn how to integrate a photovoltaic system into a microgrid of your design.

Course Duration

9 weeks

Time Commitment

10 - 11 hours per week

Price

$250.00

5
Solar Energy Engineering: Comprehensive Exams

Course Details
Finalize the Solar Energy Engineering program to become a MicroMasters graduate.

Course Duration

8 Weeks

Time Commitment

4 - 6 Hours per week

Price

$250.00

Meet Your Instructors

Arno Smets

Professor, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science at Delft University of Technology Dr. Arno H.M. Smets is Professor in Solar Energy in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at the faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delft University of Technology. From 2005-2010 he worked at the Research Center for Photovoltaics at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Tsukuba Japan. His research work is focused on processing of thin silicon films, innovative materials and new concepts for photovoltaic applications. He is lecturer for BSc and MSc courses on Photovoltaics and Sustainable Energy at TU Delft. His online edX course on Solar Energy attracted over 150,000 students worldwide. He is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.” Professor Smets was awarded the first ever edX Prize for Exceptional Contributions to Online Teaching and Learning for his Solar Energy course. To learn more, visit here.

Miro Zeman

Head of the Electrical Sustainable Energy department at TU Delft
Professor Miro Zeman is the head of the Electrical Sustainable Energy department at the TU Delft faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. His research interests encompass the development of novel materials and concepts for the improvement of thin-film silicon solar cell performance and modeling of devices based on amorphous semiconductors. Since receiving his PhD in 1989 he was in charge of more than 30 Dutch and 6 European projects dealing with the development of thin-film solar cells and technology for their fabrication. He has authored and co-authored more than 270 scientific publications; he contributed to 3 scientific books. He acts as a reviewer for several scientific journals. He regularly attends world conferences on advanced materials and photovoltaics in Europe, USA, Japan and China, where he contributed with more than 80 presentations. He is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.”

René van Swaaij

Associate Professor, Photovoltaics Material and Devices at TU Delft
Dr. René van Swaaij is associate professor in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at the TU Delft faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. He is the programme director of the master programme Sustainable Energy Technology. His research interests lie mainly with the processing of silicon based solar cells and the physics underlying the operation of these cells. He is in charge of several projects in the field of thin-film silicon solar cells and lectures on semiconductor device physics in BSc and MSc courses. René has authored and co-authored more than 100 journal and conference papers is and is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.”

Olindo Isabella

Assistant Professor, Photovoltaics Material and Devices at TU Delft
Dr. Olindo Isabella is assistant professor in the Photovoltaics Material and Devices group at the TU Delft faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. Between 2011 and 2012 he was visiting researcher at AIST (Tsukuba, Japan) working on high performance thin-film a-SiGe:H absorber for multi-junction thin-film silicon solar cells. He received his PhD (cum laude) from Delft University of Technology in 2013 for his research on light management in thin-film silicon solar cells, overseeing activities on c-Si solar cells and PV systems. He has contributed to two scientific books, has 3 patent applications and is co-author of the book “Solar Energy. The physics and engineering of photovoltaic conversion technologies and systems.” He developed and manages the Lab course on photovoltaics offering students hands-on experience with all aspects of photovoltaic systems.

Ravi Vasudevan

Postdoctoral Researcher with the Photovoltaic Materials and Devices at TU Delft
Dr. Ravi Vasudevan obtained his MSc and PhD from the Delft University of Technology. He has researched solar energy and is an expert in silicon heterojunction solar cells. He also is experienced in solar energy education. He has given many lecturers at the BSc and MSc level for various solar-based courses at TU Delft. He also helped to develop the MSc course in PV Systems taught at TU Delft and is in charge of managing the creation of the Solar Energy Engineering ProfEd series hosted on the edX platform.

Seyedmahdi Izadkhast

Postdoctoral fellow researcher, DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage at TU Delft
Seyedmahdi Izadkhast received PhD degrees within SETS doctorate from Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands; Comillas Pontifical University, Spain; KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. Since January 2016, Dr. S. Izadkhast has been working as a postdoctoral research fellow with DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S) at the Delft University of Technology, where he is also the lecturer of "AC & DC Microgrids" course, and OnlineSolar and instructor/project leader of "Systems Engineering" course. Moreover, he has been involved in numerous international research projects like GRID4EU, NICE GRID, CSGriP, and DCSMART ERA-Net SG+.

Laura Ramirez

Assistant Professor of Energy Conversion at TU Delft
Laura Ramirez is an Assistant Professor of Energy Conversion with the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy of Delft University of Technology and DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage group (Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science). In 2003, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and her Bachelor’s degree in Music with a major in Piano at the Universidad de Costa Rica (but she cannot improvise). She graduated with honors from her M.Sc. studies in Electrical Power Engineering at Delft University of Technology in 2007. Laura worked on her PhD project from September 2007 to December 2011. In 2013, she was awarded with the Erasmus Energy Science Award.

Pavol Bauer

Full Professor, Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy at TU Delft
Pavol Bauer is a full Professor in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy of Delft University of Technology and head of DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage group. He earned his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the Technical University of Kosice (‘85) and Ph.D. from Delft University of Technology (’95). He has worked on many projects for industry, focusing on solar wind and wave energy, power electronic applications for power systems and electric mobility. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE (’97), former chairman of Benelux IEEE Joint Industry Applications Society, Power Electronics and Power Engineering Society chapter, chairman of the Power Electronics and Motion Control (PEMC) council, member of the Executive Committee of European Power Electronics Association (EPE).