Semester 1: Quality Systems and Project Definition

Students gain a foundation to guide them through the remainder of the curriculum.  Introduces the foundation for quality systems management, and provides the overview and software template for project definition fundamentals. Students learn UTC systems and priorities, and how to form teams to complete focused projects at work sites. In place of the traditional Master’s thesis, all students are required to submit a practical process improvement known as a Master’s Business Project that must have demonstrable financial results at their sponsoring organization or employer.  At semester end, students have delineated their Master's Business Project in detail, with sponsor support and measures of success defined.

QSM 701

Principles of Action Learning

In Principles of Action Learning, students are introduced to NGS, the Master's Program, and the Master's Business Project.  Students exercise the online tools used throughout the program and participate in discussions with classmates and faculty. This course prepares students to successfully participate in the rest of the Program and the adult learning environment. (1cr)

QSM 770

Performance Based Management -
Quality Systems to Achieve Competitive Excellence 

The entire curriculum and the purpose of each course are discussed.  The linkage of the courses, the concepts of Baldrige Criteria and Performance Excellence, which is the underlying goals of the curriculum, are explained with models.  The history and prime concepts of Quality Systems Management are studied, with team analysis of contemporary case studies. What quality means to each student, based on their experience, will be explored. Emphasis is placed on understanding the integration of these systems, and defining the employee’s role in the processes. Measurement systems and financial models are introduced.  Topics include UTC’s continuous improvement systems (ACE, Lean, Shingijutsu Kaizen and Mr. Ito’s philosophy), UTC’s five commitments and Operations Transformation strategies. (3cr)

QSM 781

A Systems Approach To Strategic Planning

Strategic Planning is defined as anticipatory decision-making. It is a process of articulating and envisioning a desired future and developing the procedures to mobilize the organization to achieve that future. This course introduces strategic planning methods and tools within the context of systems thinking, and places emphasis on planning strategies that will help organizations shape their own future rather than passively wait for the future to shape them. An analysis of UTC’s strategic initiatives, as well as the flow-down of those priorities to the Division, Department and students Work Group will occur. The alignment of current metrics to this flow-down will be discussed, as well ways to obtain and develop internal and external Market Feedback. This course will address basic definitions and methods, the typology of planning, the process of envisioning, how to overcome barriers to strategic planning, key implementation strategies, and lessons learned from public and private organizations. (3cr)

USM 748

Project Management With Passport

The principles, steps, and tools of project manage¬ment are important elements for effective manage¬ment of any projects and support the School’s commitment to development of a base of knowledge for students to be effective with implementing improvements within organizations. This course provides the core elements of project management and links the tools and concepts to all the other courses in the curriculum. UTC’s Passport phase gate approach to major projects is studied and applied to the student’s project. Students will learn how to clarify deliverables, generate schedules, estimate costs, assure resources, and plan even complex projects. On time and on target delivery based on an understanding of these principals is generated.  The concepts and tools of the course are supported by software. (3cr)
 

USM 750

Master's Business Project Phase One - DEFINE

Students present the process to be improved for their Master's Business Project. The tools and methods learned in Semester One come directly into use for each person’s – or team’s project.  The UTC D.I.V.E. methodology – Define - is used to develop project definition, in addition to project registration and chartering in the NGS on-line system. This presentation will include the student’s application of the first four courses to their project.  The class instructor and/or the "Practicum Supervisor" for the Master's Business Project guides every student through the stages of definition, commitment from the sponsoring organizations, and project definition. (3cr)

Semester 2: Systems Analysis

Provides learning in advanced systems analysis by thorough and disciplined analysis of internal and external customer/supplier relationships, and key process drivers. Each course in the semester reinforces the concepts introduced in Semester One and leads students to immediately apply their course learning to their Master's Business Project Phase Two.

QSM 840A

Action Research I

The goal of Action Research is to ensure that student research regarding MBP Projects extends beyond the required reading in other courses, and to facilitate that extension through a flexible schedule that determines, with Supervisor approval, what research is helpful. The course format provides an electronically supervised but dynamically structured opportunity for students to expand knowledge about the intellectual and "best practices" contexts of specific Master's Business Projects.  The course extends through the duration of the program and is divided by semester into three single credit courses. (1cr)

USM844

Assessing Organizational Performance With ACE

This course examines models developed to identify critical business drivers, assess business strategy and actual practice, and develop the perspective of an objective examiner.  Teams examine cases and applications, reach consensus scoring, and learn how to conduct an organizational assessment. The UTC “Achieving Competitive Excellence” (ACE) criteria is used to evaluate business status, with actual practice in developing the perspective of an objective examiner for ACE Gold Sites. Teams examine cases and applications reach consensus scoring and learn how to conduct an organizational assessment. (3cr)

QSM 743

Learning to See, Improving Throughput

Statistical Applications uses applied statistical analysis to improve work-related projects.  By reviewing how major national and global organizations employ these tools in diverse industries, students are guided to use statistical analyses in their own improvement projects. This course builds on the data collection skills developed in semester one, and students will use their own Master’s Business Project-related data to tangibly measure improvements at their organizations. Lean Thinking, Value Stream Mapping, and the Toyota Production system are reviewed in detail. Students learn how to identify their organization’s value stream, and how it fits into their Division’s value stream. Current State and Future State maps are created. Opportunities for improvement are graphically displayed, waste is identified, and business process solutions are developed with a linkage to the data.  Instruction is provided in throughput improvement methodologies, including throughput analysis, and Just In Time production, as applied to business and manufacturing processes.  (3cr)

USM 641

Process Definition and Process Certification

This course integrates tactical level process definition with basic statistical analysis concepts using the UTC Process Certification model and the D.I.V.E. methodology as platforms.  Students will move from their Value Stream Maps to opportunities for improvement, and clarify the process issues present. They will create metrics for processes and then apply statistical analysis to understand the current state in measurable terms. Students will understand the cause and effect relationships of key process inputs to desired output quality. The concepts and tools of the course are supported by Minitab software. (3cr)

USM 639

Supply Chain Productivity and Management

This course introduces supply chain management practices within the context of systems thinking, and places emphasis on planning strategies that help organizations optimize workflow. Topics include Best-in-class benchmarks, roles and responsibilities, strategic sourcing, partnering and supplier integration, How to choose the type of supplier relationship and sourcing strategy is discussed. The tools and techniques available for implementing new supply management practices at UTC are described. The impact of implementing these effective supply management methods on quality, cost, and delivery is explained. The curriculum includes an overview of the UTC Supply Management Initiatives, and the 8-step Strategic Sourcing process. Participants will develop action plans to apply leaning to both sourcing projects and ongoing operations. (3cr)

USM 762

Master's Business Project 2: INVESTIGATE

This progress monitoring point for Project Supervisors ensures that students have understood and integrated into their Master’s Business Projects the knowledge gained in the first two semesters of the program. Students present the analysis phase of their Master's Business Project. The UTC D.I.V.E. methodology  - Investigate - is used to illustrate project process opportunities and preliminary data analysis. This presentation will include student’s application of the Semester Two courses to their project.  The class instructor and/or the "Practicum Supervisor" for the Master's Business Project guides every student through the stages of systems analysis and opportunity definition. (3cr)

Semester 3: Data Analysis

Semester Three guides students to an understanding of causal analysis, mistake prevention, data analysis and comparative targeting of appropriate metrics.  They continue to use their Masters Business Project as the framework for application of these academic principals; each course in the semester reinforces the concepts introduced in Semester Two and leads students to immediately apply their course learning to their Master's Business Project Phase Three.

QSM 840B

Action Research II

The goal of Action Research is to ensure that student research regarding MBP Projects extends beyond the required reading in other courses, and to facilitate that extension through a flexible schedule that determines, with Supervisor approval, what research is helpful. The course format provides an electronically supervised but dynamically structured opportunity for students to expand knowledge about the intellectual and "best practices" contexts of specific Master's Business Projects.  The course extends through the duration of the program and is divided by semester into three single credit courses. (1cr)

USM 642

Root Cause and Mistake Proofing Solutions

Basic and advanced root cause analysis is covered, including linear and non-linear analysis methods.  Students will become familiar with how to identify the root cause drivers of their project opportunities, and learn how to test their potential solutions for undesirable results. The D.I.V.E. non-statistical methods will be the platform for this training.  Mistake proofing methodologies will be analyzed and developed for the student’s projects, such that they can deliver “bullet-proof” solutions to the business process or manufacturing problems they face.  (3cr)

USM 643

Applied Statistical Analysis for Decision Making

This course teaches the analysis methods and approaches based in statistics. Students will use and apply statistics utilizing Minitab software. Students learn how organizations employ statistical analysis in diverse industries such as manufacturing, transactional, healthcare and defense. Students are guided to apply these methods to their own improvement projects to fortify data based decision making, and to verify results, at their own organizations on their projects. Advanced Process Certification and D.I.V.E. statistical methodologies are covered. (3cr)

USM 766

Masters Business Project Phase Three - VERIFY

The class instructor and/or the “Practicum Supervisor” guides the students through the verification and stability of their process improvement. Students prepare for the final Report-outs for their projects.  This presentation will include student’s application of the Semester Three courses to their project. The UTC D.I.V.E. methodology – Verify - is used to demonstrate project solutions and targeted results.  (3cr)

Semester 4: Organizational Results Assessment

Semester Four guides students to an understanding of assessment of organizations and planning for excellence through financial and continuous improvement system models. Students prepare their formal Master's Business Project presentation utilizing all tools and methods mastered throughout the entire curriculum.

QSM 840C

Action Research III

The goal of Action Research is to ensure that student research regarding MBP Projects extends beyond the required reading in other courses, and to facilitate that extension through a flexible schedule that determines, with Supervisor approval, what research is helpful. The course format provides an electronically supervised but dynamically structured opportunity for students to expand knowledge about the intellectual and "best practices" contexts of specific Master's Business Projects.  The course extends through the duration of the program and is divided by semester into three single credit courses. (1cr)

QSM 758

Benchmarking

Benchmarking strategies, principles, and data collection leads students to make practical applications to their Master's Business Project. Topics include primary and secondary benchmarking and the contemporary practice of competitive intelligence gathering. The effective use of metrics for driving and sustaining organization change across a broad spectrum of behaviors is developed. The combination of these disciplines allows students the platform to project improvement targeting and managing change with metrics. (3cr)

USM 775

Financial Systems Management

This course gives practical management strategies for assessing the real cost of an organization’s processes and changing those costs that should be changed. It is designed for contemporary managers who must understand cost as part of their comprehensive skills.  The course includes such topics such as Activity-Based-Costing, cost categorization, cost driver analysis and cost-related supplier rating. For their final course deliverable, students calculate the true cost of the core or support activity at their own organization, and verify the balance sheet impact of their project. UTC’s financial analysis of process improvements is covered and used for the student’s final report. (3cr)

USM 767

Masters Business Project Capstone - ENSURE

This course teaches and applies, how to fix and sustain, the actual performance improvements made. The UTC D.I.V.E. methodology – Ensure - is used to develop sustained results. Students prepare for the final Report-outs for their projects. Students present their completed Master's Business Project, integrating all course material up to this point. A juried faculty review ensures that the Master’s Business Projects meet NGS requirements, students have demonstrated practical understanding of applied systems management, and have achieved tangible financial results supported by statistical and financial analyses at their employer or sponsor. (3cr)