Master Black Belt Certification Program
Course Overview
Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belt Certification program is the most comprehensive and practical in the industry. A certified Master Black Belt (MBB) from Acuity Institute has both technical expertise and is adept at leading people, coaching, and driving continuous strategic performance improvement through the effective management of a portfolio of high-profile projects.
Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belt Certification Program is completely self-paced (no travel required) which provides the most flexibility in completing the curriculum around your already busy schedule. Where many other Master Black Belt programs are intended for manufacturing operations, Acuity’s program focuses on non-manufacturing operations, such as financial services and healthcare, making this program diverse enough to be applied in a wide variety of industries. On average, students complete the program in 24 months (average completion time, actual time may vary).
Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belt Program includes six training courses, project execution and challenging practical application. Students receive superior support from Acuity Institute’s customer service team and are mentored by one of Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belts. A detailed description of the program is available below.
Prerequisites
- Black Belt Certification (Acuity Institute Black Belt certification is preferred; certification from another school/company requires approval by Acuity Institute)
- Acceptance into Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belt Program requires students to apply along with confirmation of their Black Belt Certification.
- Interested candidates can submit their application to info@acuityinstitute.com for approval into Acuity Institute Master Black Belt Program.
Master Black Belt Certification Package
- Skill Development: Applied Statistics
- Skill Development: Lean Professional
- Skill Development: Design for Six Sigma
- Skill Development: Kaizen Leader
- Skill Development: Change Management Professional
- Skill Development: Presentation Skills
- Superior Support from Acuity Institute Experts
- MBB Certification Panel Administration
- 24 Months to Complete the Program
- No Travel Required
- No Hidden Fees
- IACET Continuing Education Units: 27.3 CEU’s
- PMI® Professional Development Units: 273 PDU’s
Subscription Service
- Pay as you go for the time you need to complete your certification
One-time Payment
- Includes 24 months access
*Monthly Subscription Fees are automatically renewed until cancellation or completion of the program.
Optional Item
Printed Course Books for all six courses included in the program- As an option, students can purchase printed course books. Printed Course Materials are optional, they are not required. These printed materials contain the same content that is provided in the course eBook.
- Purchasing the printed course books is a separate transaction. Upon purchase of the course, you will be provided a link to Acuity Institute’s Printed Course Book Marketplace where you may purchase the books.
Program Certification Requirements
Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belt Certification Program includes four comprehensive parts. Each part is intended to provide students with robust skills and credentials that are unparalleled in the industry.
Part 1: Master Black Belt Skills Development - Acuity Institute Training & Certification (six courses)
Change Management
Lean Professional
Design for Six Sigma
Applied Statistics
Kaizen Leader
Presentation Skills
Part 2: Project Execution – As the Project Leader
- Individually complete 3 Business Performance Improvement Projects using any of the following methodologies:
- DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)
- DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify)
- Kaizen (Plan, Do, Check, Act)
- Lean (FOCUS: Focus, Operate, Create, Utilize, Sustain)
- Previously completed projects are evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure completeness. If the MBB Candidate has no prior project, then the above requirements need to be completed during the 2 year MBB Program timeframe.
Part 3: Knowledge Transfer – Coaching and Training Facilitation
To provide you with the most flexibility, and to ensure alignment with your specific interests, you are required to complete ONE of the following three options.
- Option 1: Project Coaching – individually coach and mentor 4 Business Performance Improvement Project Leaders (i.e. Black Belts and/or Green Belts) through project completion.
- Option 2: Training Facilitation – individually create a one-hour training course on a relevant Business Performance Improvement topic. Facilitate the training course to two separate groups of 8 or more participants. Training can be conducted in person or virtually. Acuity Institute can assist in identifying training participants if needed.
- Option 3: White Paper Development – individually create a case study (i.e. White Paper) on a relevant Business Performance Improvement topic. Presentation and/or publication to a relevant external organization is required (i.e. Industry Association).
Previously completed project coaching, training facilitation, and white paper development is evaluated on a case-by-case basis to ensure completeness. If the MBB Candidate has no prior experience with project coaching, training facilitation, and white paper development, then the above requirements need to be completed during the 2 year MBB Program timeframe.
Part 4: Certification Approval
- An Acuity Institute “MBB Certification Panel” meets with the MBB Candidate to review the certification documentation provided from Parts 1-3 outlined above (the meeting is conducted virtually).
- The Acuity Institute “MBB Certification Panel” decides if the MBB Candidate meets the requirements for MBB Certification.
Upon completing these requirements you will be awarded Acuity Institute’s prestigious Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. Certification from Acuity Institute includes a Digital Badge. Acuity Institute has partnered with Credly’s Acclaim platform to provide this digital version of your certificate.
Testimonials
What is a Digital Badge?
A digital badge is a verified graphic representation of your Acuity certificate. It is embedded with data that provides context, meaning, and details of the certification you earned. The digital badge is provided at no cost to you.
Benefits to claiming your digital badge include:
- Easily share your digital badge on social and professional media, link to it from any email or document, add it to an email signature, and embed it in a blog or website
- Your certification can be verified online in real time with just one click
- Access labor market insights that relate your skills to jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belt Program more cost effective than many other programs?
Through our research, the average cost of Master Black Belt certification with our competitors is $10,000 plus travel related expenses and required software. We firmly believe that our competitors are overcharging for their programs, and Acuity Institute is able to provide its superior quality courses, practical application and support while eliminating the elements that add unnecessary cost. Our Master Black Belt program is designed for the individual that is looking for a very comprehensive and accredited program at an affordable price.
Can I receive my Master Black Belt certification in less than 2 years?
Yes, as long as the certification requirements are complete.
What type of support will I receive while I am enrolled in the Master Black Belt Program?
The Director of Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belt Program is Lawrence Shaw, who is a respected leader, coach, and consultant in business performance improvement strategies who recently has joined Acuity Institute. Lawrence is in contact with all MBB candidates throughout their entire program. In addition, Acuity Institute wants the learning experience to be as supportive and engaging as possible, we are here to help you succeed. We understand the importance of having a place to ask questions to the experts about tools and techniques, exercises, project work or general technical support. During your program, students can submit questions to instructors through Acuity Institute’s easy to access Help Desk. Responses are provided to student questions in one business day or less. If questions and/or answers are complex, an Acuity Institute instructor will schedule a one-on-one phone meeting with the student to review the question/answer.
Is Acuity’s Master Black Belt Program intended for manufacturing environments?
Where most other Master Black Belt programs are designed for manufacturing operations, Acuity’s program focuses on non-manufacturing operations, such as financial services and healthcare, making this course diverse enough to be applied in a wide variety of industries.
Can Acuity’s Master Black Belt program be completed without traveling for training?
Yes, we offer the most comprehensive online Master Black Belt program that does not require any travel. Many of our competitors require travel to complete their Master Black Belt programs.
Is Acuity Institute’s Master Black Belt Program Accredited?
Yes, our comprehensive Master Black Belt program leads the industry with several accreditations: The Colorado Department of Higher Education, International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Council for Six Sigma Certification. The following are the Master Black Belt continuing education units provided for IACET and PMI.
IACET Continuing Education Units (27.3): Acuity Institute has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). In obtaining this approval, Acuity Institute has demonstrated that it complies with the ANSI/IACET Standards, which are widely recognized as standards of good practice internationally. As a result of our Authorized Provider membership status, Acuity Institute is authorized to offer IACET CEUs for its programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standards. The primary purpose of a CEU is to provide a permanent record of the educational accomplishments of an individual who has completed one or more significant non-credit educational experiences. 27.3 IACET Continuing Education Units are provided upon successful completion of this program. Includes all units earned from the completion of the required training courses in Part 1 of the Master Black Belt Program.
PMI Professional Development Units (273): Acuity Institute is an approved provider of project management training by the Project Management Institute (PMI). Being a Registered Education Provider allows Acuity Institute to grant Professional Development Units (PDUs) to customers who complete our qualified programs. As a Registered Education Provider, Acuity Institute has agreed to abide by the PMI established quality assurance criteria. 273 PMI Professional Development Units are provided upon successful completion of this Program. Includes all units earned from the completion of the required training courses in Part 1 of the Master Black Belt Program.
What happens if I have already completed training courses with Acuity Institute prior to enrolling in the Master Black Belt Program?
If you choose to pay the one-time fee upfront, we will adjust the Master Black Belt Program fee accordingly to accommodate the courses previously purchased and completed through Acuity Institute. There are no adjustments made if you opt to enroll in the subscription service. Please contact Acuity to learn more about how the Master Black Belt Program Fees are adjusted for previously completed courses.
Does Acuity Institute accept completion of non-Acuity Institute courses from other organizations (i.e. Lean training)?
In some cases, yes, in other cases, no. To ensure that the overall learning experience is maximized, we review all non-Acuity Institute courses on a case-by-case basis to determine if they sufficiently replace an Acuity Institute course.
Is there a final Master Black Belt Exam?
No, an extra exam isn’t necessary because the majority of the training courses listed in Part 1, Master Black Belt Skills Development, have their own certification exams.
What happens if I pay up front and do not complete the Master Black Belt Program in 2 years?
You can move over to the subscription program and pay $250 every month deducted automatically until program completion or cancellation.
How would I cancel my subscription?
You are able to login and change your payment method or cancel your subscription at any time in my Settings.
Master Black Belt Program Accreditation
Council for Six Sigma Certification (SSC)
Acuity Institute was approved and active status began in 2015. This accreditation assures each certification includes Lean Six Sigma concepts, tools and techniques considered to be the standard for each belt level within the Council’s Body of Knowledge.
IACET Continuing Education Units (27.3)
Acuity Institute has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). In obtaining this approval, Acuity Institute has demonstrated that it complies with the ANSI/IACET Standards which are widely recognized as standards of good practice internationally. As a result of our Authorized Provider membership status, Acuity Institute is authorized to offer IACET CEUs for its programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standards. The primary purpose of a CEU is to provide a permanent record of the educational accomplishments of an individual who has completed one or more significant non-credit educational experiences. 27.3 IACET Continuing Education Units are provided upon successful completion of this program. Includes all units earned from the completion of the required training courses in Part 1 of the Master Black Belt Program.
PMI® Professional Development Units (273)
Acuity Institute is an Authorized Training Partner (ATP) of the Project Management Institute (PMI)®. Being an Authorized Training Partner allows Acuity Institute to grant Professional Development Units (PDUs) to customers who complete our qualified programs. As an Authorized Training Partner, Acuity Institute has agreed to abide by the PMI® established quality assurance criteria. 273 PMI® Professional Development Units are provided upon successful completion of this course. PMI® is a registered mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
Association for Change Management Professionals (30)
Acuity Institute is a Qualified Education Provider. As part of the Master Black Belt program, students complete our Change Management Professional certification course. Upon completion of this course, students receive 30 Qualified Education Hours that can be submitted to the ACMP for towards the ACMP CCMP credential. There are additional requirements that you must complete with the ACMP.
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