The National Graduate School Program At United Technologies Corporation

Overview
The United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is working in partnership with The National Graduate School to offer a tailored 16 course, 16 month format which results in a Master of Science in Quality Systems Management. Through the inclusion of four company sponsored directed electives related to the UTC DIVE program, graduates also receive a NGS “Black Belt.

Faculty interaction with students occurs regularly both in-class as well as remotely through a rich set of NGS technology-based tools.  Dr. Robert Gee, President and Founder (left) with Pratt & Whitney students in West Palm Beach.

” All NGS programs accomplish a work-related project instead of a conventional thesis.

Online Application for NGS Program
UTC Employee Scholar Program Application (ESP)

The UTC/NGS collaborative program is a practice-oriented degree designed to reinforce a UTC employee’s experience through study of of the quality systems approach to industry. It uses UTC and universal tools to all students to apply their learning in a work-related project, which has measurable success for their employer. The degree and project are completed in 16 months.  The Master of Science in Quality Systems management MS/QSM is an interdisciplinary degree combining course work from UTC’s continuous improvement systems and Operations Transformation Leadership, such as teamwork and leadership, quality systems, measurement systems, supply chain management and lean/six sigma.

Why  a Master’s Project Instead of a Thesis?
Working adults welcome the opportunity to turn knowledge into action at work. NGS was founded on the principle that adults receive more satisfaction when they can visibly see the results of their labors every day, and when they can demonstrate their increased effectiveness to their employer. From the founding of NGS, all programs have replaced the traditional master’s thesis with a work-related project so that all NGS graduates may point with pride to tangible improvements they have directly affected.

NGS as UTC’s Strategic Educational Partner
Global competition has proved the importance of quality systems in achieving, and maintaining, competitive advantage. The increasing effectiveness of tier one defense suppliers and of the military itself has prompted leading manufacturers to align with groundbreaking educational institutions in order to improve their own internal processes. In its second decade, NGS remains the nation’s only accredited institution fully committed to practical quality systems as the core of all its curricula. For a decade, UTC employees have attended NGS programs and improved employer related processes to return tangible ROI on tuition investment.

Benefits of this Program & Format
Contemporary adult workers are assisted by a “systems approach” to learning which mirrors the integrative skills they need to work effectively every day. The MS QSM provides a fully integrated series of courses which provides the knowledge base they need, but which is balanced by case studies tested first in the classroom and then practiced at work. The results are measurable, repeatable, and proven.

The MS/QSM blends both established and forward-looking courses from expert practitioners throughout the faculty. Guest lectures by senior level practitioners and project sponsors add insights gained only from solving systemic problems in real time.

Admission Requirements & NGS Online Application
The NGS/UTC programs are offered in cohort groups. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis. The Spring’06 cohort is now underway. Interested UTC employees should apply for the next cohort group starting in Fall 2008 through the NGS application web site. Application and registration fees are billed directly to UTC.

Other prerequisites for admission include:

• A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution
• Full-time UTC employment
• Internet access
• Commitment to Teamwork
• Commitment to achieving tangible results in a work-related project
• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) IS NOT required.

Course Listings

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