595.742.8VL - Quality Management in Technical Organizations

Expanded Course Description

NOTE: This is a Virtual Live Course and, while it has elements of an online class, real-time (in-class or remote via Zoom) attendance and participation each week (Tuesdays, 4:30 – 7:10 pm ET) is expected. Please notify the instructors if you cannot attend, e.g. due to work conflicts, travel, etc.

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into modules. The Modules can be accessed by clicking Modules on the left menu. A module may have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments.  Students are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before class. Students should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

Course Topics

Please refer to the Course Outline, which you can access by clicking on Modules on the left menu of our Canvas course site. You will then find it under Course Information.

Course Goals

By the end of this course, you will have the skills to be able to perform all the tasks listed under the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) below.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• Describe and differentiate Quality Management Systems in general and be able to identify and describe the key characteristics of quality management system standards and process improvement frameworks such as ISO 9000 and CMMI.
• Describe the tools and processes used to support quality management within the organization and throughout the supply chain to optimize quality while also achieving organizational efficiency.
• Identify and describe the fundamental elements of quality management approaches and implementing continual improvement.

Textbooks

Not required.

Other Materials & Online Resources

Please refer to Course Outline, which you can access by clicking on Modules on the left menu of our Canvas course site. You will then find it under Course Information.

Required Software

We require the standard set of Microsoft Office products or their equivalent (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). You also need the ability to read Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files, and possibly generate PDF files for your submissions.

Student Coursework Requirements

Students for this course will be evaluated for the quality of their preparation and participation in class. There are online discussion modules required with this course. Students also will be evaluated for the timeliness of submitting their assignment responses along with the quality and accuracy of addressing all of the elements of each assignment, of which there will be 5 required for the term. In addition to the 5 assignments, there will be 2 term papers and a presentation required. A paper will be due for the mid-term, and a paper and presentation for the final project. Additional details will be provided for timing and due dates within the course outline that will be provided. 

• Preparation and Participation (In Class Discussions) -- 10%
• Assignments (5 x 10%) -- 50%
• Mid-Term Paper (1 x 20%) -- 20%
• Final Paper and Presentation (1 x 20%) -- 20%

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in our Canvas course site. You may check these due dates in the Course Calendar or the Assignments in the corresponding modules. We will generally post grades one week after assignment due dates.

We generally do not directly grade spelling and grammar. However, egregious violations of the rules of the English language will be noted without comment. Consistently poor performance in either spelling or grammar is taken as an indication of poor written communication ability that may detract from your grade. Please refer to the rubrics for the assignments for details.

Final Grading will be calculated by totaling the scores from the four requirements areas and applying the weighting from the section above.  Posted grades will be applied following the scale provided here:

100-97 = A+   96-93 = A   92-90 = A-   89-87 = B+   86-83 = B   82-80 = B-   79-70 = C  

A grade of A indicates achievement of consistent excellence and distinction throughout the course—that is, conspicuous excellence in all aspects of assignments and discussion in every week.

A grade of B indicates work that meets all course requirements on a level appropriate for graduate academic work. These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course.

Course Evaluation

Preparation and Participation (In Class Discussions) (10% of Final Grade Calculation)

This is a Virtual Live Course and, while it has elements of an online class, real-time (in-class or remote via Zoom) attendance and participation each week is expected. Please notify the instructors if you cannot attend, e.g. due to work conflicts, travel, etc.

You are responsible for carefully reading all assigned materials and being prepared for actively participating in class discussions.

Evaluation of preparation and participation is based on initiation of and contributions to discussions during our class sessions.

Preparation and participation is evaluated by the following grading elements:

• Timeliness/Frequency
  
• Critical Thinking/Quality of Contributions
  

Details can be found in the corresponding Class Participation rubric.

Assignments (5 total – worth 10% each) will be assigned throughout the semester and shall be individual effort s by each student. Include on your submissions your name and assignment identifier.  Also include your name and a page number indicator (i.e., page x of y) on each page of your submissions.  Each assignment should have the problem/assignment statement, assumptions, computations and/or tables/graphics (as appropriate), and conclusions/discussion delineated.  All Figures and Tables should be captioned and labeled appropriately.  Page counts are estimated and do not include header or assignment information.  Most individual assignments can be completed within two to three pages.

All assignments are due according to the dates in the Course Outline and Module instructions.  Assignments will be considered late if they are received after that time.  Special circumstances (e.g., temporary lack of internet access) can be accommodated at the discretion of the instructors if the student informs us in advance.  Assignments that are unjustifiably late will have the grade reduced for lateness. The maximum possible score for late delivery will be:

1 day: 97; 2 days: 93; 3 days: 89; 4 days: 86; 5 days: 82; 6 days: 79; 7 days: 70; more than 7 days: 0 

Assignment papers are evaluated by the following grading elements:

• All parts and requirements of the assignment are comprehensively addressed.
  
• Writing quality and technical accuracy.  Foremost, papers are expected to exhibit a proper flow of presenting all the information so that the reader can easily follow and fully comprehend your reasoning and response in a meaningful and logical way.  Writing is expected to meet or exceed accepted graduate-level English and scholarship standards, i.e. all assignments will be graded on grammar and style as well as content.
  
• Clear rationale for all answers/statements/analyses is provided.
  
• Examples are included to illustrate rationale (If you do not have direct experience related to a particular question, then you are to provide analogies versus examples).
• Relevant outside references are included.
  

Details can be found in the corresponding Assignments rubric.

Mid-Term and Final Term Papers (2 x 20% = 40% of Final Grade Calculation)

Both term papers (2 total – worth 20% each) are individual assignments and will be assigned in Modules 2 (Mid-Term) and 8 (Final), respectively. All intermediate and final products are due according to the dates in the Course Outline and Calendar.  Assignments that are unjustifiably late will have the grade reduced for lateness. The maximum possible score for late delivery will be:

1 day: 97; 2 days: 93; 3 days: 89; 4 days: 86; 5 days: 82; 6 days: 79; 7 days: 70; more than 7 days: 0

No exceptions without prior coordination with the instructors.

Include on your submissions your name and assignment identifier.  Also include your name and a page number indicator (i.e., page x of y) on each page of your submissions.  Each assignment should have the problem/assignment statement, assumptions, computations and/or tables/graphics (as appropriate), and conclusions/discussion delineated.  All Figures and Tables should be captioned and labeled appropriately.  Page counts are estimated and do not include header or assignment information.

Term papers are evaluated by the following grading elements:

• All parts and requirements of the assignment are comprehensively addressed.
  
• Writing quality and technical accuracy.  Foremost, papers are expected to exhibit a proper flow of presenting all the information so that the reader can easily follow and fully comprehend your reasoning and response in a meaningful and logical way.  Writing is expected to meet or exceed accepted graduate-level English and scholarship standards, i.e. all assignments will be graded on grammar and style as well as content.
  
• Clear rationale for all answers/statements/analyses is provided.
  
• Examples are included to illustrate rationale (If you do not have direct experience related to a particular question, then you are to provide analogies versus examples).
• Relevant outside references are included.
  

Details can be found in the corresponding rubrics.

Term papers must be developed in a manner that demonstrates your ability to present the materials and what you have learned throughout the course to the most senior management levels of an organization.

Course Policies

Grade Rebuttals. Our goal is for you to learn about these various topics in Quality Management. The grade is one indicator of our judgement on your learning. If, after submitting a written assignment you are not satisfied with the grade received (if "C" or worse), you have to option to speak with your instructors about the possibility of redoing the assignment and resubmitting it. Permission to resubmit an assignment is at the discretion of the instructors and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Note that this process is not intended to improve grades at "B" or higher.

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.