Organizations

The organizations track approaches the study of health care organizations from multiple theoretical perspectives, methods, and levels of analysis. At its core, organizational theory is an interdisciplinary course of study that seeks to describe and explain human behavior in organizational settings. A principal distinction is often made between the study of "micro" organizational behavior, which refers to individual behavior and group dynamics within organizations, and "macro" organizational theory, which studies whole organizations, how they adapt, and the strategies and structures that guide them.

Rooted in social psychology and sociology, these disciplinary approaches bring a diversity of theories and methods to the study of organizations. Complementing both approaches, political science offers theories to examine power relations and decision-making in both private and public organizations.

In the HSPA program, these theoretical perspectives are applied to the study of health services. For example, past HSPA students have used organizational theory to examine the implementation of new programs in health services organizations, the diffusion of health technology innovations, and management patterns in the delivery of health services. Coursework is drawn from a variety of departments including public health, sociology, psychology, organizational behavior and industrial relations (Haas School of Business), and political science.

Core Classes

PH 224C Advanced Health Organizations
PH 224D Organizational Analysis of the Health Care Sector
PhD BA 259A Research in Micro-Organizational Behavior
PhD BA 259B Research in Macro-Organizational Behavior
PS 280A Public Organizational Theory
SOC 280D Advanced Study - Organizations

Specialty Field Courses


PhD BA 259C Research in Industrial Relations and Labor
PhD BA 259D Seminar in Organizational Theory
PhD BA 279C Corporate Strategy and Technology
PS 280C Public Policy and Decision Making
Psy 290J Seminar on Diversity:Demographic, Attitudinal, & Personality
SOC 205E Advanced Study - Industrial Sociology
SOC 280R Advanced Study - Professions

Other specialty fields