Organizational Studies Major

Organizational Studies

Organizational Studies is an interdisciplinary course of study focusing on economic, political, psychological and sociological factors that affect cooperative human systems. A major in Organizational Studies emphasizes an understanding of how organizations operate, how they affect society and how they are created, maintained and change. Students complete a range of classes across allied disciplines and are encouraged to design a specific thematic depth to complete their major.

Students interested in business administration, education, public health, organizational behavior, industrial psychology, labor relations, or sociology of work may find this program an appropriate preparation for either career or graduate work in these areas.
 

Pitzer Advisers: B. Junisbai, J. Lewis. Affiliated faculty: M. Federman. 

Major Requirements

Organizational Studies majors take twelve courses from three groups that complete the breadth, core and depth areas for the major. Students from the other Claremont Colleges may declare a major in Organizational Studies upon the approval of their home registrar. Because of General Education and Thesis requirements, adjustments are made to the breadth and depth areas, but all students should complete the five courses of the Core section of the major. Usually, some adjustments to breadth area classes may be made and the related thesis classes would become part of the student’s defined depth area.

Required Courses

As a foundation, students select four classes from social sciences that contribute to Organizational Studies and serve as an introduction to this interdisciplinary field. Students finish the major by completing the two main core courses, an appropriate methods class and two additional classes drawn from the Organizational Studies curriculum and as a capstone three courses that form a depth area centered on an organizational-related theme or topics. In most cases several breadth courses will have been completed by the time a student begins to take courses in the core, and the main core and methods courses are taken before other classes in the major.

Breadth (4)

Four courses are required, and students are encouraged to take one class from each of the main disciplines that formed the interdisciplinary roots of the major. ORST 050 PZ -Organizational Life  can be used in lieu of the Social Psychology or Sociology breadth selection, and other courses from fields such as Environmental Analysis and Media Studies could also be part of a student’s breadth area courses if approved by their advisor.

• Principles of Microeconomics (ECON 052 PZ -Principles of Microeconomics  or equivalent)
• an introductory level Political Science course (e.g., POST 020 PZ -US Politics: Resistnce & Transfr , POST 020A PZ -US Politics: Resistnce & Transfr  or POST 030 PZ -Intro to Comparative Politics )
• Social Psychology (PSYC 103 PZ -Social Psychology  or its equivalent)
• SOC 001 PZ -Introduction to Sociology  or SOC 001X PZ -SRX: Introduction to Sociology  or another lower division Sociology class.

Core (5)

The central focus of the major is comprised of five courses.

• ORST 100 PZ -Organizational Theory   
• ORST 135 PZ -Organizational Behavior  or ORST 135A PZ -Organizational Behavior  or equivalent (e.g. PSYC 037 CM -Organizational Psychology ) 
• MATH 052 PZ -Introduction to Statistics  or ECON 091 PZ -Statistics  or PSYC 091 PZ -Psychological Statistics  and PSYC 091P PZ -Psychological Statistics Practicum , or SOC 101 PZ -Quantitative Research Methods  or equivalent
• Two additional upper-level Organizational Studies classes. With advisor approval, students can use classes from the Critical Action & Social Advocacy (CASA)  program and, in rare circumstances, other fields to complete these core requirements.

Depth (3)

In consultation with their advisers, students select three courses for depth which together represent either a single theme or provide further work in one of the breadth fields. Students are encouraged to include a capstone experience or research work to complete their depth area. See below for example themes. A brief rationale describing how the choice of depth courses represents the student’s theme should be filed with the adviser at the same time as the major form. Students are urged to consider courses from the five colleges and at Pitzer College beyond those normally designated within Organizational Studies which integrate their topical interests. Topics can also frequently be pursued in coordination with study abroad.

• public health
• nonprofit organizations
• arts management
• labor studies
• organizational communication
• finance and accounting
• information technology
• women and work
• organizations and economic development
• leadership

Accelerated BA in Organizational Studies/MS in Information Systems & Technology

Pitzer’s Organizational Studies Field Group and Claremont Graduate University’s Program in Information Science offer Organizational Studies majors the opportunity to obtain an accelerated MSIS degree. Students must formally apply in the fall and be admitted into the Information Science Program at CGU in the spring semester of their junior year. Applicants must demonstrate competence in information technology and be recommended by the Pitzer Organizational Studies Field Group. Students in the joint program must declare their major in Organizational Studies before applying for this program. Interested students should see J. Lewis.

The joint program is a 19-course program that requires nine courses from the Organizational Studies major and 10 from the Information Science Program. This joint degree is designed to be completed in at least one year beyond the BA degree. The student must enroll at the Claremont Graduate University for at least 8 classes. Applicants to this program must also demonstrate competence in one or more computer languages before entering the program. Specific requirements for this program can be obtained from J. Lewis.