Organizational Behavior Courses

What is Organizational Behavior?

Humans may make up organizations, but that doesn't mean individuals and organizations behave the same. An entire branch of study aims to understand the interplay of the individual and the organization when it comes to decision making and other vital skillsets. The study of this connection is organizational behavior, and this discipline falls under the social sciences and/or political sciences.

As people organize --whether at work or for sociopolitical activities -- the group dynamics often creates situations where human behavior is very different at the individual level versus the group level. The field of organizational behavior wants to understand these changes to create better job satisfaction, improved organizational structure, and a competitive advantage in the business sense.

It's essential to understand organizational culture through the study of human behavior. It's a multidisciplinary academic discipline. The goals of organizational behavior studies include providing less disruptive organizational change and building new research methods to understand how we operate when our individual behavior comes up against the organization's. 

Learn about Organizational Behavior

Organizational behavior got its start with the changes happening during the industrial revolution. As people's relationship to work changed, a new understanding of organizational settings emerged. You can study this aspect of social psychology with edX and leading thinkers in the field.

Courses are designed to work with your schedule and happen with a global cohort of students. You have free options for exploration, or you can participate in official certificate courses and micro-degree programs to advance your career and professional development.

Organizational Behavior Courses and Certifications

You can participate in courses that apply the study of organizational behavior to various aspects of work and beyond. For example, The University of Queensland offers a micro-masters covering Corporate Innovation. You'll learn how to enable design thinking and scale innovation using organizational principles, among other things.

You can study The Science of Happiness at Work with BerkeleyX or apply your understanding to specific industries, such as Inspiring and Motivating Arts and Culture Teams with MichiganX. These courses build your understanding of work groups, job performance, and the broader work environment.

Build Understanding with Organizational Behavior

As you tackle this field of study, your organization's culture may take on new implications. Whether you're assisting with corporate culture or studying the working conditions of changing industries, the takeaways are a valuable component for crafting a thriving workplace, political movement, or other group settings. EdX can help you learn the skills you need to build your future and satisfy your curiosity.