In this work the departmental organization at higher education institutions is commented, not as a –better or worse– plan with upper intrinsic values, but as an organizational structure that, depending on its purpose, can offer an opportunity or excuses for organizational change. The experience of the Metropolitan Autonomous University is described (UAM, Mexico), as an institution that since its origin was born with a departmental structure and with a dot-matrix service of its departments. This work offers data of the first 13 years of life (1974-1987) of the Department of Sociology in UAM, at Azcapotzalco, as a sample of this kind of system. In the example, general characteristics of age, working conditions al income, academic degree al income, institution where were formed and their labor antecedents are shown. Also, the difficulties faced initially by the educators of this institution, due to their youth, are described; as well as the nostalgia of some departments about adopting traditional systems, used in practice. This is a work that offers suggestions for educational institutions who are interested in adopting the departmental model.

Key words: Departmentalization, institutional environment, organizational change.