Khon Kaen University - SDG Alignment for M.Ed. in Psychology and Human Development

SDG Alignment for Master of Education Program in Psychology and Human Development

Overall SDG Alignment Evaluation:

The Master of Education Program in Psychology and Human Development is holistically designed to produce professionals who can apply psychological principles to enhance human potential and well-being across the lifespan. The program's core mission is to create a new generation of leaders who can integrate research and practice, making it a powerful contributor to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) through its focus on counseling and mental health, and to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by improving learning environments and developmental outcomes. By training experts in organizational and community psychology, the curriculum also supports SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). As a graduate-level program, it inherently fosters the collaborations essential for SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

SDG Related Course(s)

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

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Alignment Summary: This program is fundamentally dedicated to promoting health and well-being. The curriculum provides an in-depth education on counseling, applied developmental psychology, and the psychology of aging, directly contributing to the promotion of mental health and well-being for individuals, families, and communities.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
ED 377 701	Advanced Psychology and Human Development	Provides a comprehensive foundation for understanding human well-being across the lifespan, which is essential for developing effective health promotion strategies (Target 3.4).
ED 377 711	Counseling and Guidance Psychology	Directly supports the promotion of mental health and well-being (Target 3.4) by training professionals in counseling techniques to support individuals facing life challenges.
ED 377 712	Family and Group Counseling	Contributes to health and well-being by focusing on the family and group as systems for promoting mental health and resolving conflict.
ED 377 713	Applied Developmental Psychology	Supports healthy lives by applying psychological principles to understand and optimize human development from infancy to adulthood (Target 3.4).
ED 377 717	Psychology of Aging	Directly addresses the well-being of an aging population by focusing on the psychological aspects of aging, which is critical for developing effective elder care strategies (Target 3.4).

SDG 4: Quality Education

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Alignment Summary: As a master's program, this curriculum is a flagship for quality education. It is designed to cultivate expert professionals who can improve learning environments and educational outcomes through the application of psychological principles, directly contributing to inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
ED 377 711	Counseling and Guidance Psychology	Enhances educational quality by preparing counselors to support students' academic and personal development (Target 4.7).
ED 377 713	Applied Developmental Psychology	Directly contributes to quality education by applying knowledge of child and adolescent development to improve teaching and learning environments (Target 4.2).
ED 377 714	School Psychology	This course is central to SDG 4, focusing on applying psychological principles to optimize teaching and learning, manage classroom behavior, and support student well-being within the educational system.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

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Alignment Summary: The curriculum supports decent work by focusing on organizational psychology and human resource management. It prepares professionals to create and implement practices that improve employee well-being, enhance productivity, and ensure safe and secure working environments.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
ED 377 715	Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management	Directly supports Target 8.8 by focusing on the protection of labor rights and the promotion of safe and secure working environments for all workers through effective human resource management.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

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Alignment Summary: The curriculum contributes to creating sustainable and inclusive communities through the study of community psychology. This field focuses on understanding the relationship between individuals and their communities, and on developing interventions that promote community well-being and social justice.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
ED 377 716	Community Psychology	Supports the creation of inclusive and resilient human settlements (Target 11.1) by providing skills to analyze and address social problems at the community level.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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Alignment Summary: The program helps build peaceful and inclusive societies by training professionals in family and group counseling. These skills are essential for conflict resolution and for strengthening social institutions, starting with the family unit.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
ED 377 712	Family and Group Counseling	Directly contributes to promoting peaceful and inclusive societies (Target 16.1) by providing skills in conflict resolution and mediation within family and group settings.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

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Alignment Summary: This program fosters partnerships through its research-intensive and interdisciplinary nature. The research components require engagement with the scientific community and diverse community stakeholders, promoting the knowledge-sharing and multi-stakeholder collaborations necessary to achieve sustainable development.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
ED 377 702	Research Methodology in Psychology and Human Development	Enhances capacity-building for sustainable development (Target 17.9) by providing students with the skills to collect, analyze, and report data, which is essential for monitoring SDG progress.
ED 377 703	Seminar in Psychology and Human Development	Promotes the global partnership for sustainable development (Target 17.6) by requiring students to engage with and present on international research, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing.