Khon Kaen University - SDG Alignment for Master of Public Health Program

SDG Alignment for Master of Public Health Program

Overall SDG Alignment Evaluation:

The Master of Public Health program is holistically designed to produce graduates with the leadership and research skills necessary to address complex public health challenges. The program's core philosophy, which emphasizes a multidisciplinary approach, makes it a powerful contributor across numerous Sustainable Development Goals. Its most profound alignment is with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), with a curriculum that covers epidemiology, health promotion, environmental health, and health systems management. By training experts to develop equitable health policies and assess the social determinants of health, the program strongly supports SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Its focus on managing community health systems and environmental health directly contributes to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). As a graduate-level program, it is a flagship for SDG 4 (Quality Education) and 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 improving health and well-being. The curriculum provides an in-depth education on the core principles of public health, including epidemiology, health promotion, and health systems management. It directly contributes to combating diseases, strengthening health systems, and promoting well-being through evidence-based policy and practice.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
PH 501 701	Principles of Public Health	Provides a comprehensive foundation in public health, which is essential for understanding and addressing a wide range of health challenges (Target 3.D).
PH 501 702	Epidemiology and Control of Diseases	This core public health discipline is essential for investigating disease patterns, directly supporting the goal of combating epidemics and other health threats (Target 3.3).
PH 501 704	Primary Health Care and Health Promotion	Directly supports the promotion of health and well-being (Target 3.4) by focusing on primary healthcare principles and strategies for health promotion.
PH 512 701	Health Care System and Health Policy	Contributes to achieving universal health coverage by training experts to analyze and manage healthcare systems and policies (Target 3.8).

SDG 4: Quality Education

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Alignment Summary: As a master's program, this curriculum represents a high level of quality education. It is designed to cultivate expert public health professionals by providing advanced training in research methods and fostering the lifelong learning skills necessary to address evolving health challenges.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
PH 501 703	Research Methodology in Public Health	Provides the core research skills that define high-quality graduate education, equipping students for high-level employment in research and public health practice (Target 4.3 and 4.4).
PH 501 89X	Thesis/Independent Study	These courses are capstone lifelong learning opportunities (Target 4.3), where students conduct original research, thereby acquiring superior technical and professional skills (Target 4.4).

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

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Alignment Summary: The program contributes to clean water and sanitation by training experts in environmental health. The curriculum equips graduates to identify, assess, and manage health risks arising from environmental factors, including water pollution and inadequate sanitation, thereby helping to protect community health.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
PH 513 711	Environmental Health	Directly aligns with Target 6.3 by teaching methods to improve water quality by reducing pollution. Graduates can assess health risks from contaminated water and inform management strategies.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

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Alignment Summary: The curriculum supports decent work by focusing on occupational health. It prepares professionals to create and implement policies and practices that protect workers from hazards, ensuring safe and secure working environments and promoting worker well-being.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
PH 513 712	Occupational Health	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.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

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Alignment Summary: The program addresses health inequalities by training professionals to develop and implement equitable health policies. The curriculum provides the tools to analyze how social and economic factors create health disparities and to design interventions that promote health equity for all populations.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
PH 512 701	Health Care System and Health Policy	Directly aligns with Target 10.4 by focusing on the adoption of policies that progressively achieve greater equality in health access and outcomes.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

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Alignment Summary: The curriculum contributes to creating sustainable and healthy communities. The focus on environmental health allows graduates to identify and mitigate health hazards in urban and rural settings, contributing to safer and more resilient communities.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
PH 513 711	Environmental Health	Supports the creation of safe and resilient human settlements (Target 11.6) by providing skills to assess and manage environmental health risks specific to community settings.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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Alignment Summary: The program helps build strong and effective health institutions by training leaders in health policy and systems management. Graduates are equipped to develop and analyze health policies, contributing to more effective, accountable, and transparent public health systems that are essential for a just and well-governed society.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
PH 512 701	Health Care System and Health Policy	Directly supports the development of effective, accountable and transparent institutions (Target 16.6) by teaching the principles of sound policy-making within the public health sector.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

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Alignment Summary: This program fosters partnerships through its multidisciplinary approach to solving complex health problems. The research-intensive curriculum requires engagement with the scientific community and diverse community stakeholders, promoting the knowledge-sharing and collaborations needed to achieve global health goals.

Course Code	Course Title	Alignment Rationale
PH 501 703	Research Methodology in Public Health	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.
PH 501 89X	Thesis/Independent Study	Represents a significant contribution to global partnerships (Target 17.16) by creating new, publishable knowledge that is shared internationally to help solve critical public health challenges.