Using the UN SDG framework, the course examines the major global and local sustainability challenges and pathways towards achieving the SDGs. Students examine the role of various state and non-state actors in creating a sustainable world. Moreover, students learn to apply theories and frameworks to understand the political-economic dimensions of global and local sustainability challenges and how state and non-state actors can navigate them to achieve the SDGs. Strong consideration is given to the challenges and opportunities that emerge from global interconnection.
This course introduces students to the theories, strategies, and processes of social innovation and social change. Students learn about sociological and anthropological theories of social change while also learning about various strategic approaches to societal change. Importantly, the course also draws on business theories of innovation such as disruptive innovation and platform business models and examines their potential for driving social change through market mechanisms. Through case studies, students study individuals, groups and organisations who have catalysed positive social change through the market, government, and non-profit organisational channels.
This course provides students with the foundational skills of social science research and design thinking to prepare students to conduct academic research as well as research for practical social innovation research projects. Students learn about qualitative and quantitative research methods and tools to design and execute research projects. Students develop skills in ethnographic methods and conceptual tools used to engage in place-based social inquiry. The course will also provide a theoretical and practical explanation about the research, sampling, data collection, field-visit, interviewing, and details about ethical issues, questionnaires, data analysis and other relevant issues.
Students study the structure and dynamics of organizational systems and learn to design organization structures and create impactful cultures aligned with strategic goals. Consideration is given to the external environment, technology, organisational structure (and their interrelationship), organizational culture and change management. The course also covers innovative business models, financing organizations, and innovation culture. Students learn to recognize, manage and overcome bottlenecks hampering organizational growth, achievement of strategic organizational, and delivering social impact. Students also learn about enterprise models and innovative financing mechanisms that support social impact projects.
In this course, students develop practical skills for understanding sustainability challenges and developing social innovations through a variety of workshops and practical experience. To complement the academic and theoretical knowledge and skills acquired in other courses, students engage in practical design and entrepreneurial workshops to produce social innovation and sustainable solutions. They have the opportunity to engage with and learn first-hand from social entrepreneurs and innovators who are active in creating solutions for pressing societal and environmental challenges.
The goal of ‘Research Methods for social innovation and sustainability’ is to learn how research is being done, and to put that knowledge into practice. Students will learn how to apply a great number of tools and techniques, draw conclusions from the research. It will describe both qualitative and quantitative research, their design, problems and tools to investigate. As a general course on research methodology, it will provide the theoretical and practical explanation about the research, sampling, data collection, field-visit, interviewing, and details about ethical issues, questionnaires, data analysis and other relevant issues. It is expected that this course will enable the participants to take advanced research with
Research seminar enables students to read and discuss academic publications of their choice related to their thesis topic. Readings are analyzed and critiqued through regular class discussions and presentations. Students learn to move from analysis of literature to the development of research questions and the formulation of a research proposal.
The introductory course provides an overview of ontological and epistemological traditions and their implications for contemporary social science. It covers paradigmatic traditions – programmatic and methodological standpoints. The course also provides an overview of methodological implications and strategies. The course illustrates the building blocks of social science, descriptive strategies, traditions of interpretation, forms of aggregation and strategies of inference, forms of explanation and explanatory strategies. The course concludes with the controversies within the field of philosophy of science.
This course equips students with the fundamental’s skills, tools and concepts of project management so students can successfully develop, execute and manage an impactful project. Students learn to skillfully manage their resources, schedules, risks, and scope to produce the desired outcome. In this course, students explore project management with a practical, hands-on approach through case studies and class exercises. Students also learn various methods of monitoring and evaluating projects. Moreover, they develop a critical understanding of environmental and social impact assessment tools so the outcome of social innovation projects can be anticipated and measured.
In this course, students are introduced to Behavior Economics and learn how to apply to shape sustainable practices at an individual, community and organizational level. Through this course, students also develop skills in applied social psychology and cross-cultural communication. Case studies of successful interventions are examined. For the course project and major assessment, students develop a sustainable behaviour change intervention using concepts and tactics studied in the course.
In this course, students develop strategic leadership skills. They learn how to create and articulate a strategic vision for organisational and social change. The course examines the tasks, skills and strategic competencies that enable a strategic leader to guide social transformation while navigating the tensions between stakeholders and short and long term needs and goals.
In this course, students acquire competencies in sustainability defined as “the capability of an organization to transparently manage its responsibilities for environmental stewardship, social well-being, and economic prosperity over the long-term while being held accountable to its stakeholders.” Through this course, students learn how to develop and execute sustainable organisational practices through studying a range of case studies. Students are expected to study local enterprises and learn first-hand from corporate leaders endeavoring to develop sustainable enterprises.
The aim of this course is to examine the role of technology in fostering sustainable development in emerging economies. The course focuses on digital technologies and new enterprise models powered by digital technologies. Students examine digital divides and how to create more inclusive digital economies. Additionally, through various case studies, students learn how to leverage digital technologies such as new media, blockchain and platform technologies to solve various societal and environmental challenges. Students will examine how various Thai and Southeast Asian NGOs, social enterprises and start-ups use technology to achieve their impact goals.
The thesis, under Plan A, is an individual student project to demonstrate his/her ability to formulate, investigates, and analyse a problem in a practice setting. Students choose a topic, relevant to the field of sustainability, social innovation, development or business. The research with specific study focus, will be advised and approved by the advisors, who would agree to supervise and evaluate the students’ work. The thesis project includes research design, field level research, desk research, application of various research methodologies and tools, and extensive analysis of acquired data. Participation in seminars and academic conference is an integral part of students thesis work. Students need to defend their thesis proposal prior to conduct the research. The project has to meet the academic criteria of clear knowledge contribution, neutral framing, objective investigation and ethical approach.
The independent study is a continuation of the capstone experience for students in Plan-B of the MASS program, which uses the knowledge and skills acquired during the course of study leading to the Master’s degree. This study is designed to introduce students to the process of reporting on their independent study projects and practical activities. Students will formulate an appropriate report on their independent study project. Seminars will afford students the opportunity for peer review and instructors’ feedback.
This course offers a critical foundation for understanding sustainability through the lens of interconnected global systems — economic, political, social, and ecological. It examines how power, resources, and knowledge are distributed and contested within these systems, shaping both the possibilities and limitations of sustainable development. Students will explore diverse sustainability narratives and the structural inequalities that underpin them, analyzing how global institutions, markets, and local actors interact to produce differing outcomes across contexts. The course encourages students to think systemically and ethically, challenging conventional assumptions about growth, equity, and responsibility. By integrating theory with contemporary case studies, this course equips learners to interpret sustainability not merely as a universal ideal, but as a dynamic and contested process embedded in complex global systems.
This course introduces students to the theories, strategies, and processes of social innovation for sustainable social change. Students draw from theories in sociology, management, and innovation studies to gain understanding of the need for social change, persistence of status quo and challenges in inducing changes, and potential avenues to address a variety of social problems. Further, the course requires critical and measured analysis of ‘best practices’ promoted for social change from both market and non-market perspectives.
This course provides students with the foundational skills of design thinking to prepare students to conduct academic research as well as research for practical social innovation. Students learn about qualitative and quantitative research methods in the context of the design thinking process. Students develop skills in ethnographic methods as well as conceptual tools used to engage in place-based social inquiry.
The goal of ‘Introduction to Research Methods’ is to learn how research is conducted and how to put that knowledge into practice. Students will learn how to apply a number of tools and techniques. As a general course on research methodology, it will provide theoretical and practical explanations about sampling, data collection, field visits, interviewing, ethical issues, questionnaires, data analysis and other relevant issues. It is expected that this course will empower participants to take advanced research methods with sound technical knowledge about general methodologies.
This course offers a critical examination of the ontological and epistemological foundations of contemporary social science, specifically as they apply to social innovation and sustainability. The course provides an essential overview of key paradigmatic traditions, focusing on how different methodological standpoints address the complexities and intersectionalities of social and human issues. We will explore descriptive strategies, traditions of interpretation, and forms of aggregation and inference, with an emphasis on research designs that are practically relevant to human interaction, social transition, rights dynamics, and development. The course will critically illustrate the building blocks of social science, including the decolonizing methodology, explanatory strategies, and controversies in the philosophy of science.
The goal of ‘Advanced Research Methods’ is to introduce students to a range of advanced methodologies for qualitative and quantitative research. The course will cover more advanced qualitative interview techniques, implicit research approaches, researching vulnerable communities, semiotic analysis and discourse analysis. The course will also cover advanced quantitative methodologies, experimental research approaches, and advanced statistical analyses.
In this course, students are introduced to behavioural economics and learn how to apply it to shape sustainable practices at an individual, community and organisational level. Through this course, students also develop skills in applied social psychology and cognitive psychology and analyse case studies of successful interventions. For the course project, students will develop a sustainable behaviour change intervention using strategies, concepts, and tactics studied in the course.
This graduate seminar introduces students to the methodology and processes required for graduate research. Students will refine their methodological skills, select and justify a research topic, and develop research questions and design. Throughout the semester, students will revisit core methodological approaches, receive guidance in formulating research questions, and construct a coherent research design. Students also act as a discussant for other student’s works. By the end of the course, each student will complete a research outline and a formal abstract in preparation for their thesis proposal.
This course focuses on how to organize for sustainability. To make organizations and the world at large, more sustainable, we not only need to understand what is sustainable but also how to make that happen. Organizing is purposeful. Organizing is a dynamic, complex and multifaceted process. Effective organizing depends on coordination in and between organizations, and thus there is a prominent role reserved for leadership.
This course draws from the academic fields of management and organizational theory and leadership studies. Students will become familiar with the fundamental theories on how organizations and their leaders operate, develop and change. Students will learn to analyze contemporary and emerging approaches to organizing and gain an understanding of how these approaches affect the impact organizations have in terms of sustainability. Students will develop the analytical and leadership capabilities required to apply the knowledge gained in this course in real world organizing for sustainability.
This course equips students with fundamental project management skills, tools and concepts. Through a series of case studies and experiential exercises, students will hone their ability to successfully develop, execute, and manage an impactful project. Students learn to determine the scope of a project, manage resources, create and monitor schedules, as well as to assess and mitigate risks. Students will gain an appreciation of how these project management activities contribute to achieving the desired outcome. Students will also become familiar with typical methods to monitor and evaluate projects. Moreover, students will develop a critical understanding of environmental and social impact assessment tools. In addition, students will learn to combine these tools so the outcomes of projects with both economic and social benefit goals, such as social innovation projects, can be anticipated and measured.
This course seeks to explore the transformative role of technology in achieving sustainable development within global and Thai contexts. Key focuses are on how technological innovation, adoption, and governance shape environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic resilience. Students will critically analyze case studies of existing and emerging technologies, e.g., renewable energy systems, digital platforms, and sustainable production models, to holistically understand their potential and unintended consequences as implications. Practical emphasis is also placed on an integration between technological, institutional, and behavioral dimensions for designing inclusive, contextually, and ethically bounded solutions.
In this course, students are introduced to behavioural economics and learn how to apply it to shape sustainable practices at an individual, community and organisational level. Through this course, students also develop skills in applied social psychology and cognitive psychology and analyse case studies of successful interventions. For the course project, students will develop a sustainable behaviour change intervention using strategies, concepts, and tactics studied in the course.
A thesis under the Master’s degree program (Thesis track) is an individual research work of the student, designed to demonstrate the student’s ability to formulate, investigate, and analyze real-world problems in topics related to sustainability, social innovation, development, or other related issues. Students must conduct the thesis under the supervision of an advisor appointed by the Graduate Program. Students are encouraged to explore the use of AI-powered research tools and assistants to efficiently search for and synthesize relevant datasets. AI is intended solely as a tool to assist the student’s research process but cannot replace the student’s own critical thinking, analysis, or original work.
Students must present a thesis proposal for defense before proceeding with the research. The thesis must adhere to academic standards and be conducted in accordance with research ethics. Participation in seminars and academic conferences is considered an integral part of the student’s thesis work. The thesis, or a part of the thesis, must be published in an international academic journal, or a research article must be presented at an academic conference and the full paper published in the conference proceedings, amounting to one publication.
This course aims to help bridge the gap between theory and practice in the domains of sustainability and social innovation, to support students to ground the preparation and execution of their independent study on a topic of their interest and with significant relevance to advancing sustainability and/or social innovation. The course will take a deep dive in select practical application areas. Potential topics include, indicatively, sustainability reporting, transparency and accountability, human centric development through social innovation, and circular economy. Students will learn to apply the academic skills acquired during their coursework, such as critical and system thinking, literature review, stakeholder sensitivity, and academic writing, to the sustainability and social innovation practice areas in focus, to analyse and reflect upon specific achievements, challenges and/or pitfalls, nurturing their ability to differentiate between claims and facts.
The course is designed to allow students to work on developing an independent research project within the area of social innovation or sustainability, broadly defined. Students will be supported, individually and as a cohort, by the instructor to ensure timely advice has been incorporated. The agenda includes a comprehensive review of literature over the topic of choice, and the design of appropriate methods to answer the research question. Students will explore the use of AI-powered search tools and research assistants to efficiently discover, synthesize, and critically evaluate relevant literature, case studies, and data. Students will be required to produce a research proposal suitable for progression to GS790 Independent Study.
Independent study is an extension of the student’s experience in the professional study plan (Plan B), requiring the use of knowledge and skills gained from studying in various courses of the curriculum. Independent study is designed to engage students in the process of creating a project report based on research topics selected by the students themselves.