Abstract
The study considers personal branding as a manageable component of professional development in pedagogy and psychology students, where credibility depends on ethically grounded self-presentation, a clear professional identity, and trust-based communication in educational and community settings. The research explores how personal branding takes shape during university training and which components are more or less developed across years of study and practicum experience. Methodology and Methods. A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive–comparative design was implemented at Sarsen Amanzhaolov East Kazakhstan University, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. The sample comprised 79 undergraduate students. Personal branding was assessed with a structured 1–5 scale instrument covering five components: value proposition, communication, reflection, digital footprint, and reputation signals; an overall index was computed as the mean of component scores. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, course-level comparisons (ANOVA), and practicum-experience comparisons (t-tests), with effect sizes estimated where relevant; no intervention or pre–post design was used. Results. Overall, personal branding was predominantly moderate. Reflection and communication scored highest, indicating stronger reflective and communicative resources. Digital footprint and reputation signals were weaker, suggesting limited strategic visibility and insufficient evidence-based self-presentation. Differences across years of study were associated with clearer role articulation and reflective maturity, while practicum experience related more to reputation evidence and portfolio-oriented presentation of competencies. Scientific novelty. The study offers an integrative, domain-based interpretation of personal branding in pedagogy and psychology education, showing how value orientation, competence demonstration, and ethically regulated communication shape coherent professional self-presentation, and distinguishing components linked to academic progression versus practicum practical significance. The findings support curriculum improvements: modules on professional identity and ethics, structured digital portfolios aligned with confidentiality standards, and mentoring-based supervised visibility practices.