Information for Hokusei Students

About the Digital Media and Society Lab (DMSL)

If you’re currently an undergraduate student at Hokusei Gakuen University, please consider applying to join our lab as a third-year (Junior) lab member. Below is an overview of what you’ll learn at different stages of your time in the lab.

Junior Year (Year 1)

First Semester

In the first semester of the first year in the lab as a Junior Lab Member, students will be introduced to some important topics in Internet psychology. The aim is to learn about some previous research about how humans interact with digital media.

Topics covered include self-presentation online, Internet dating, helping on the Internet, video games, Internet addiction, and more. Check out the syllabus here: 2017 Syllabus

Second Semester

In the second semester of their first year in the lab, lab members will start to learn about cross-cultural differences in media use. We will read scientific articles that talk about things like privacy concern, aggression and violence in the media, self-presentation etc. We will also learn about some statistical concepts.

See the syllabus here: 2017 Syllabus

The biggest aim for the second semester is to decide on a research topic that you will work on in your second year of the lab, as a Senior Lab Member.

Senior Year (Year 2)

First Semester

In the first semester of Year 2 in the lab, lab members will start searching for articles and resources regarding their own graduation thesis theme. They will present to the lab summaries of articles. Essentially, lab members will become experts on their own thesis topic.

During this process, lab members will hone their theory, hypotheses and research questions.

Near the end of the first semester, we will conduct a large cross-cultural survey to collect data – lab members will contribute scales and questions to this survey.

Second Semester

In the second semester, lab members will analyse and report on the data they collected from the cross-cultural survey. They will also make a presentation at the Mediated Cultures Retreat in October, in front of the other lab members (including Junior Lab Members).

Generally, the deadline for submitting the graduation thesis is mid-December.

Finally, there is a combined graduation thesis presentation meeting in January. Lab members will present summaries of their graduation theses to students and teachers from other seminar classes in the English Department.

DMSL FAQs

What language can I use in the Lab?

The DMSL is a 100% English lab. This means that all presentations and in-class discussions, as well as assigned readings are in English. You can expect that your English ability will be challenged in the first few months – but don’t worry, you will get better quickly!

I'm concerned about my English ability...will I be OK?

At Hokusei in the English Department, students usually spend their first two years learning English. Like, every day. You learn grammar, vocabulary, composition, etc etc.

In the third and fourth years, this all changes. All of a sudden, you will be learning in English. That will probably be a shock. It will be challenging. But you will improve.

In the DMSL, you’ll be learning in English. Get ready to really take your English ability to the next level.

How much homework is there?

During the first year, you’ll be expected to read about 10 pages a week, in English, from textbooks or other readings. Based on those readings, you will submit a short reflection (about 200 words) each week.

In your second year in the lab, study is more self-directed. You’ll read what you need to (either in English or Japanese) in order to develop your graduation thesis theory.