SHOKEI GAKUIN UNIVERSITY

Department of Humanities and Social Studies
Field of Media Studies

Student Development Goal

Cultivate people who can play an active and practical role in society through the use of media, with a broad knowledge of the characteristics of media such as newspapers, magazines, television, movies, advertising, and social media, as well as their roles and impact on society, and by developing powers of expression to create content based on a variety of social information.

Characteristics of Learning

Develop a deep understanding of “linguistic culture” and “visual culture”

Students will learn about the mechanisms and history of the words and visual images (video and pictures) that are the foundation of any kind of information communication. Students will deepen their understanding of the facts that “linguistic culture” and “visual culture” have been shaped by communication of language and images through media, and that they are deeply connected to the way we see and consider things.

Acquire practical powers of expression through media

Students will acquire, in a staged manner, expression techniques for communicating information appropriately and effectively using language and images. After mastering the basics by producing a poster using basic media such as text and pictures, students will then acquire techniques in linguistic expression that effectively combine language with pictures and video and techniques in visual expression to create films.

Information Management

Students will study the management methods needed to use the knowledge and powers of expression acquired in class in a well-balanced manner to bring projects to fruition. Students will hone their powers of expression to convey messages to society through the production of content that is actually related to local communities and businesses, such as the production of local mini-communication newspapers, local promotional videos and commercials and the use of local mascot characters.

Expressions that convey start with noticing the viewpoints of others

Prof. Kotaro Akizuki, Ph.D.

Specialization
Linguistics, “Manga” (Comics) Theory
Class Subjects
Japanese Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Manga and Comics Studies
Seminar
Why is Miffy’s mouth depicted with an X? Why does Hello Kitty have no mouth? Why are Kumamon’s eyes cat’s eyes? Consider characters from the perspective of expression.

Even if you are able to use media well, there is no guarantee that you will create expressions that will convey the message. You may be able to improve the quality of the expression by honing your techniques, but there still is no guarantee that a higher quality expression will convey the message. Expression exists only when there is someone to receive it. This is the starting point of the path toward expression that conveys a message.

Class Recommendations by Prof. Akizuki

Sociolinguistics

Why do we get embarrassed about not being able to speak English? Why do some people look down on others who can’t speak English? Consider language from the perspectives of its connections to society and culture.

Manga and Comics Studies

Where is the border between “lines” and manga? Students will consider manga and comics from the perspective of what constitutes manga and comics.

Become someone who can express the world with video!

Prof. Ai Hirose, Ph.D.

Specialization
Image Arts and Sciences, Cinema Studies, Visual Expression
Class Subjects
Cinema Studies, World Cinema, Representation Theory, Visual Image Production, etc.
Seminar
Learn about the mechanisms of video expression and acquire basic knowledge and techniques to convey stories and information precisely with video by actually producing a video.

Today, videos have become a familiar means to convey information. On the other hand, because they are so easy to film, short-sighted and simplistic videos and inappropriate videos are also being made. Students can learn the current state of the world and the mechanisms of media and to aim to acquire the ability to express the world with videos.

Class Recommendations by Prof. Hirose

World Cinema

It’s not all Hollywood blockbusters! Gain a deep understanding of the movie cultures that has shaped in various countries and regions in the world.

Theories and Techniques of Creative Writing

Learn about the structure and mechanisms of stories and apply it to the analysis and production of movies.

Workshop for Visual Image Production I

Students will learn the basic methods of filming and connecting movies and acquire the ability to turn the messages they want to convey into video.