Graduation Thesis Seminar

シートン・ゼミ

I supervise undergraduate theses in the School of Japan Studies and School of Language and Culture Studies (GC Course). The page for current seminar students is here.

In principle, students’ research topics are connected to my two main research areas: 1) war memories/historical consciousness, 2) tourism studies (especially contents tourism). However, other closely linked topics (e.g. media studies) are also accepted.

Conditions for Joining my Graduation Thesis Seminar

Students in the School of Japan Studies should take two of my classes in the third year out of the following:

1) The History Issue in East Asia (spring, Monday 10:10),

2) Introduction to Contents Tourism (spring, Thursday 14:20),

3) Study of Culture and Representation (autumn, Thursday 12:40),

Notes:

If the Seminar is over-subscribed, students will be selected according to their grades in the above classes and their thesis research proposal. If places are still available, students may be accepted with credits in only one of the above classes or on topics other than war memories / tourism.

In principle, up to 10 students are accepted per year.

Students may write their thesis in English or Japanese. Non-native Japanese speakers writing in Japanese must make their own arrangements for getting their Japanese proofread. Instruction will be in English and/or Japanese.

Individual supervision may be online or in-person, but some class presentations require in-person attendance.

Conditions for Graduating from the Seminar

1) Attending a class in which the rules below and research ethics are explained. Submission of a signed pledge that the student will write the thesis entirely on their own and will follow established research ethics.

2) Submission of all required assignments as specified in the syllabus (mid-term presentation materials, end-of-term presentation materials, Active Learning Hours exercises) during the period of enrollment in the Seminar.

3) Attendance at a minimum of six individual supervisions during which thesis drafts are discussed one-on-one. Based on the advice received during individual supervisions, revisions should be incorporated into subsequent drafts and the final thesis.

4) Submission at the end of the seminar of a thesis meeting the following six conditions:

  • Length: 20,000-25,000 characters in Japanese or 8,000-9,000 words in English;
  • Citations: there are citations and bibliography using a recognized style guide (e.g. Harvard, Chicago, or a style guide produced by a reputable academic journal);
  • Style: the thesis is written in an appropriate academic style, tone and structure;
  • One’s own work: The thesis must clearly be the student’s own work. Any suspicion of plagiarism, excessive copying, or paying someone else to write part of the thesis may result in an automatic fail;
  • On time: The thesis must be submitted on time and in the manner/format specified by the university.
  • Abstracts: For students in the School of Japan Studies, this includes having an abstract/summary. If the thesis is written in English, the abstract is 1000 characters in Japanese. If the thesis is written in Japanese, the abstract is 400 words in English.

Failure to meet any of the above conditions will result in credits being withheld and graduation may be delayed as a result. Any suspicion of research malpractice will be reported to the university and may result in disciplinary action.

 

Past and Present Students:

Number of current students (in AY2024):  11.

Number of students who have graduated (AY2019 ~ ): 41

Number of graduation theses converted into published, refereed articles: 2 (see this page)

See the file for a list of thesis topics by those who have graduated: Graduation Thesis Titles