On Monday 22 May, the Year 11 and 12 composite Modern History class had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Alistair Blanshard to the classroom for an information session about humanities-based course options at the University of Queensland. Professor Blanshard and his assistant made the trip up from Brisbane especially for Rockhampton Girls Grammar School to broaden the appeal of the Advanced Humanities degree at UQ to regional areas like Rockhampton.
Mr Blanshard began the session by introducing us to the Advanced Humanities degree and describing the various admission criteria and the nature of the program. It is a four-year course which works to develop logical reasoning and creative thinking while equipping graduates with valuable research abilities and communication skills. Professor Blanshard’s passion and specialty lies within the extended major of Western Civilisation which is offered as part of the Advanced Humanities degree. The intimate nature of the major is its core strength; the major typically only facilitates an intake of approximately forty students a year. Such small cohort sizes allow for extensive collaborative work during both assessment and content work. The Western Civilisation major covers a range of facets of the development of the western world, with subjects covering music, literature, politics, law, and religion. There are also an abundance of opportunities for international exchanges during the degree, which Professor Blanshard strongly recommended for all humanities students.
The information session was followed by a Q and A session during which we were given time to gain a better understanding of the details of the programs Professor Blanshard discussed. Some career outcomes for those who study Advanced Humanities majoring in Western Civilisation include international diplomacy, government public affairs, or humanitarian aid, to name few.
The class was extremely grateful for Professor Blanshard’s enthusiasm and expertise on his course and we left the session with a far greater understanding of the humanities degrees on offer at the University of Queensland. As a Year 12 student looking at university pathways in 2025, a degree in Advanced Humanities majoring in Western Civilisation appears to be a path worth pursuing for a successful career stemming from my interest in the study of modern history in my senior years of high school. The class would like to thank Professor Blanshard for travelling the distance from Brisbane to Rockhampton and preparing such a detailed and engaging presentation for the senior modern history class; it was greatly appreciated and I’m sure we will all keep his invaluable insights in mind when selecting our university preferences for 2025 and 2026.
Matilda Peff
Year 12