HUMANITIES
FEATUREDCOURSES
Australian Popular Culture
AUST2000
This course examines the social function of
popular culture in Australia, with particular
emphasis on the period from the 1960s
to the present. It explores how popular
culture is produced and consumed, and
asks how specific forms (such as cinema,
magazines, music, television, sport and
leisure) contribute to concepts of individual
and national identity. The course does not
attempt to define a uniquely Australian form
of popular culture; rather, it examines the
distinctive ways in which cultural activity and
practice, whether originating in Australia
or overseas, have been produced and
consumed in Australia.
Contemporary Australia
AUST1000
This course provides a general introduction
to key issues and debates concerning
Australia as a nation, a culture and a
society. It explores the forces shaping
contemporary Australia and analyses their
historical context.
AUST1000
is particularly
concerned with examining the social and
cultural issues that have been associated
with the ways that images or interpretations
of Australia are defined and debated. You
will be introduced to research and debates
in the fields of history, media/cultural studies,
literature, politics, Indigenous studies and
gender studies. A range of cultural texts
including film, television, print media and
advertisements is used to develop the key
concepts of the course.
Australian History: Current Issues
in Historical Perspective
HIST1201
Using contemporary issues in Australia –
race, immigration, culture, environment,
politics and foreign policy – this course
explains the historical origins of issues and
provides critical analysis. With inspiring
guest lecturers, it begins in 2013 AD and
looks back into Australia’s past, asking and
answering a series of questions to explain
contemporary attitudes and events.
What is the history of class, race and ethnicity
in Australian society? What type of immigrants
should we encourage? Why have refugees
become such an important issue? How do
governments decide on foreign policy, overseas
trade policy and foreign aid? These and other
contemporary questions will be asked and
historical answers, based on an Aboriginal
history dating back 60,000 years and a recent
history beginning in 1788, will be provided.
Popular Music 1950s Onward:
From Elvis to Madonna
MUSC1700
The history of rock’n’roll reflects the history of
Western culture since the Second World War.
It is fascinating, diverse and often bizarre, yet
reveals consistencies that become apparent
only after a significant part of the history
has been studied. This course provides an
understanding of our popular music heritage
since the advent of rock’n’roll in the 1950s
to the profound cultural and technological
changes of the early 80s that signalled the
birth of MTV, compact discs, sound sampling
and video stars. It will not teach you to
become a rock star, nor how to write rock
songs, nor manage rock bands, but it will
help enrich your appreciation of rock music,
its performers and the cultural circumstances
that gave birth to rock music.
NOTES
– Course information is correct as at April 2014 and may
change in 2015. Please refer to
for current information.
– While all listed courses are available to Study Abroad
and Incoming Exchange students, some will require
faculty/school approval as relevant previous study may
be required.
UQ CODE COURSE NAME
(Any level
of entry)
Foreign languages (German, French,
Spanish, Russian, Italian, Indonesian,
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese)
ARTT1106 Looking at Art
ARTT2127 Australian Art
COMU1010 Art of Communication
ENGL1100 Introduction to Australian Literature
ENGL1500
Contemporary Literature: Reading
and Writing
ENGL2100
Australian Literature: Traditions and
Revisions
GEND1010 Gender Matters
HIST1601 Big History
HIST2247
The Making of Modern Australia:
Society and Culture since 1901
MUSC1010 Introduction to Music Technology
PHIL2000 Epistemology and Metaphysics
PHIL2200 Time Travel
RELN1000 World Religions
RELN1001 Belief and Unbelief
RELN1510
The History of the Supernatural:
Angels, Ghosts and Demons
WRIT1110 Creative Writing: Narrative
Writing for International Students
WRIT1001
Good academic writing is essential for
academic success. For undergraduate
students who use English as a second
language, the development of this skill can be
challenging. This course introduces academic
writing in a university setting. Particular
attention is given to the argumentative essay,
a common assessment format. Important
learning and research skills will also be
developed during the course, including
making an argument, using evidence to
support your argument, structuring your work
logically, and thinking critically.
OTHERCOURSES
The table below lists other popular courses
in this area available to Study Abroad and
Incoming Exchange students. A full list of
courses can be found on UQ’s Courses and
Programs website at
YIJIE ZHU
(CHINA)
Study Abroad student
“I am really enjoying
HIST2014 From
Buddha to Bruce Lee: Asian Visual
Cultures.
I have always been interested in
how people other than Chinese see the
Asian culture as a whole...I have found
the focus on the representation of females
very insightful. This course has made me
realise that I sometimes take my cultural
phenomenon for granted: it has provided
me with an opportunity to take a new look
at these aspects and re-examine them
through a more academic approach.”
20
UQ Guide 2015
Study Abroad and Incoming Exchange
