Top VC says history degrees are pointless

QUB’s Vice Chancellor, Patrick Johnston, has sensationally called history degrees out as pointless.

Johnston said: “Society doesn’t need any more 21-year-old sixth century historians. It needs a 21-year-old who really understands how to analyse things, understands the tenets of leadership and contributing to society, who is a thinker and someone who has the potential to help society drive forward. I don’t talk about producing graduates, I talk about producing citizens that have the potential for leadership in society.”

The comments have prompted much outrage amongst Queen’s students, especially following a move to dissolve arts subjects as single honours degrees last month.

Many have seen this as an outright attack on humanities subjects such as History and Anthropology which already are being discussed for downsizing in QUB’s so-called Size and Shape which was rejected by 89% of students in a recent referendum.

A second-year Queen’s student told The Tab: “A man in Mr Johnston’s position should be able to realise that the study of history is one of the most important things we have as humans. If we do not know our own history we are doomed to make the mistakes of the past. And if we completely forgot about those that came before us, to focus on whatever Mr Johnston believes is a more noble vocation, we would lose something important about our very humanity.

“Sometimes as humans we can’t always push forward. Sometimes we need people who look back. Sometimes we need to look back, so we can find the right path to go forward.”

A parody account called @QUBsixthcentury was launched in protest with the sub-line: “Producing graduates and not understanding the tenets of leadership”.

Shannon Downey, a history student at Queens, said that the chancellors comments were “inappropriate”.

She said: “I was shocked. I know first-hand that history students have to do a great deal of work and I appreciate everything that the staff and faculty of the history department do for us.

“Historians analyse all of history, not just the sixth Century. During my course I have learned about politics, culture, religion, languages and even law.”