Folklore and Public Culture (MA/MS)
The master of arts (MA) or master of science (MS) degree in folklore and public culture is interdisciplinary. In consultation with an advising committee, students take designated courses from faculty members in anthropology, arts and administration, English, folklore and public culture, German, Scandinavian, and music in addition to elective courses that strengthen their areas of expertise. A public folklore track is available to students preparing for careers in the public sector. A thesis or terminal project is required for completion of the degree. Students working toward an MA degree must demonstrate competence in a second language.
Students in the masters degree program in Folklore and Public Culture may choose from two tracks with differing emphases. The General Folklore Track provides students with a strong foundation in folklore studies while also allowing students to take elective courses in their areas of focus. The General Folklore Track requires students to take specific classes from Folklore and Public Culture program faculty in a variety of subjects including anthropology, arts and administration, English, and music, among other disciplines. The Public Folklore Track prepares students who plan to work in the public sphere by building professional skills such as ethnographic research, documentation, grant writing, administration and programming. The program also focuses on building scholarly fundamentals of folklore and establishing relationships within the folklore field.
Program's Admission Requirements
Please visit the program's website.
General Folklore Track (62 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| FLR 681 | History and Theory of Folklore Research | 5 |
| FLR 595 | Folklore Fieldwork 1 | 4 |
| Interdisciplinary Core Courses 2 | 28 | |
Folklore Core Courses | ||
| Folklore and Religion | ||
| Folklore and Foodways | ||
Anthropology Core Courses | ||
| Jewish Folklore and Ethnology | ||
| Ethnographic Research: Epistemology, Methods, Ethics | ||
German and Scandinavian Core Courses | ||
| Translations-Transformations (Fairy Tales on the Move) | ||
Music Core Courses | ||
| Introduction to Ethnomusicology | ||
| Musical Instruments of the World | ||
| Popular Musics in the African Diaspora | ||
Planning, Public Policy and Management Core Courses | ||
| Cultural Policy | ||
| Cultural Programming | ||
| Electives | 16 | |
| Select courses from the folklore core or outside that bolster areas of student expertise | ||
| Thesis or Terminal Project | ||
| FLR 503 | Thesis 3 | 9 |
| or FLR 609 | Terminal Project | |
| Total Credits | 62 | |
- 1
Or other fieldwork course approved by advising committee.
- 2
12 of the 28 credits must be earned in folklore (FLR) courses.
- 3
Students complete a thesis or terminal project based on original research. The number of thesis or terminal project credits that a candidate may complete has no maximum, although only 9 credits count toward the degree.
Courses are chosen in consultation with the student’s advising committee. Students may substitute courses not listed above to fulfill requirements with the approval of their advising committee.
Master of Arts: Public Folklore Track (63 credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| FLR 550 | 4 | |
| FLR 681 | History and Theory of Folklore Research | 5 |
| FLR 684 | 1 | 5 |
| PPPM 573 | Cultural Programming | 4 |
| Interdisciplinary Core Courses | ||
| Select 20 credits from the following courses: 2 | 20 | |
Folklore Core Courses | ||
| Seminar: [Topic] (Video Production) | ||
| Folklore and Religion | ||
FLR 514 | ||
| Folklore and Foodways | ||
FLR 516 | ||
FLR 518 | ||
FLR 583 | ||
Anthropology Core Courses | ||
ANTH 511 | ||
ANTH 519 | ||
| Jewish Folklore and Ethnology | ||
ANTH 593 | ||
| Ethnographic Research: Epistemology, Methods, Ethics | ||
German and Scandinavian Core Courses | ||
| Translations-Transformations (Fairy Tales on the Move) | ||
Music Core Courses | ||
| Introduction to Ethnomusicology | ||
| Musical Instruments of the World | ||
| Popular Musics in the African Diaspora | ||
Planning, Public Policy and Management Core Courses | ||
| Cultural Policy | ||
| Electives | 12 | |
| Select courses from the folklore core or outside that bolster specialization areas | ||
| Internship | ||
| FLR 604 | Internship: [Topic] 3 | 4 |
| Thesis or Terminal Project | ||
| FLR 503 | Thesis 4 | 9 |
| or FLR 609 | Terminal Project | |
- 1
Or other fieldwork course approved by advising committee.
- 2
Students may substitute other courses not listed to fulfill requirements with the approval of their advising committee.
- 3
An internship related to public folklore amounting to 120 clock hours of service on-site, organized through the Folklore Program or the Oregon Folklife Network.
- 4
The number of thesis or terminal project credits that a candidate may complete has no maximum, although only 9 credits count toward the degree.
Language Requirement for the MA Degree
The master of arts degree requires the satisfactory completion of a second-year level of proficiency in a second language, as required for the B.A. degree (see Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the catalog for details). Competency may be demonstrated by either a standardized test or with adequate undergraduate course work. Language competence must be demonstrated within the overall seven-year limit for completion of a master's degree.
Additional Courses
Consult the program’s website or members of its faculty each term for special offerings that fulfill degree requirements. Visit the program website for a list of additional approved courses.
Other undergraduate and graduate courses with related subject matter may be applied to folklore and public culture certificate programs by arrangement with the instructors and the folklore and public culture director. For a list of these courses, visit the program website.