Welcome to the Curriculum in Folklore web site. We appreciate your interest in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and hope that you will apply to our program. You may do so either by mail or by using the on-line admissions application.

If you feel uncertain about what the study of folklore may entail, we recommend that you look at one of the "primers" for the field: Barré Toelken, The Dynamics of Folklore; or Robert Georges and Michael Owen Jones, Folkloristics: An Introduction.

Most colleges or public libraries near you should have copies. To the interests that these books describe, we add a strong emphasis on Southern regional culture. Not all of our students write theses on local subjects, but most do ethnographic fieldwork here. The area around us is one of our strongest resources.

Please note that if you apply to our program, we will need a copy of your undergraduate college transcript, three letters of recommendation (preferably from your college teachers), and your Graduate Record Examination scores. In addition, we request a two to three page statement of your interests and professional goals in folklore. Specifically, what has led to your involvement in the field (readings, courses, mentors, fieldwork, festivals)? Why do you wish to come to UNC? What do you plan to do with your graduate degree in Folklore? Finally, we would also like to see a writing sample, one that shows your ability to develop ideas and write clearly (it does not have to be on folklore).

To receive the fullest possible consideration for financial aid--and particularly for fellowships offered by the Graduate School--you should send us all of these materials by December 1. Applications received after this date will certainly still be considered for aid. University deadlines, however, mean that fewer funding opportunities will likely be available.

We look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions, please contact: