The M.A. program in Folklore stresses flexibility, inviting students to craft a course-plan to meet their particular needs. Master's students must complete ten courses (30 hours); of these, only two-"The Art of Ethnography" and "Introduction to Folklore Theory"-are required. Other courses must demonstrate a rough balance between genre (e.g., Vernacular Traditions in African American Music, Issues in Material Folk Culture), theory (e.g., Consciousness and Symbols, Fictions of Gender), and practice (e.g., Public Folklore, Oral History, Documentary Photography). In addition to classes in the core curriculum, students traditionally take courses from a variety of associated graduate programs, including Anthropology, Communications Studies, English, History, and Music. Needless to say, this vastly expands the available course list, embracing such classes as Performance and Oral History, Medical Anthropology, and The South in Comparative Perspective. Additionally, students pursuing an M.A. must demonstrate reading proficiency in a foreign language. Those opting for a Folklore minor in another Ph.D. program must complete only six courses.

In their fourth semester, most students take a four-hour comprehensive exam that tests their understanding of folklore theory, history, and practice. In addition to drawing on their coursework and fieldwork, the exam presumes knowledge of the core texts in a reading list jointly prepared (and regularly revised) by faculty and students. The approximately 60 items on the list encompass key texts and monographs, articles, films, and sound recordings. Students have the option of tailoring a section of the exam to their particular research interests.

The final requirement for the M.A. is a substantial thesis, usually stretching from 80-100 pages, based on fieldwork and/or library research. Once again, creative freedom is the rule; recent theses have explored topics ranging from the politics of lay midwifery to the experiential world of an improvisatory rock band. Working closely with a thesis advisor and two readers, students typically complete their thesis within a year of finishing their three semesters of coursework. We do not require an oral defense.

 

Until 1992, the Curriculum in Folklore offered only the Master of Arts degree or a minor with a Ph.D. in another field. Recognizing that undergraduates often take a variety of Folklore courses, the Curriculum now offers both a minor and a major, with the latter arranged through the Interdisciplinary Studies program in the College of Arts and Sciences (see below). The minor requires five courses that strike a balance between genre, practice, and theory; the major calls for a similar interdisciplinary distribution of eight courses. Both the minor and major give undergraduates the opportunity to earn formal recognition for their work in Folklore. They are designed to:

1. introduce the discipline of Folklore;
2. explore the complexities of the art of ethnography;
3. recognize the experience and achievements of folk artists and groups who are often neglected or misunderstood by the dominant culture.

The Curriculum is small, informal, and intimate. Undergraduate students work closely with faculty and with the consultants they meet while doing fieldwork. Excellent local resources for study and research include the Southern Folklife Collection (containing 90,000 sound recordings), the Archie Green Labor Song Collection, the American Religious Tunebook Collection, and the Southern Historical Collection.

The undergraduate minor in Folklore consists of five three-hour courses, as specified in the categories listed below:

1. FOLK 485 Introduction to Folklore
2. Two courses on genre from: FOLK 334, 375, 470, 484, 487, 502, 550, 560, 571,585, 610; ANTH 147, 151; MUSC 144, 145, 146, 147
3. One course on community from: FOLK 130, 230, 340, 342, 488, 587, 589, 684; ANTH 142, 155, 205, 226, 234; MUSC 240
4. One course on theory from: FOLK 323, 428, 429, 435, 454, 455, 473, 525, 537, 562, 565, 670, 675, 688; ANTH 120

From time to time, current or visiting faculty will offer additional Folklore courses not listed here.  The Curriculum will post these to the semester's course listingand will determine-- on a course-by-course basis-- which minor requirements each will fill.

The Advisor for the undergraduate minor is Glenn Hinson, Chair of the Curriculum in Greenlaw 228, 962-4065, CB #3520.

 

Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Interdisciplinary Studies:

Students interested in an interdisciplinary degree program not covered by any degree-granting curriculum should apply to the director of Interdisciplinary Studies (Steele Building) in the second semester of the sophomore year or the first semester of the junior year. Students should have a grade-point average of at least 2.40 and at least forty-five hours left before graduation.

Students should meet all General College requirements before entering the Interdisciplinary program. While in the General College, they may wish to choose electives that are relevant to their later field of study.

Specific core course requirements must be distributed as follows: eight courses from three departments, with a maximum of four from any one department. Core courses should be appropriate for juniors and seniors majoring in those departments and are not to be freshman/sophomore-level courses. They should form a coherent area of study to which the student is able to give a title (e.g., Medieval Studies, Cultural Studies, Urban Studies) and which the student is unable to get by majoring in one of the departments or already-established curricula of the College of Arts and Sciences. Because the Interdisciplinary Studies major is for those who cannot satisfy the requirements of any recognized major offered by the University, those choosing this major may not declare a second major or minor.

For information about Renaissance Studies for the Interdisciplinary Studies major, consult with either Professor Masters at 230 Dey Hall or Professor Headley at 500 Hamilton Hall.

With permission of the relevant professional school, one may use up to twelve hours of professional courses (e.g., in Business Administration, Journalism and Mass Communication, Public Health) in the core. This can be advantageous to students who want some concentration in these areas but who also want a degree in Arts and Sciences. Interdisciplinary Studies majors are still restricted by the College of Arts and Sciences rule that there be no more than twelve hours of professional courses in the 120 hours required for the B.A. degree.

Qualified students may pursue departmental or interdisciplinary honors through this program.