folklore

The MAIS concentration in Folklore enables students to explore the processes of tradition that move through multiple expressive forms, such as folktales, folk beliefs, folk medicine, folk art, folksong, and literature. A discipline based on ethnographic fieldwork, folklore offers students a chance to work in communities and collect living traditional materials that are critical to human identity and values.

Interdisciplinary by nature, folklore thrives on local particularities as well as compelling global connections. This course of study prepares students for careers in cultural agencies, governmental organizations, and teaching institutions, and for advanced study in the humanities.

admission requirements

In addition to fulfilling GMU admission requirements for graduate study, applicants must submit the following:

Three letters of reference
Goals Statement
1,000 word writing sample
Resume

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degree requirements

Students will choose a specialization that draws on unique programs throughout the University such as museum studies, conflict resolution, non-profit management, telecommunications, writing, and more. Internships in the many DC metropolitan area folklore organizations will be central to students' experience.

In addition to meeting all graduate study requirements listed in the GMU catalog, candidates for the MAIS Degree with a concentration in Folklore must successfully complete 36 credits of graduate course work, including the following:

9 credits in folklore: ENGL 591: Special Topics in Folklore (different topics, exclusive of "Pathways to Folklore Scholarship")
3 credit hours folklore history and theory: ENGL 591: Special Topics in Folklore: Pathways to Folklore Scholarship
3 credits of a folklore internship: ENGL 604
3 credits of a research and methodology course: ENGL 701, HIST 610, or SOCI 634
9 credits in a folklore-related specialization;
3 or 6 hours of electives
1 credit of MAIS 797 proposal writing
5 credits of MAIS 799 (thesis), or 2-5 credits of MAIS 798 (project)
For a copy of the Folklore Curriculum contract go to: Download Concentration Contract (pdf)

Note: At least 6 credits must be taken in courses outside the Department of English (ENGL).

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course information

For full course descriptions (including prerequisites), please consult the GMU catalog (also located in hard copy at the GMU bookstore).

Core (18 credits) -

9 credits from among the following courses:

ENGL 591 Studies in Folklore (Taught once a year, with different topics. Bodylore; Sense of Place; Traditional Narrative and Storytelling; Living Words: Folklore and Creative writing, and others. ENGL 591: Pathways to Folklore Scholarship does not fulfill this requirement. Seminar-size classes.).
ENGL 591 Special Topics in Folklore (crosslisted with ENGL 491) (Taught every semester, with different topics. Appalachian Folklore; Ethnicity and Migration; Folklore and Gender; Latin American Folklore; Narratives of the Spirit World; Traditional Artists; and others. Graduate students complete extra reading, writing, and have individual sessions with instructor in this graduate/undergraduate crosslisted course.)
ENGL 798 Directed Readings - (Independent study project. Available when instructors' schedules allow.)

3 credits in folklore history and theory, required:

ENGL 591 Special Topics in Folklore - Pathways to Folklore Scholarship (Taught about every three years).

3 credits in research and methodology, required. Choose one of the following:

ENGL 701 Literary Scholarship (Taught every semester)
HIST 610 The Study and Writing of History (Taught every semester, sometimes 2-3 sections)
SOCI 634 Qualitative Research Methods

3 credits, required:

ENGL 604 Internship in Folklore (3 credits required; 3 additional credits may be taken as an elective)

Project or Thesis - (2-5 credits):

MAIS 798 Project (Folklore) 2-5 credits
MAIS 799 Thesis (Folklore) 5 credits

Specializations - (9 credits):

Public Folklore: Museums, Archives, Arts & Humanities Councils, Non-Profit Organizations:

NHIST 690 The Administration of Archives and Manuscripts
HIST 691 Museum Studies
HIST 693 Historic Preservation
PUAD 505 Introduction to Management of Nonprofits
PUAD 655 Philanthropy and Fund Raising

Folklore: Ethnicity and Immigration:

ANTH 630 Anthropology and Humanitarian Action
ANTH 631 Refugees in the Contemporary World
HIST 628 Immigration and Ethnicity in the United States
ENGL 685 Special Topics: Contemporary Immigrant Fiction

Folklore and Literature:

ENGL 625 British Medieval
ENGL 630 Early Modern
ENGL --- Additional literature courses in which the professor deems that a student may appropriately write a folklore and literature paper.
RELI 641 Drama in the World's Religions

Folklore and the Teaching of Writing and Literature:

ENGL 610 Proseminar in Teaching the Reading of Literature
ENGL 612 Cultures of Professional Writing
ENGL 615 Proseminar in Composition Instruction
ENGL --- Additional English courses in writing and in literature in which the professor deems that a student may appropriately work in the teaching of folklore and literature or in the teaching of folklore, writing, and ethnographic writing.

Folklore and History:

HIST 628 Immigration and Ethnicity in the United States
HIST 644 Society and Culture in Early Modern Europe
HIST 691/ARTH 594 Museum Studies
HIST --- Additional courses from HIST 510 to HIST 695 in which the professor deems that a student may appropriately write a folklore and history paper. See especially HIST 615 Problems in American History and HIST 635 Problems in European History, when topics are relevant.

Folklore and Conflict Resolution:

CONF 501 Introduction to Conflict and Conflict Resolution
CONF 695 Special Topics: Narrative Process and Storytelling
CONF --- Additional Conflict and Resolution courses, especially CONF 720 to 727, in which the professor deems that a student may appropriately combine folklore and conflict resolution.

Open Specialization:

Courses to be chosen in consultation with advisor. Possibilities include Folklore and Editing, Applied Storytelling, Folklore and Mythology, Folklore and Art History, Folklore and Gender Studies, Folklore and Communication.

Elective Courses - (3-6 credits):

Any course mentioned above, those below in the list "Graduate and Undergraduate Courses especially relevant to folklore study," or other appropriate courses, such as ANTH 750 Ethnographic Genres (3 credits), chosen in consultation with advisor.

Electives may also include consortium courses taught by folklorists at other universities, such as Dr. John Vlach (George Washington University) and Dr. Barry Lee Pearson (University of Maryland, College Park).

Graduate Courses especially relevant to folklore study:

ANTH 615 Ritual and Power in Social Life
ANTH 630 Anthropology and Humanitarian Action
ANTH 631 Refugees in the Contemporary World
ANTH 635 Regional Ethnography
ANTH 684 Readings in Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 687 Culture and Curing
ANTH 750 Ethnographic Genres
ARTH 594 The Museum
CONF 601 Theories of Conflict and Conflict Resolution
CONF 695 Special Topics: Narrative Process and Storytelling
EDUC 537 Foundations of Multicultural Education
ENGL 506 Research for Narrative Writing
ENGL 612 Cultures of Professional Writing
HIST 610 The Study and Writing of History (every semester, sometimes 2-3 sections)
HIST 628 Immigration and Ethnicity in the United States
HIST 630 U.S. Women's History
HIST 644 Society and Culture in Early Modern Europe
HIST 690 The Administration of Archives and Manuscripts (every 4th semester, in rotation with 691, 693)
HIST 691 Museum Studies (every 4th semester, in rotation with 690, 693)
HIST 693 Historic Preservation (every 4th semester, in rotation with 690, 691)
PUAD 505 Introduction to Management of Nonprofits
RELI 641 Drama in the World's Religions
RELI 657 "Scripture" in Religious Traditions
SOCI 611 Classical Sociological Theory
SOCI 612 Contemporary Sociological Theory
SOCI 614 Sociology of Culture
SOCI 619 Conflict and Conflict Management: Perspectives from Sociology
SOCI 635 Environment and Society
SOCI 686 Sociology of Aging