15.7 Folklore

www.mun.ca/folklore

The discipline of Folklore is a diverse examination of informal culture. Its subjects include stories, music, dance, drama, architecture, material culture, celebrations and patterns of belief, as well as customs related to work, leisure, childhood, family, aging, individuality and community.

Folklore explores these customs as dynamic relationships between old ideas and new, individual creation and collective acceptance, local and global influences. And because folklore concerns the everyday, intimate practices of people, ethnographic field research is a vital part of its practice.

Folklore course descriptions are found at the end of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences section under Course Descriptions, Folklore and are designated by FOLK.


15.7.1 Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts requires the successful completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours. A student must meet the requirements for a departmental Major, Minor, or Honours program and also meet the Program Regulations – General and Honours Degrees for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. A student is therefore advised to consult with the Admission to the Bachelor of Arts General Degree Programs regulations, the Program Regulations - General and Honours Degrees which also includes the Bachelor of Arts General Degree Components, The Major Program, and The Minor Program regulations. Information regarding honours programs is available at Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree Regulations as well as under each department’s regulations.

A student is strongly encouraged to consult with an academic advisor to discuss available programs and requirements in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences including the Core Requirements, The Major Program, The Minor Program, and the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree Regulations. A student is advised to declare a program of study, including a Major and a Minor, before completing the first 45 credit hours of study. Information about declaring a Major and Minor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is available at www.mun.ca/hss/programs/undergraduate/ideclare.php. Information regarding advisors for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is available at www.mun.ca/hss/about/contact/liaisons.php.


15.7.2 General Degree

Folklore 1000 is the prerequisite for all other courses in Folklore, except Folklore 1050, Folklore 1060, and those courses cross-listed with other Departments.


15.7.3 Major in Folklore

A student registered to major in Folklore must take a minimum of 36 credit hours in courses as follows:

  1. 18 required credit hours: 1000 (or the former 2000), 2100, 2300, 2401, 2500, 4470;

  2. 6 credit hours from Group A - Folk Literature Genres: 3100, 3200, 3250, 3300, 3450, 3612, 3618;

  3. 6 credit hours from Group B - Folklife Genres: 3001, 3350, the former 3591, 3606, 3650, 3700, 3713, 3820, 3830, 3850, 3860, 4460; and

  4. 6 credit hours from Group C - Topics: not more than 3 of which can be taken from courses at the 1000 level: 1060, 2230, 2700, 2800, 3350, 3360, 3460, the former 3591, 3601, 3613, 3618, 3700, 3714, the former 3900, 3910, 3920, 3930, 3950, 4015, 4100, 4310, 4400, 4410, 4420, 4440, 4480, 4810.

Students who declare a major in Folklore should have successfully completed Folklore 1000 (or the former 2000); it is recommended that students intending to major in Folklore take Folklore 2100 as early in their programs as possible.

All students who major in Folklore will be assisted by a faculty advisor who will help them in planning their academic program. Consequently, it is essential that students consult with the Department at an early stage in their studies.


15.7.4 Minor in Folklore

A student declaring a minor in Folklore must take a minimum of 24 credit hours including:

  1. 15 required credit hours: 1000 (or the former 2000), 2100, 2300, 2401, 2500; and

  2. 9 additional credit hours in Folklore - not more than 3 of which can be taken from courses at the 1000 level.

Students who declare a minor in Folklore should have successfully completed Folklore 1000 (or the former 2000); it is recommended that students intending to minor in Folklore take Folklore 2100 as early in their programs as possible.


15.7.5 Joint Major in Folklore

As an alternative to a minor, a student may choose to complete a major in Folklore and a major in another eligible program in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Joint Major Program requires 3 fewer credit hours in each participating major as prescribed in each program’s Calendar entry. For the joint major in Folklore, 3 fewer credit hours shall be required from any one of Group A (Folk Literature Genres), Group B (Folklife Genres) or Group C (Topics) to fulfill the Major in Folklore above.


15.7.6 Honours Degree in Folklore

See General Regulations for Honours Degree. An Honours student in Folklore must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours, which must include at least 36 credit hours at the 3000-level or above, and including the 36 as prescribed for the Major in Folklore. The remaining courses will normally include one of the following options:

  1. Folklore 400X

  2. Folklore 4998

  3. Folklore 4999


15.7.7 Joint Honours Degree in Folklore and Another Major Discipline

See General Regulations for Honours Degrees. A minimum of 84 credit hours in the two subjects selected, with the approval of the Heads of both Departments, is required.

Of the credit hours required in the two subjects selected, not fewer than 42, and not more than 51, must come from each discipline. The student may choose the discipline in which to complete the Honours Essay or the Comprehensive Examination. If the student chooses the 400X option, the Folklore component will consist of the major in Folklore plus 400X, for a maximum of 51 credit hours in Folklore. Students are advised to choose an option as soon as possible after declaring the second subject of the Joint Honours degree.


15.7.8 Regulations for the International Bachelor of Arts (iBA)

In addition to completing the normal requirements for a Bachelor of Arts and one of a Joint Honours, Honours, Major or Minor in Folklore, students may elect to complete requirements for the International Bachelor of Arts (iBA). As part of the minimum 120 credit hours, a student may use eligible credit hours in Folklore to jointly satisfy other requirements of the iBA degree. When selecting courses, a student is encouraged to consult with an academic advisor early in the program, to consider Possible Course Sequencing for the International Bachelor of Arts (iBA) (First 60 Credit Hours), and to consider Folklore courses listed in International Studies (IS) Designated Courses. Up to 12 credit hours in Folklore IS courses may be used towards the International Studies (IS) Courses Requirement.


15.7.9 Certificate in Newfoundland and Labrador Studies

The Department of Folklore administers the Certificate in Newfoundland and Labrador Studies. Credit hours in Folklore may be eligible to jointly fulfill requirements of a degree and a certificate. For further information about this program, see Certificate Programs Offered in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, or contact the Program Director.

The information on this site has been extracted from the Official 2023-2024 University Calendar. While every reasonable effort has been made to duplicate the information contained in the official University Calendar, if there are differences, the official Memorial University of Newfoundland Calendar will be considered the final and accurate authority.

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