对民间文学艺术和民间生活的研究涉及对传统表现形式文化的各种形式的考察和分析，包括语言，音乐，物质和习惯。在每个社会，无论是农业，工业，农村还是城市，民间文学艺术都是生活的重要组成部分。该学科与文学，人类学，社会学，历史，地理，语言学，哲学，民族音乐学和心理学有着密切的联系。
The study of folklore and folklife involves examination and analysis of traditional expressive culture in all its forms including verbal, musical, material, and customary. In every society, agricultural and industrial, rural and urban, folklore is a vital part of life. The discipline has close affinities with literature, anthropology, sociology, history, geography, linguistics, philosophy, ethnomusicology, and psychology. Students in our renowned Master of Arts program in Folk Studies take a core of courses that provide them with a firm grounding in the theories and methods of the field of folklore, preparing them for further study in folklore and/or a wide range of careers. In addition to core requirements, students choose from electives that suit their interests. The MA program is designed as a two-year program for full-time students, but we are happy to work with students who prefer to complete the program on a part-time basis over a longer period of time. We also offer a JUMP (Joint Undergraduate-Master's Program) for highly qualified and motivated undergraduates.