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.<br><br>Students in the Research Thesis concentration work with a committee of faculty advisors as they conduct independent research-from fieldwork to archives-and write a thesis in their second year of graduate study. This option provides advanced knowledge of the theoretical and methodological aspects of folklore and folklife and is designed to prepare students for both academic and public sector professions and for further academic research. Students work with the support of a committee of faculty members to conduct research and write a thesis on a folklore topic of their choosing.