Folklore is the discovery and understanding of everyday human culture – the patterns of ideas, behavior, music, dance, foodways, rituals, crafts, traditions, beliefs, lore, and customs of the everyday people that define our world. 

Folklore is a discipline which crosses cultural borders and ethnic boundaries. It seeks to define the place of cultures and ethnicities within the family of humankind as well as examine and document how they intersect and influence each other. It builds bridges of understanding and is critical to our appreciation of how the world works, and how we use traditional knowledge to meet new challenges.

Folklore students will gain fresh perspectives on the ethnic, regional, occupational, gender, and other identities of individuals in specific communities. Students gain knowledge and experience in cultural backgrounds, collection techniques, fieldwork and research, theoretical analysis, and text comprehension and writing.

Folklore touches on every aspect of human life: health and illness, cultural diversity, social and political movements, superstition and fears, the movement of information and disinformation, trends and memes, family and home life, educational systems, entertainment and creative arts, politics and government, fashion and design, gender and sexuality, events and festivals, and more. 

Training in Folklore and folklorist practices is useful in careers in the arts, public history, preservation, and museum stewardship, but also in health and medicine, social work, education, law, politics and intelligence, psychology, anthropology, marketing, the non-profit sector, journalism, gaming, international business, tourism, and much more. 

Students must make an appointment with or email the undergraduate advisor to declare the certificate.

Requirements for the Folklore Certificate

A total of 12 credits to complete the Certificate, to include:¹

Category A: Basics, Fieldwork, Documenting, and Preserving

One course and three credits are required, from:

 Category B: Analysis and Focused Topics

One course and three credits are required, from:

Residence & quality of work

• A minimum of 6 certificate credits must be taken in residence
• 2.000 GPA in all courses eligible for the certificate

¹

 Courses taken on a Pass/Fail grading basis are not eligible, and do not count, in the Certificate.

Certificate Completion Requirement

This undergraduate certificate must be completed concurrently with the student’s undergraduate degree. Students cannot delay degree completion to complete the certificate.

1. Demonstrate skill in the methods and productions folklorists employ in their work.
2. Analyze the connections between expressive performances and the wider workings of culture.
3. Apply and engage in ethical considerations in research and collaborative practice, particularly with reference to cultural, economic, religious, ethnic, and gender diversity.

ADVISING AND CAREERS

Students interested in the Folklore Certificate should contact Joanna Schuth, Undergraduate Advisor, for more assistance.

Joanna Schuth, Undergraduate Advisor
jschuth@wisc.edu
Make an appointment through Starfish

L&S career resources

Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities.  SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.

In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.

Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.

• SuccessWorks
• Set up a career advising appointment
• Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
  • INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
  • INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
• Learn about internships and internship funding
  • INTER-LS 260 Internship in the Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
• Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives

Folklore Program