Folklore Studies

The Folklore Studies program from University of Hertfordshire explores legend, ritual, belief and tradition in British society, providing students with a thorough grounding in the history of the discipline of Folklore Studies and examining current work in the field.

Key features

Aimed at recent graduates in related subjects such as literature, history, archaeology, anthropology or religion, who have perhaps touched on folklore in their dissertations and want to develop this further, this Folklore Studies program from University of Hertfordshire also offers opportunities for mature students looking to turn their interest in local folklore into an academic qualification.

Drawing on the research specialisms of academics in the University’s History Group, the MA will offer modules on contemporary customs and rituals, the lore of the British landscape, and migratory beliefs and traditions. You will also explore folklore in comparative international contexts and consider its global importance as an aspect of UNESCO’s definition of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Under expert supervision, you’ll also write a 15,000-word dissertation, giving you the opportunity to research your own area of interest, from witchcraft and magic to local folklore.

A module on Contemporary Ritual and Tradition led by Folklore and History Lecturer Ceri Houlbrook will draw on her research into the heritage of contemporary British folklore and the material culture of ritual practices and popular beliefs. She has published on the customs of coin-trees and love-locks in the journals Folklore and History Workshop Journal.

Careers

Our postgraduates are equipped for a wide range of jobs, including careers in heritage and culture industries such as material archivists or education officers, in libraries, museums, tourism, arts organisations, the publishing industry, and funding agencies. Through the University’s Heritage Hub and the Professional Doctorate in Heritage, we also have established connections with heritage organisations and employers such as John Lewis. Postgraduates in Folklore Studies are equipped for a wide range of jobs, including careers in libraries, museums, tourism, arts organisations, the publishing industry, and funding agencies.

Courses include:

• Contemporary Ritual and Tradition

• The Folklorist's Craft: Skills, Debates and Methodologies

• The Folklorist's Craft: Approaches, Dissertation andDissemination

• Folklore of Landscape in Britain

• Migration of Beliefs and Traditions

• Folklore Studies Dissertation