Folklore, Certificate

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.

The Folklore certificate at UW-Madison is designed to pair with almost any major:

• Business
• Anthropology
• English
• Food Science
• Literature
• Sociology
• Religious Studies
• International Studies
• Medicine and Public Health
• Global Health
• Psychology
• Gender and Womens Studies
• Theatre
• History
• World Languages
• Philosophy
• Journalism
• Textiles and Fashion Design
• Life Science Communication
• Health Promotion and Health Equity
• Education Studies
• Human Development
• Political Science
• Social Work

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.

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.

All undergraduate students at UW–Madison must complete the university-wide General Education Requirements, which are designed to convey the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. These requirements provide for breadth across the humanities and arts, social studies, and natural sciences; competence in communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills necessary for success in college and beyond; and investigation of the issues raised by living in a culturally diverse society. This core is intended to provide students with intellectual and practical skills, basic knowledge of human cultures and the physical world, strategies for understanding these topics, and tools intended to contribute to their sense of personal and social responsibility. General Education complements the work students do in their majors and degrees. Together, these requirements help students learn what they need to know not just for making a living, but also for making a life.

Completing the General Education Requirements is an important part of achieving these competencies, and to do so, students choose from many courses in communication, ethnic studies, quantitative reasoning, and breadth of study across disciplines in the natural sciences, humanities, literature, and arts, and social and behavioral sciences.

Completing the General Education Requirements is an important part of achieving these competencies, and to do so, students choose from many courses in communication, ethnic studies, quantitative reasoning, and breadth of study across disciplines in the natural sciences, humanities, literature, and arts, and social and behavioral sciences.

Each school and college may choose to allow General Education courses to count toward other degree and/or major requirements. Students should always check with their advisors to discuss any additional degree requirements and determine if students are required to take specific General Education courses or to complete the requirements in a particular order. Students should review their Degree Audit (DARS) report to see how they are progressing toward fulfilling the General Education requirements. Please refer to.

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

Joanna Schuth, Undergraduate Advisor
262-2090
[email protected]
Make an appointment through Starfish

L&S career resources

SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students leverage the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and liberal arts degree; explore and try out different career paths; participate in internships; prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications; and network with professionals in the field (alumni and employers). In short, SuccessWorks helps students in the College of Letters & Science discover themselves, find opportunities, and develop the skills they need for success after graduation.

SuccessWorks can also assist students in career advising, résumé and cover letter writing, networking opportunities, and interview skills, as well as course offerings for undergraduates to begin their career exploration early in their undergraduate career. 

Students should set up their profiles in Handshake to take care of everything they need to explore career events, manage their campus interviews, and apply to jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers around the country.

• SuccessWorks
• Set up a career advising appointment
• INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit, targeted to first- and second-year students)—for more information, see Inter-LS 210: Career Development, Taking Initiative
• INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Com B General Education Requirement)
• Handshake
• Learn how we’re transforming career preparation: L&S Career Initiative