Programs by Campus
Bloomington
Folklore and Ethnomusicology
College of Arts and Sciences
Departmental E-mail: folkethn [at] indiana [dot] edu
Departmental URL: https://folklore.indiana.edu/
(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, the University Graduate School uses those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin.)
Curriculum
Degrees Offered
Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Folklore and Ethnomusicology
Fields of Study
The Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology offers training in a number of subfields of folklore, including oral narrative, song, material culture, ritual, festival, worldview, as well as ethnomusicology, the study of music as culture, with emphasis on area studies, theory, and presentation and preservation of music. The department is dedicated to the study of expressive forms traditional, contemporary, vernacular, and popular within an integrative academic program. Students and faculty conduct research in a range of world areas, using diverse research methods: ethnographic, historical, archival, and laboratory. Students prepare for careers in a variety of academic and public settings. The department offers a graduate concentration in public practice that emphasizes research, critical orientations, and practical skills in the areas of public education, preservation, and presentation.
Special Requirements
(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)
Admission Requirements
A good undergraduate record in any of the humanities or social sciences will be acceptable for admission to graduate study in folklore and ethnomusicology. Students may be admitted to graduate study in folklore and ethnomusicology, concentrating in either folklore or ethnomusicology, in one of three categories: (1) M.A., (2) Ph.D., or (3) M.A./Ph.D.
Grades
The department will accept no course for credit toward a degree in which the grade is lower than a B– (2.7). All students must earn a B (3.0) or better in the required department courses and maintain a grade point average of at least 3.2.
Master of Arts Degree in Folklore and Ethnomusicology
Foreign Language Requirement
Reading proficiency in one foreign language. Must be completed before or during the semester the M.A. exam is taken or before the M.A. project/thesis is submitted.
Exam/Project/Thesis
A comprehensive written exam or project/thesis is required for the degree. Students may earn up to 6 thesis credit hours for an M.A. project/thesis. A comprehensive oral examination is given when the project/thesis is submitted. Students choosing to take the exam will fulfill their 30 credit hours with coursework.
Master of Arts Track in Folklore
Course Requirements
A minimum of 30 credit hours, including F512, F516, F523, and F525 or F517; three additional approved courses in the department. Students must also select one Ethnomusicology course. Selected in close consultation with advisors, these courses will normally be made from a menu of the following courses: E522, E525, E533, E714, or F740. Another ethnomusicology course may be substituted if 1) it contains sufficient discipline-specific theoretical content and 2) if it is approved by the Director of the Ethnomusicology Institute.
Master of Arts Track in Ethnomusicology
Course Requirements
A minimum of 30 credit hours including E522, F523, and an ethnomusicology area course, E533, E714, and two other approved courses one of which must be in the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology. Students must also select one Folklore course. Selected in close consultation with advisors, these courses will normally be made from a menu of the following courses: F512, F516, F517, and F525. Another folklore course may be substituted if 1) it contains sufficient discipline-specific theoretical content and 2) if it is approved by the Director of the Folklore Institute.
Dual Master’s Degrees
All Folklore & Ethnomusicology dual degrees require the following:
Admission Requirements
Students must be admitted by both programs to pursue the dual degree. Both degrees must be awarded simultaneously.
Foreign Language Requirement
Reading proficiency in one foreign language. Must be completed before the end of the semester in which the comprehensive exam is taken or before the project/thesis is submitted.
Exam/Project/Thesis
A comprehensive written exam or a project/thesis is required for the degree. Students may earn up to 6 credit hours for the project/thesis. Students who choose to do the project/thesis, may develop their project/thesis to integrate their Folklore and Ethnomusicology interests and their other dual degree interests, with a committee of two Folklore/ Ethnomusicology faculty and one or more faculty members of the other degree department. An oral defense is held when the project/thesis is complete.
Dual Master of Arts and Master of Library Science Degrees
Study for these two degrees can be combined for a total of 51 credit hours rather than the 66 credit hours required for the two degrees taken separately. Students take at least 30 graduate credit hours in library science and at least 21 credit hours in folklore and ethnomusicology.
Folklore and Ethnomusicology Course Requirements
One of the following: F512, F516, F517, E522, or E533; and either F523 or F525; and five additional approved courses in the department.
Dual Master of Arts and Master of Information Science Degrees
Study for these two degrees can be combined for a total of 57 credit hours rather than the 66 credit hours required for the two degrees taken separately. Students take at least 30 graduate credit hours in information science, and at least 21 credit hours in folklore and ethnomusicology.
Folklore and Ethnomusicology Course Requirements
One of the following: F512, F516, F517, E522, or E533; and either F523 or F525; and five additional approved courses in the department.
Dual Master of Arts Degree: Arts Administration and Folklore and Ethnomusicology
Study for these two degrees can be combined for a total of 60 credit hours rather than the 75 credit hours required for the two degrees taken separately. Students take at least 36 graduate credit hours in arts administration, and at least 24 credit hours in folklore and ethnomusicology.
Folklore and Ethnomusicology Course Requirements
Two of the following: F512, F516, F517, E522, E533, E714
- Either F523 or F525
- F532
- Either F802 or F803
- Three additional approved courses in the Department.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Folklore and Ethnomusicology
Admission Requirement
Minors
At least one minor is required; Students opting for the Ph.D. program with a double major do not need a minor.
Foreign Language Requirement
Reading proficiency in two foreign languages, or in-depth* proficiency in one foreign language. Must be completed before qualifying examination is taken. In special cases, and in consultation with the student’s advisory committee, a student may submit a written petition to the Director of Graduate Studies to fulfill the language requirement with one foreign language plus one research skill.
* To demonstrate in-depth proficiency in English, a student must first petition to use English as a foreign language. Once proficiency has been established, then the student must pass a department course numbered 500 or higher that includes a written component with a grade of B (3.0) or better. The course may be in theory, form, or area and it must be taught in English.
Qualifying Examinations
Written examination in three parts (theory, genre, and area specialties), followed by oral examination.
Research Proposal
Must be approved by the research committee, a majority of whose members must be faculty of folklore and ethnomusicology.
Final Examination
Defense of the dissertation.
Ph.D. Track in Folklore
Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours, 60 of which must be coursework including F512, F516, F517, F523, F525, and six approved courses. Students must also select one Ethnomusicology course. Selected in close consultation with advisors, these courses will normally be made from a menu of the following courses: E522, E525, E533, E714, or F740. Another ethnomusicology course may be substituted if 1) it contains sufficient discipline-specific theoretical content and 2) if it is approved by the Director of the Ethnomusicology Institute.
Ph.D. Track in Ethnomusicology
Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours, 60 of which must be coursework including E522, F523, E533, E714, F740 or F722, and an ethnomusicology area course, and five approved courses, four of which must be in the department. Students must also select one Folklore course. Selected in close consultation with advisors, these courses will normally be made from a menu of the following courses: F512, F516, F517, and F525. Another folklore course may be substituted if 1) it contains sufficient discipline-specific theoretical content and 2) if it is approved by the Director of the Folklore Institute.
Ph.D Minor in Ethnomusicology
Doctoral students in other departments may obtain a minor in ethnomusicology by completing 12 credit hours (four graduate ethnomusicology courses). Six credit hours (two graduate ethnomusicology courses) must be from the required courses: E522, F523, E533, E714, or F740. Contact the Director of the Ethnomusicology Institute for approval of courses. Graduate students may pursue a concentration in ethnomusicology at the M.A. and Ph.D. levels; consult the requirements for that department.
Ph.D. Minor in Folklore
Doctoral students in other departments may obtain a minor in folklore by completing 12 credit hours (four graduate folklore courses). Three credit hours (one graduate folklore course) must be in one of the required courses: F512, F516, F517, F523, or F525. Contact the Director of the Folklore Institute or the minor advisor for approval of courses.
Grades
A minimum of a B (3.0) is required in each course that is to count toward the minors.
Ph.D. Internal Minor in Folklore for Students in the Ethnomusicology Track
Students pursuing the Folklore track may earn an internal minor in Ethnomusicology by completing four courses (for a total of 12 hours) that are outside of their major requirements. Students must complete two of the following courses: E522, E533, or E714. All other courses must be approved in advance for the minor by the Ethnomusicology Institute Director. Students should contact the Ethnomusicology Institute Director for further information on this minor.
Ph.D. Internal Minor in Ethnomusicology for Students in the Folklore Track
Students pursuing the Folklore track may earn an internal minor in Ethnomusicology by completing four courses (for a total of 12 hours) that are outside of their major requirements. Students must complete two of the following courses: E522, E529, E533, or E714. All other courses must be approved in advance for the minor by the Ethnomusicology Institute Director. Students should contact the Ethnomusicology Institute Director for further information on this minor.