The MA in Irish Folklore is a full-time programme running for 12 months from the date of registration for the programme.

In order to be permitted to proceed to this programme, a candidate must normally hold an approved primary degree with a Second Class Honours Grade 1 (or equivalent) or Higher Diploma in Arts in Folklore. This may include graduates in Folklore or Ethnology or those from cognate disciplines with an interest in Irish Folklore. Candidates who hold an approved primary degree with a Second Class Honours Grade 2 will also be considered subject to a written expression of interest and/or interview acceptable to the Director of the Programme.

Students take modules to the value of 90 credits as follows:

Part I
FL6000 Peasants to Natives: The Emergence of Irish Folklore and Popular Culture (10 credits)
FL6001 Popular and Unpopular Culture: Festival, Ritual, Belief and Narrative (10 credits)
FL6002 Scholars and Schizophrenics: Issues in Writing Irish Culture (10 credits)
FL6004 Irish Folklore in Context, Community, Field and Archive (15 credits)

Part II
Dissertation
FL6003 Dissertation in Irish Folklore (45 credits)

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2016 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules 2015/2016.

Postgraduate Certificate in Irish Folklore
Candidates who pass at least 30 credits of taught modules may opt to exit the programme and be awarded a Postgraduate Certificate in Irish Folklore.

Programme Learning Outcomes for MA in Irish Folklore (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Understand Irish folklore in national and international contexts;
• Identify cognate areas of interest across disciplines;
• Discuss key occasions in life experience in terms of ritual and festival;
• Understand popular expressions in a variety of contexts;
• Recognise the main collective expressions within Irish folklore;
• Understand the place of ethnography and writing in an Irish context;
• Design and carry out a research project and write and report on it;
• Identify and critically evaluate cultural themes;
• Appreciate the public dimension of Irish folklore;
• Recognise applied / experiential aspects of their own learning experience.

Programme Learning Outcomes for the Postgraduate Certificate in Irish Folklore (NFQ Level 9, Minor Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Trace the development of folklore as an academic discipline;
• Assess oral tradition and popular culture in a structured way that encourages interpretation;
• Understand the different dimensions and relevance of aspects of material culture to folklore studies;
• Assess aspects of popular belief and religion in society;
• Understand the basic patterns of meaning in festivals and celebrations in society.