MA in Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies

The programme comprises seven modules, and students collaborate with the faculty to design several of them to support their individual professional goals. For example, students choose to complete their studies with a conventional master’s thesis or a master’s project that consists of a written component and a theoretically grounded practical component. Master’s projects have included exhibitions, podcast series, study materials, and documentation of a craft tradition.

The programme offers two specialisations to choose from:

Analysis of folklore and cultural heritage
Study and application of the heritage of craft
The University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy offers craft specialisation and focuses on the study of craft. Prior familiarity with crafts is an advantage but not a prerequisite.

Internships and other opportunities to combine theory with practice are built into the curriculum. Students are encouraged to study abroad, develop their digital humanities skills, and broaden their horizons by taking courses offered by neighbouring departments in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Modules:

1. General course module (42 ECTS)
2. Specialisation module (15 ECTS)
3. Practical training module (15 ECTS)
4. Elective course module (12 ECTS)
5. Optional course module (6 ECTS)
6. Master’s thesis or master’s project (30 ECTS)

Examples of courses:

• Heritage and Cultural Policies
• Handicraft Didactics
• Inherited Technology and Design
• Methods of Data Collection and Analysis
• Theoretical Conceptualisations of Folklore and Cultural Heritage
• Vernacular Expressions and Analytic Categories
• Applied Crafts Research and Heritage of Crafts

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Students develop a solid basis in the study of folklore and critical heritage studies as well as many transferable skills, which enables them to:

• unpack the workings of tradition and the process of heritage production in the context of cultural diversity and change
• act as a mediator between different interest groups in the field of intangible cultural heritage
• recognise and ethically apply cultural heritage as a resource in the public and non-governmental sectors, crafts, product design, tourism, and other areas of life.

As of 2022, 31 students have graduated from this programme. Many have continued their academic journeys in graduate programmes in Europe and North America, while others are employed in public or private sector jobs.

Upon completing the programme, students have acquired valuable analytical, writing and communication skills and multifaceted practical experiences that they can apply in many areas in the public and non-governmental sectors and business. This programme trains experts in folk culture who are knowledgeable about the functions and application opportunities of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and familiar with cultural policy processes.

Graduates are capable of guiding the development of the field and acting as mediators between communities, officials, enterprises, memory institutions and other participants in the process of heritage production. They can plan and carry out research and business projects on cultural heritage. As more states worldwide join the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the need grows for specialists capable of analysing cultural heritage and using it responsibly as a social and economic resource. Graduates also are qualified to continue their studies at the doctoral level.

Why choose the University of Tartu?

The University of Tartu provides a broad yet rigorous approach to cultural heritage and vernacular cultural practices. Three of the university's units specialise in distinct aspects of this field: Departments of Ethnology and Folklore and the UT Viljandi Culture Academy in Viljandi, located about 80 kilometres from Tartu.

The faculty-student ratio is low, and students benefit from course offerings of other departments in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. There are ample opportunities to gain diverse hands-on experiences and to network through scholarly meetings, guest lectures, internships, and exhibitions, as well as through cooperation with memory institutions and enterprises. Many students tap into the various study abroad opportunities offered by the University of Tartu.