Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies
Heritage has emerged as a key category shaping the ways in which individuals, communities and regional as well as state-level actors relate to the past and imagine the future, while making and re-making themselves in the present. 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. Of vital importance for developing such competencies are folkloristic theories of tradition, performance and expressive culture.
The programme provides students with knowledge, skills and attitudes to:
- unpack the process of heritage production and the workings of tradition 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 various other areas of life.
Why the University of Tartu?
The University of Tartu (UT) has what it takes to provide a broad, yet rigorous approach to cultural heritage and practices. Three UT units specialise in distinct aspects of this field: the Departments of Ethnology and Folklore, established in 1919, and the Department of Native Crafts of the UT Viljandi Culture Academy. The faculty to student ratio is excellent and students are given individual attention. International meetings, journals, guest lectures, exhibitions and cooperation with memory institutions and enterprises provide students ample opportunity to gain diverse hands-on experience and network. No tuition fee for most students!
Programme structure
The programme (120 ECTS) is designed to enable students to pursue their professional aspirations. Students take four core courses (30 ECTS), accompanied by MA seminars (12 ECTS), and choose to specialise either in the analysis of folklore and cultural heritage or in the study and application of the heritage of craft (15 ECTS). Students collaborate with the faculty to tailor the content of the optional course module (18 ECTS) and of practical training (9 ECTS) towards their chosen career path. An MA thesis or a more practically oriented MA project (30 ECTS) completes the programme.
Career opportunities
Upon completing the programme, students have acquired valuable analytical, writing and communication skills as well as multifaceted practical experiences that they can apply in many areas in the public and non-governmental sectors as well as in 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 processes of cultural policy. 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 are able to plan and carry out research and business projects pertaining to cultural heritage. As more states worldwide join the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the need grows for such 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 doctoral level.
Admission to Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies
General requirements
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent
NB! Applicants graduating in 2017 and having their diplomas issued later than the application deadline, should electronically submit their most recent official Transcript of Records by the required deadline along with the rest of the required documents. Admitted candidates are required to post the certified copies of their final degree certificate and transcript as soon as they have been issued (the final certificates should reach the University by the end of July). - English language proficiency
The applicants are ranked based on the following indicator:
- score of the motivation letter (yields 100% of the final score)
The maximum score is 100 points. The application will be considered for the admissions ranking if a score of 66 points or higher is achieved.
Application process for international candidates
Guide to applying online (step 1)
Submit the online application via the DreamApply application system. Please be sure to fill in the form correctly with all of the requested information and make sure to submit your application. You are required to upload the electronic copies of all the required documents (please see below) to your online application byMarch 15. Please keep in mind that the electronic copies must be made of the original educational certificates that have been stamped and signed by the issuing institution. Incomplete applications or those submitted by email will not be considered by the University.
Applicants will receive feedback, notifications and official admission offers through the DreamApply system to their email. Once applying, you should ensure that you have access to your DreamApply and email accounts. The decisions on the applications will be made based on the electronic copies that have been added to the DreamApply system by the applicants. If needed, the University has a right to request the applicant to send application documents by post immediately after providing the scanned copies.
Guide to paper submission (step 2)
All the applicants who have been admitted are required to send all the application documents by post to: Student Admissions, University of Tartu, Ülikooli 18-134, Tartu 50090, ESTONIA. Please note that the documents are expected to be mailed to the University only by those receiving the admission offer (unless instructed otherwise by the admissions staff). Please make sure the documents reach the University within 3 weeks from the announcement of the offer. For example, if the admission offer is announced on April 1, the hard copies of the application documents must be received by the University by April 21. You will be informed when the documents have arrived.
The official admission letter will be sent to the accepted students by email only after reviewing their hard copies of the application documents. Once you receive the admission letter, you may proceed further with arranging your arrival (flights, accommodation and residence permits/visas when applicable). If your application documents do not reach us in 3 weeks, the University has a right to withdraw the admission offer.
Programme details
| Title | Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies |
| Level of study | Master's studies |
| Degree awarded | Master of Arts in Humanities |
| Faculty | Faculty of Humanities, Institute of Cultural Research and Fine Arts |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Credits | 120 ECTS |
| Study form | Full-time regular studies |
| Language | English |
| Location | Tartu, Estonia |
| Tuition fee | 3400 euros per year |
| Scholarships | 8 tuition-waiver scholarships are available, other scholarship opportunities |
For more information please click "Further Official Information" below.
This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:
http://www.flku.ut.ee/en/learning/folkloristics-and-applied-heritage-studies