The B.A. major in folklore and ethnomusicology includes the study of performance, specific cultures and regions, human diversity and worldview, and research methods. Folklore and ethnomusicology emphasize fieldwork methods to learn how societies function. Fieldwork involves documenting and learning about people’s lives, expressions, and beliefs in context. Through the study of different social groups and cultures, students gain skills in observation, analysis, documentation, reporting, and multicultural understanding. The major prepares students for a range of careers, including those involving the arts, education, historic preservation, communication, cross-cultural understanding, and human diversity and relations. Upon entering the program, the student and undergraduate advisor plan an individualized program of study. Majors may focus on either ethnomusicology or folklore, or a combination of the two.

Folklore is the study of the world’s expressive culture; the study of art in culture. Folklorists study tradition and innovation, looking at both groups and individuals, by focusing on creativity in everyday life, including customs, celebration, festivals, stories, jokes, dance, architecture, food, car art, and body art. Ethnomusicology is the study of music of all types and from all cultures. Ethnomusicologists not only listen to the sounds of music, but also explore the roles of music in human life and analyze relationships between music and culture.