Bachelor of Arts Community Studies in Folklore

The study of a group’s folklore yields valuable insights into how that group operates in the world, but also reveals biases, prejudices and other obstacles to a more inclusive worldview. Most often, folklore is expressive and manifests itself in certain forms, such as story and song, festival and feast, architecture and craft. Although these forms may be manifested in a distinct way by each group, they recur in similar ways across cultures, so folklore examines both the particular context and the general formal patterns of expressive culture.CBU students learn practical skills in interviewing, fieldwork, and ethnographic research while also gaining an awareness of international heritage policy. Folklore’s interdisciplinary nature promotes sharing concerns, methods and insights with others. Through this group learning dynamic, folklore students acquire skills and knowledge that are applicable in a wide range of careers.

Cape Breton is home to several distinct language and expressive communities, including Mi’kmaq, Scottish Gaelic and Acadian. It is home to the only African Orthodox Church in Canada, the only Ukrainian and Polish churches east of Montreal, and a vibrant, multicultural community with many members descended from Italian, Greek, Jewish and Lebanese immigrants, among others.Students in the folklore program have access to cutting-edge technological equipment, software and facilities at CBU. The Digitization Lab lends audio and video equipment to students so they can conduct ethnographic fieldwork and interviews. The Media Interpretation and Reception Lab enables video documentation of group interviews and focus groups.CBU is also home to the Beaton Institute and the Mi’kmaq Resource Centre, exceptional archival resources that provide primary and historic data sources about the history and culture of Cape Breton Island and its cultural groups. They also regularly accept student research materials, allowing students to leave a legacy that will help future scholars.

An overall average of 65% is required for all students applying to most CBU credit programs based on high school performance.

General Requirements for High School Graduates

English 12 (academic or advanced)

4 additional grade 12 academic or advanced level course

TOEFL score of 550 (paper test), 213 (computer test), or 80 (internet test)
IELTS Academic (and IELTS Indicator) score of 6.5 with no band below 6.0
CAEL score of 60 (this includes CAEL Online)
MELAB score of 85
Pearson PTE (Academic) score of 59
CanTEST score of 4.5 (reading & listening), 4.0 (writing)

Application deadline - September 2024 (Fall) - April 15, January 2025 (Winter) - September 15, 2024, May 2025 (Spring) - January 15, 2025.