COURSE CURRICULUM

The four-year Bachelor of Arts Community Studies (BACS) with a focus on folklore at Cape Breton University provides an in-depth, interdisciplinary study of culture, traditions, and expressive forms within communities. In the first year, students take introductory community studies courses along with foundational folklore subjects, building skills in communication, critical thinking, and understanding cultural expression. The second year expands into core folklore areas such as genres of folklore, oral traditions, music, storytelling, and cultural practices, along with courses that introduce analytical approaches and ethnographic methods for studying living traditions. In the third year, students focus on more specialized and applied learning, including regional studies of Atlantic Canadian traditions, thematic courses such as food culture, festivals, gender, and urban legends, and training in fieldwork, interviewing, and cultural documentation. The fourth year emphasizes advanced research and synthesis, where students undertake senior seminars, independent or guided research projects, and experiential learning opportunities that may involve working with archives, museums, or community-based cultural projects. Throughout the program, students also engage with issues of cultural heritage, identity, and inclusion, while developing strong research, writing, and analytical skills. Overall, the curriculum prepares graduates for careers in cultural heritage, museums, archives, tourism, media, and community development, as well as for further academic study in related fields.