About us

The Department of Ethnology and Folklore Studies was established in 1992 under the name of The Department of Folkloristics and Regionalistics. The study is designed to provide education in the field of ethnology which is considered to be one of the key social sciences. It clarifies development of the traditional culture and the Slovak people’s way of life in Central-European historical and cultural contexts. In relationship with the present, it examines continuity and common and differential features of everyday culture.

Particular courses are aimed at socio-normative culture, socio-cultural background of the Slovak regions development, the culture of ethnic minorities and cultural heritage of regions, which is encompassed in verbal-music-dance and handicraft and art tradition. One of the department’s specialities is its orientation towards folk and artistic displays with the accent on the ethnomusicology. Furthermore, the study schedule includes wide range of facultative courses which supplement the image regarding the development and current state of everyday culture and also courses practically oriented to some areas of the traditional culture.

In the Bachelor programme, these themes are emphasised: Introduction to Ethnology and Folkloristics, The History of Ethnography and Folkloristics, Methods and Techniques of the Field Work, Material Culture and Technologies, Socio-normative Culture, Social Relations and Organisation, Traditional Art, Verbal and Musical Folkloristics, Ethnic Theories and History, Theory and Methodology of Ethnology and Anthropology, Urban Ethnology. The Master’s degree contains these courses: Ethnology of Europe, European Folklore and Folkloristics, European Traditional Music, Symbolic Anthropology, Gender Studies, Current Problems of Ethnology and Folkloristics, Traditional Music of Non-European Nations, Ethnology of Identities, The Religions of the World, Ethnomedicine etc. The field work which embodies the preparation for projects and their realization is the root of the study programmes at both levels.

Student Profile

The graduates of Ethnology contrive to apply gained knowledge about the traditional spiritual, social artistic and partially material culture of Slovakia and also about the current trends in the development of everyday culture. They are able to analyse inter-ethnic relations, acculturation processes and problems of inter-ethnic co-existence and search for solutions in local and regional conditions. Having the qualitative fieldwork method and technique skills of ethnological and folkloristic research, they contribute to more qualified solutions of problems in social and cultural spheres. Moreover, they are acquiring the practical skill of one of the traditional art areas (e.g. folk dance, musical instrument and folk music, traditional art techniques) and also the pedagogical skills necessary for their effective use in the educational process.

Students’ Utility

The Ethnology graduate is eligible to work in the following professional areas: scientific research, state and public sphere, mainly local and regional culture, social and cultural sphere in the environment of ethnic minorities, consulting on activities for home and foreign institutions, mass media, analytical activities for the explanation of defined social and cultural processes, leisure artistic activities, education in the area of Slovak cultural heritage.