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sgaana (![[info]](http://www.journalfen.net/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} sgaana) wrote in ![[info]](http://www.journalfen.net/img/community.gif){kind=small} otf_wank, |
I would say that even if you were considering getting a folklore masters, there are plenty of things to do with it rather than academia. (I would tend to agree that, why spend all that time and money getting a phd if you're not wanting to be in academia. Although... well... I do know any number of people who have phds in various humanities disciplines, but who gave up on trying to get one of the rare jobs in academia, and they have found that even though their phd is not in something that is related to what they are doing now -- such as an English doctorate when they are working in high-level computer support -- just *having* a doctoral degree means that they will be paid more than someone without one, and they can apply for some non-academic jobs that still look favorably on those who have phds, of any kind.)
Getting back to the idea of a folklore degree... I can only speak to the experience of our program's undergrads, with their bachelors degrees in folklore, but... they find they can turn that into a lot of different careers, and I somehow think that would be the same thing for a masters degree. Aside from the ones who go on to law or med school, a large number of our graduates go on to become writers, journalists, filmmakers, advertisers, and educators. Since folklore is the study of shared culture, of storytelling, and of what's important to people on an almost "hidden" cultural level (i.e. the body of folklore of a culture is often -- esp. in the U.S. -- not accorded the same respect as "of cultural importance" as the more obvious categories of religion, "high" art, literature, and so on. But people are deeply attached to their culture's folklore, and once you learn to identify it and study it, you have a key to ways they create community and define themselves to each other, and to what pushes their buttons. So you can imagine how that might come in handy to an advertiser, say, or any kind of writer.
Sorry to witter on! But, also don't give up thinking that it's "too late" in your life to start something new. Although, I hear you that the biggest problem is the economic burden. Being older, or even having tried other career paths, doesn't mean you can't up and figure out another one later. The key is figuring out how to make it possible in your life to do that.
Getting back to the idea of a folklore degree... I can only speak to the experience of our program's undergrads, with their bachelors degrees in folklore, but... they find they can turn that into a lot of different careers, and I somehow think that would be the same thing for a masters degree. Aside from the ones who go on to law or med school, a large number of our graduates go on to become writers, journalists, filmmakers, advertisers, and educators. Since folklore is the study of shared culture, of storytelling, and of what's important to people on an almost "hidden" cultural level (i.e. the body of folklore of a culture is often -- esp. in the U.S. -- not accorded the same respect as "of cultural importance" as the more obvious categories of religion, "high" art, literature, and so on. But people are deeply attached to their culture's folklore, and once you learn to identify it and study it, you have a key to ways they create community and define themselves to each other, and to what pushes their buttons. So you can imagine how that might come in handy to an advertiser, say, or any kind of writer.
Sorry to witter on! But, also don't give up thinking that it's "too late" in your life to start something new. Although, I hear you that the biggest problem is the economic burden. Being older, or even having tried other career paths, doesn't mean you can't up and figure out another one later. The key is figuring out how to make it possible in your life to do that.
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