Folklore always remain as the aesthetic communication and as cultural products of The human being. As Folkloristic is basically the study of human communication and performance covering such wider topics as oral, customary, material and performing traditions, scholars from different disciplines, nowadays, turn towards folklore for a clearer understanding of human life. If the word 'folklore' is mentioned anywhere in South India academics and scholars acquainted with Folklore and Culture will immediately think of St. Xavier's! College (Autonomous), Palayamkottai. It was in the year 1987, after getting the autonomous status, the St. Xavier's college, the only institution in the whole country, started postgraduate degree in Folkloristic as a multidisciplinary programme. It was also a Universities in the nation to start the interdisciplinary programmes in their respective departments of science and humanities, St. Xavier's College, came forward on its own and started a wonderful programme with MA in Folkloristic.
The Folkloristics is itself an interdisciplinary subject which, shares its domain with other subjects such as anthropology, sociology, linguistics, literature, literary criticism, communication etc., the interdisciplinary nature of the MA Folklore programme has been strictly maintained and thereby the course is being kept as a genuine social science. The nature of the course itself helps to maintain its separate identity from the other folklore courses offered by the other institutions in the country.
ThCurrently the MA Folklore programme has been significantly modified to enable itself to accommodate media oriented subjects with practical exposures such as documentary film making, practical journalism and media skills, folk motifs and designs etc.,
The method of internship is also introduced in relation to certain practical papers from the previous academic year and through which students could get practical knowledge and skills directly from the media and cultural centres where they work as interns.
Resourceful professors with rich experience in teaching and research in Folkloristics and also with special skills in theatre arts, ethnomusicology, modern theatre, still photography, videography, archiving of folklore etc and the necessary infrastructure are the real strength and potentialities of the Folklore Department. This infrastructure provides a congenial academic atmosphere for the students. Hence, the Department with rich resources is the ideal place of learning where one can prefer to study folklore and equip himself with other necessary practical skills which will enable him to obtain jobs in the fields of folklore, culture and media.
From the inception of the Folklore Department its professors have been involving in serious research activities duly funded by various funding agencies like University Grant Commission, Culture Department of Government of India , Sangeet Naatak Academy etc . The present range of intensive research activities of the folklore of socially under privileged and fringe communities including dalits, tribals, nomads, fisher folk etc. All the members of the Department publish their research papers, books and monographs regularly as the outcome of their research projects. The outgoing post graduates and the scholars who have registered for their research meant for PhD. degree are given chance to work in the research projects as field and research assistants. The training and the experience they gain through the research projects help to sharpen their research pursuits.