Department of Turkish Folklore, gives a new dimensions to folklore studies in Turkey, was founded by enterprise and leadership of Prof. Dr. Dursun Yıldırım. He presented a report (called General Information about Folklore and Opinions on Founding of Folklore Department in Universities) to The Concil of High Education (YÖK) about folklore and education. After this report and discussions in I. National Cultural Forum,  The Council of High Education decided to open Folklore Departments in Turkish Universities. Along with this desicion, Hacettepe University Department of  Turkish Folklore was founded in 1982. Today Hacettepe University Department of Turkish Folklore, pioneer and model for other Turkish folklore departments, is seen as a center where many academicians grown.

Since 2009, Prof. Dr. Nebi Özdemir is chair of Turkish Folklore Department. Before him respectively Prof.Dr. Dursun Yıldırım, Prof.Dr. Umay Günay, Prof.Dr. Ziyat Akkoyunlu, Prof.Dr. M. Öcal Oğuz, Prof. Dr. Özkul Çobanoğlu provided valuable contributions as a chair.

The aim of the department is, to collcect oral and material cultural elements of turkish culture and to analize them according to folklore theory and methods; to study genres of folklore, to improve scientific research into Turkish World Studies and thus try to understand the basic dynamics of Turkish culture. Turkish Folklore Department sustains its educational and academic activities with these aims.