Karnataka Folklore University has taken the initiative to commence new academic courses with a greater objective of enriching Native Knowledge Systems with the specific interest of collecting the basic information about the knowledge sources of all communities of the society and for documentation of the knowledge systems which are available in very native forms in native surroundings. This university has started its march towards these defined goals step by step and the academic activities of this university stand as evidence for such progress.

The academic programmes are designed in such a way that these activities should lead to the other activities of the university such as extending its process of collection, dissemination and enriching the folk-culture. This makes the university to stretch its activities, its teaching and research over a wider area. Now transmission of knowledge in many forms is possible through outreach and extension programs. With these aims, the university began its 2012-13 academic activities. There are six faculties and seventeen departments in this university. In addition to this, there are six centres for academic activities.