Overview

Earn your bachelor's and master's degrees in as little as three years as a transfer student—or five years if you're starting as a first-year student. Cal State East Bay's Falcon Accelerated Success Track (FAST) program allows eligible students to begin graduate coursework while completing their undergraduate degrees, saving time and reducing the cost of earning an MA in History.

The Department of History & Global Cultures offers three accelerated degree pathways:

• History BA + History MA

• Anthropology BA + History MA

• Global Studies BA + History MA

Designed with transfer students in mind, FAST provides an accelerated pathway to graduate study while developing advanced research, analytical, and communication skills. Students can pursue interests in teaching, public history, museums, research, and other professional fields, as well as prepare for doctoral study.

The History MA is an in-person program at Cal State East Bay's Hayward campus. Students should plan to complete their graduate coursework on campus.

How Does FAST Work?

FAST combines undergraduate and graduate study into a single accelerated pathway. Eligible students apply after completing 60–90 units and begin graduate coursework while finishing their bachelor's degree.

The program offers several advantages:

• Save on Tuition: Apply up to 12 units of graduate coursework toward both degrees while paying undergraduate tuition rates for eligible courses.

• Begin Graduate Study Early: Take graduate-level courses during your senior year and transition directly into the History MA program.

• Simplify Admissions: FAST students do not need to submit a separate Cal State Apply application for the master's program.

Students work closely with faculty to develop an individualized degree plan that integrates undergraduate and graduate requirements. 

Eligibility Requirements

Students interested in FAST must meet the following requirements:

• Be a declared major in History, Anthropology, or Global Studies.

• Have completed at least 60 but no more than 90 units toward their bachelor's degree.

• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, or a GPA of at least 3.0 in each of the two semesters preceding application.

• Have completed all lower-division General Education requirements.

Students are encouraged to consult with the FAST advisor during their sophomore or junior year to determine eligibility and plan their coursework.

For current application deadlines and instructions, eligibility requirements, degree roadmaps, contact the FAST Program Advisor, Dr. Michael Schulze-Oechtering Castañeda, at michael.schulzeoechtering@csueastbay.edu.

For additional information, visit the university's FAST Programs.

Overview

Expand your interests. Complement your major. Build new skills. The Department of History & Global Cultures offers three undergraduate minors and a certificate in Public History and Cultural Heritage that allow students from across Cal State East Bay to explore new subjects, develop valuable skills, and enhance their academic and professional opportunities.

Whether you're interested in understanding the past, exploring human cultures, examining global challenges, or sharing history with public audiences, our programs provide opportunities to pursue your interests alongside your major.

History Minor

The History Minor allows students from any major to explore the past and its connections to the present. Through the study of historical events, societies, and ideas, students develop valuable skills in research, critical thinking, writing, and communication that complement a wide range of academic and professional interests.

The 19–23-unit minor introduces students to world history while allowing them to explore historical questions across three thematic focus areas: Migration & Globalization, Sustainability & Modernization, and Social Justice & Citizenships.

Explore History Minor Requirements

Anthropology Minor

The Anthropology Minor allows students from any major to explore human cultures, societies, languages, and biological diversity across time and around the world. Students develop cross-cultural understanding, research skills, and cultural awareness that complement a wide range of academic and professional interests.

The 18-unit minor introduces students to anthropology's four foundational subfields—sociocultural anthropology, biological anthropology, archaeology, and linguistic anthropology—while offering flexibility to explore specialized topics such as Indigenous cultures, human evolution, environmental change, medical anthropology, and museum studies.

Explore Anthropology Minor Requirements

Global Studies Minor

The Global Studies Minor allows students from any major to explore the connections between societies, cultures, economies, and political systems around the world. Students develop cross-cultural understanding, global awareness, and analytical skills that complement a wide range of academic and professional interests.

The 17–28-unit minor draws on fields such as anthropology, economics, geography, history, and political science. Students can tailor their studies to a disciplinary, regional, or thematic area of emphasis while exploring global challenges such as migration, environmental change, human rights, and economic inequality.

Explore Global Studies Minor Requirements

Public History and Cultural Heritage Certificate

The Public History and Cultural Heritage Certificate prepares students to research, preserve, and share history and cultural heritage beyond the traditional classroom. Combining History and Anthropology, the program develops practical skills in historical interpretation, archaeology, museum studies, archival research, and cultural resource management.

The 17–19-unit certificate provides hands-on experience through courses in museum exhibition development, oral history, archaeological fieldwork, and community-based research. It complements undergraduate and graduate study while preparing students for careers in museums, archives, historic preservation, cultural heritage organizations, and public history.

The certificate is open to eligible BA and MA students who have completed their lower-division requirements. Graduate students should consult their Graduate Coordinator about course substitutions and additional degree requirements.

Explore Public History and Cultural Heritage Certificate Requirements