History & Global Cultures
Teacher Preparation Concentration

Overview

Prepare for a career teaching history and social science. Cal State East Bay offers flexible learning options, allowing students to complete the History-Social Science BA with a Concentration in Teacher Preparation for Middle and High Schools fully online or through a combination of online, hybrid, and in-person courses.

Our interdisciplinary program prepares future educators to teach history and social science in California middle and high schools. Students develop a broad understanding of the past and present while building the research, analytical, and communication skills needed to become effective teachers.

The curriculum prepares students to teach the major subjects included in California's secondary school social science curriculum:

  • U.S. History: American history, institutions, and society.

  • World History: Global civilizations, historical change, and international connections.

  • Government and Civics: American democracy, political institutions, and civic participation.

  • Economics: Economic systems, institutions, and decision-making.

  • Geography and California History: Geographic perspectives and California's diverse historical experiences.

  • Ethnic Studies: Race, ethnicity, identity, and the experiences of diverse communities.

Students benefit from personalized faculty advising, flexible upper-division electives, and opportunities to explore additional academic interests or pursue a minor.

Hands-On Learning and Teacher Preparation

Our program combines interdisciplinary coursework with practical preparation for teaching. Students develop a foundation in historical knowledge, cultural awareness, educational ethics, and effective communication.

The curriculum includes specialized courses such as History of Education and American Democracy, along with a Teaching Capstone that helps students connect their academic training to their future careers.

Students also have opportunities to gain classroom experience and complete observation hours that may be required for admission to a teaching credential program.

Our close relationship with Cal State East Bay's Credential Student Service Center and Single Subject Credential Program helps students prepare for the transition from undergraduate study to professional teacher training.

These experiences help future educators develop valuable skills in research, critical thinking, communication, and understanding diverse student communities.

Career Opportunities

The History-Social Science Teacher Preparation concentration is designed primarily for students interested in teaching social science in California middle and high schools. The degree also develops transferable skills that support careers in related fields, including:

  • Secondary Education: Middle and high school history and social science teaching.

  • Educational Programs and Outreach: Museum education, public history, and community education.

  • Curriculum and Educational Resources: Curriculum development, instructional materials, and educational publishing.

  • Public Service and Community Organizations: Civic education, youth programs, and nonprofit organizations.

  • Graduate and Professional Study: Advanced study in history, education, public policy, and related fields.

The BA provides preparation for entering a teaching credential program. Students must complete a separate credential program and meet applicable California requirements before becoming credentialed teachers.

Teaching Credential and Subject Matter Competency

Our History-Social Science Teacher Preparation concentration is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) as a subject matter preparation program.

Students who successfully complete the approved program can satisfy the Subject Matter Competency (SMC) requirement for a California Single Subject Teaching Credential in Social Science without taking the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) in Social Science.

This provides a direct academic pathway toward teacher credential preparation, although students must still complete a separate teaching credential program and meet all other admission and credentialing requirements.

For more information, visit:

Meet Our Students!

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Meet Taylor, 8th Grade US History Teacher

Ms. Taylor Wittman graduated from the History Department in 2016 and went straight into East Bay’s credential program. Ms. Wittman won the History Department’s prestigious Rice Senior Scholarship in 2016, which helped fund her credential the following year. She has been working as a Social Studies teacher ever since, currently teaching 8th grade US History at Hart Middle School in Pleasanton. “I love it!” she says. Taylor is also the chair of her history department and hoping to become a mentor to future teachers.

Remembering her final project in the History Department, she notes, “I wrote a paper on Civil War music, and I have since turned part of it into a lesson I teach my students during our Civil War unit. The lesson has students read and analyze lyrics from a Union and a Confederate patriotic song. The students answer questions about the songs, connecting the lyrics to the reasons why each side was participating in the war. This year, I plan on focusing the lesson to be more of an assessment of students' understanding of the causes of the Civil War.” Following in her prize-winning footsteps, one of her students recently won “Junior First Place” in the National Maritime Historical Society’s annual competition, for a project on “Steamships and Ironclads.”

Ms. Wittman’s classes feature fun lessons and clear schedules. Here is her class website; check out her “important links!”

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Meet Raul, Fall ‘23 History BA

Mr. Raul Garcia Jr., pictured left at his own high school graduation less than four years ago, is currently a senior in the History Department, applying to the Single Subject Credential Program to begin this Summer. Here he offers our future teachers some words of encouragement: “The path to teaching is never easy; if anyone tells you otherwise, they're wrong. In my experience, the most crucial asset I possessed was the unwavering support I received from all my professors and counselors. Right from day one, we worked closely, month by month, on charting my path and how I would reach my goals. The advising was clear and highly efficient, and whenever I encountered an issue, I always had someone to turn to. It made me a much better writer, expanded my understanding of history and my own heritage, and even led to my first job as a teacher assistant, which allowed me to step into the classroom and learn even more. One final gift they gave me was the opportunity to return to the high school that initially inspired me to become a teacher…I arrived at Eastbay during the pandemic as an 18-year-old boy who had always been somewhat uncertain about school but possessed a heart full of determination and a clear goal. Now, at 22, I'm emerging from Eastbay as a future educator, ready to take on the world and inspire a new generation.”

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Meet Keith, Credential Student

Mr. Keith Vazquez, center, graduated from the History Department in Spring 2023, and is now in the credential program at East Bay. He began his undergraduate studies as a freshman who already knew he wanted to teach history. Over the years, he participated in the “My Housing Story Oral History Project,” run by the department’s Center for Applied History, and completed an internship archiving the papers of Barbara Lee, long-time U.S. Senator from California. In 2022 he won the History Department’s East Bay Historian of Exceptional Promise scholarship. He recently reported back from the Credential Program: “I am doing well! I am really enjoying my placement and have been learning a lot. A lot of the classes have been focused on more practical things that we are tasked with trying out in our classrooms… we take a teaching social science methods class focused on teaching history in a K-12 setting, so that’s been a really fun class.”

History-Social Science Teacher Preparation Advising

Our History-Social Science Teacher Preparation program provides personalized faculty advising to help students plan their coursework, meet degree requirements, and prepare for teaching careers. Prospective and current students are encouraged to contact Dr. Ivey to discuss their academic goals and the pathway to a California teaching credential.

Dr. Linda Ivey
Professor and History-Social Science Teacher Preparation Advisor
Email: linda.ivey@csueastbay.edu
Phone: (510) 885-2166
Office: Student and Faculty Support Building (SF) 446

How Can Your Advisor Help?

Whether you're a new student, transfer student, or current History-Social Science major, faculty advising can help you:

  • Develop a personalized degree plan and stay on track for graduation.

  • Understand major requirements and select courses that support your teaching goals.

  • Navigate subject matter competency requirements and prepare for a teaching credential program.

  • Explore classroom observation opportunities and practical teaching experiences.

  • Prepare for admission to a Single Subject Teaching Credential program.

Why are there several people listed as my advisor in Bay Advisor?

Many History majors have additional advisors for specific programs they may be participating in. All students also have designated General Education/Breadth advisors to guide students. The General Education/Breadth Advisor for History majors is Dr. Sharla Blank. Her email address is sharla.blank@csueastbay.edu.