Master of Arts in History with Concentration in University Thesis

at California State University - East Bay USA

Students who pursue a degree in History come to understand the major issues facing the contemporary world through a historical lens, and understand how actions and actors of the past have created the political, social, and environmental circumstances faced by civilization today. Their studies afford them entree to the riches of the recorded past and understanding of the process of historical change. At the same time, a History major enables them to develop critical reading and writing skills that are valuable in life and crucial in any employment field they choose to enter.

The Art Department emphasizes study in our Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Program. This is a professional degree that offers students the opportunity to develop greater expertise through comprehensive and intensive study in a specific area of art or design - a program that leads to successful careers in the visual art and design industries. Students who intend to pursue graduate studies or advanced skills for a professional career typically choose the B.F.A degree.

The B.F.A. professional concentrations require 70 units of study in the Department to complete the major.  There is no application procedure to enter the Bachelor of Fine Arts program beyond declaring as a B.F.A. student with a specific concentration.  The concentrations are listed below under major requirements.

BFA in Fine Arts Practice
The Fine Arts Practice concentration is offered for students who wish to delve deeper into their art practice, develop their key concepts, and create a focused body of work to propel their career in the Arts to the next level. Through intensive hands-on studio courses, thought-provoking academics, and BFA critiques, faculty work with students to hone their skills, widen critical thinking, strengthen creative expression, and form a deeper understanding of their role as a cultural maker. Students can specialize in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, or hybrid approaches to artmaking which may incorporate multiple media and digital media. Bridging traditional and contemporary art practices, the program prepares students with skills to produce and sustain a culturally responsive practice that embraces the emerging issues and technologies that impact society and cultural production. This degree is chosen by students who intend to become professional working artists, work in art related fields, or apply for graduate work.

The Environmental Studies Undergraduate Major is characterized by its focus on equitable, just, and sustainable environmental solutions. Environmental professionals who emerge from the program are generalists who can identify and synthesize the ecological, social, ethical, economic, technical, and behavioral dimensions of critical environmental problems. Using qualitative and quantitative problem-solving concepts, approaches, and tools, our students are prepared to synthesize and communicate appropriate environmental solutions.

Majors are typically involved in campus and community sustainability projects such as greenhouse gas assessment, water resource and sustainability assessment, climate action and sustainability planning, and urban restoration projects. The program engages actively in collaborations across the campus, locally, and internationally. The Major benefits by close association with the Geography Program, providing students access to training in the spatial analytical tools that can greatly leverage their expertise for careers as sustainability directors and environmental resource managers. The program also benefits from aggressive regional and state programs to promote environmental sustainability and social justice that make the San Francisco Bay Area a national hotspot for environmental careers.

The Art Department offers three programs of study in the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree. The Art History and Visual Studies concentration develops students’ skills in research, visual analysis, and argumentation, leading to a range of careers in the arts or to graduate study. The concentration in Studio Arts and the concentration in Design provide broad survey art and design practices in preparation for continued professional development or creative and design careers.

The concentration in Art History and Visual Studies trains students in the critical and historical study of art and other visual media. Students in this concentration learn how to approach art objects and images with respect to the socio-political and cultural conditions of their making and reception. This fosters sensitivity for diverse viewpoints and promotes critical awareness of the ethical and aesthetic dimensions of how we see the world. Coursework introduces comparative studies of world cultures, critical investigations of old and new media technologies, and examination of the global impacts of contemporary visual cultures. Students are also encouraged to broaden the scope of their studies by locating cognate courses on visuality and visual practices outside the department. The concentration prepares graduates for a wide range of careers in the arts or for graduate work in art history, film and media studies, law, and education.

The Liberal Studies Major aims to provide a rich liberal art educational experience through selected courses from a wide range of academic disciplines, while at the same time allowing students to select a field for in-depth study of their own interest.  The broad-based, interdisciplinary nature of Liberal Studies provides a solid well-rounded undergraduate educational experience, integrating knowledge from arts and humanities, social science, and natural sciences, with analytical and communication skills well suited for many careers and professions.

The major consists of a common core and a choice from seven concentrations, designed to meet diverse student interests and needs not only for school teaching, but also for leadership in government, non-profit organizations, and business, and for graduate education in law, counseling, social work and services, public affairs and administration, and educational leadership.

The College of Business and Economics, which offers the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) program, is committed to providing life-changing, quality business education to prepare students from diverse backgrounds to become successful business professionals and leaders. The B.S.B.A. program imparts students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the changing global business environment and to prepare students for success in their professional careers.

The B.S.B.A. major program is structured around a set of core courses enabling students to develop general business perspective and skills. Students are required to choose an area of specialization, i.e., concentration, corresponding to their desired career path. In addition, the program allows students flexibility to customize their specialization by choosing business elective courses. These electives may be chosen to further strengthen their preparation in their chosen concentration.

The undergraduate and the graduate programs in the College of Business and Economics are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB).

Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. Many psychologists work primarily with people to understand how they think, respond to stress, learn and forget, develop into unique personalities, and interact with one another. Others study the behavior and nervous systems of animals in order to find general principles that apply across species. Psychologists apply their knowledge to do therapy and counseling, to improve practices in schools, prisons, and rehabilitation centers, and to enhance performance in industrial and business settings.

The B.S. programs are designed for more specialized purposes. Students in the B.S. program must select one of the two concentrations in that program: Industrial/Organizational Psychology or Ergonomics and Human Factors. The concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology provides preparation for careers related to business, with an emphasis on personnel management. The concentration in Ergonomics and Human Factors provides preparation for careers in the design of work environments to take account of human limitations and strengths, for example, the design of equipment (computers, aircraft, automobiles) or the design of industrial procedures.

The M.B.A. program supports students’ career advancement by preparing them for positions of leadership in an increasingly diverse and globally competitive economy. The program is centered on the rigorous knowledge of the basic functional areas of business, an appreciation of management challenges in a global context, and opportunities to develop students’ interpersonal and executive leadership skills. It also enables students to deepen and broaden their knowledge and skills through elective courses in an area of concentration. The program offers a range of formats to cater to the needs of full and part time students and students seeking an executive style MBA.

The MBA Analytics for Managers concentration is designed for analytical business professionals who want to combine their managerial skills and training to advance into an information management role. It blends the teaching of core management disciplines and the science of information technology, tools, and skills. Students will expand their understanding of the business value and strategic importance of information. The program prepares students to assume managerial positions in business analytics. Students can broaden their experience and gain the skills they need to make impactful contributions to your organization. Students will develop an understanding of the need for lifelong learning, enabling them to use analytical tools and concepts benefiting their organization.

The Master of Science in Counseling degree requires 60 units organized according to university and degree program requirements. Requirements are established to ensure that each degree candidate obtains adequate breadth in subject matter, field experiences, and research.

Marriage and Family Therapy Concentration
The primary focus of the concentration is to train psychotherapists who eventually plan to obtain a California Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) and/or a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) internship license. Additional units may be taken to meet the requirements for the LPCC and the MFT internship. (See BBS Sections 4980.37, 4980.41 (a)(4)&(5) for MFT and 4999.33 for LPCC.).   These additional LPCC courses lead to completion of the required hours of clinical experience for the license application. The LPCC units may be completed at the same time as the M.S. in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy concentration.

The  MFT course work is geared towards a relational approach to counseling that focuses on  multicultural diversity, collaborative treatment, wellness, resiliency, and recovery. Faculty orient students to promote resilience and practice strength-based interventions. Course work combined with clinical practicum training in the field prepares graduates to work from a relational perspective.

The Art Department offers three programs of study in the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree. The Art History and Visual Studies concentration develops students’ skills in research, visual analysis, and argumentation, leading to a range of careers in the arts or to graduate study. The concentration in Studio Arts and the concentration in Design provide broad survey art and design practices in preparation for continued professional development or creative and design careers.

The Design Concentration introduces students to processes of design thinking, critical discussion and fundamentals of visual communication. Design projects balance learning of conceptual development with technique and design tools. Students address communication problems with concept-focused solutions that integrate images, text and graphics through hands-on and digital production skills.