CSUB offering new history degree option this fall

Program will streamline requirements for students who want to be social science teachers

By California State University, Bakersfield

August 3^rd, 2022

California State University, Bakersfield history majors looking to become teachers will soon have an easier way to navigate their degree requirements.

This fall, the university is launching a new history degree option: History with a Concentration in Social Science Teaching. The program will allow students interested in teaching social science to complete their traditional history degree requirements alongside courses that satisfy the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s social science requirements.

In the past, students have had to navigate the history degree and social science teaching requirements separately. Now, they are all part of one integrated pathway.

“This new degree option is a great opportunity for CSUB students because it will streamline the path of requirements for students who wish to enter a teaching credential program and pursue a career teaching social studies at the secondary school level,” said Robert Frakes, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities. “As a former high school social studies teacher myself, I see this as a great opportunity for CSUB students.”

The state requirements need to be met to demonstrate that students are competent in the subject matter of social science.

“When you’re hired by a school district, they might have you teach history, but you could also be assigned to teach government or economics, so students must be able to show they can teach in any of those social science areas,” said Dr. Alicia Rodriquez, history professor and coordinator of the social science program. “The expectation is that you’re more broadly trained.”

If they satisfy the requirements, students will be able to waive the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) and will be eligible to enter a single-subject credential program.

The new degree option has been in the works at the university for the past couple of years after professors and advisers began seeing that students were struggling with managing the requirements separately.

“Students had to look at the waiver courses and look at their traditional history graduation outline. They had to make sure they double counted everything they could because taking extra courses costs time and money,” said Academic Advisor Janine Cornelison. “If a student wasn’t careful, they could add a semester of courses to their graduation plan, which is extra time and money that a lot of students don’t have.”

Now that they are combined, students will be able to see the full picture of what they need to graduate more clearly and will be less likely to make mistakes.

CSUB student Misty Kanady has been pursuing a traditional history degree for the past year. After learning about the new degree concentration, she will be switching to that track in the fall and plans to graduate next spring.

“This is really convenient and is going to be very beneficial for a lot of students,” she said. “We needed something like this a while ago, but I’m glad it’s available now. It’s perfect timing for me.”

One of the things Kanady likes most about the new degree program is that it allows majors to fall back on their traditional history degree if they pursue the social science teaching pathway and ultimately decide it’s not the right fit for them.

“If someone doesn’t want to continue pursuing teaching, they still have options outside of that, and I think that’s really important,” she said.

Dr. Rodriquez is excited that students will soon have the opportunity to take an integrated program.

“I’m so happy for our students. This is going to better serve them and eliminate a lot of confusion,” she said. “As our students make their way through the program and get ready to look for jobs, it’s going to facilitate them moving through the requirements but also the credential program and really help them move through the pipeline faster.”