I am a senior history major who is graduating in December and I am just now looking at master's programs. I want to pursue an MA in East Asian Studies or history (I want to focus on post-war Japan with emphasis on the bubble period) and I was looking at Cal State schools. My professor recommended Long Beach State, San Jose State, and Sacramento State along with UC Riverside and UC Irvine, but I noticed that the Cal States do not require GRE scores. Does that mean that they aren't quality programs? I'm leaning towards CSUs because I am looking to save money and I have read that funding is hard to come by for master's students as opposed to doctoral students.
Admission requirements are admission requirements, they are not an indicator of program quality. When evaluating academic programs it's more important to concentrate on your desired outcomes and how a particular university will help you get there. Research the requirements for degree completion in your chosen field, course content, the areas of specific concentration and corresponding accomplishments of pertinent faculty, and information about career directions/achievements of graduates. Don't worry about who gets in, concentrate on who comes out and how this does or does not mesh with your desires.
Speaking as a former university admissions director for both undergraduate and graduate programs at the highest levels of selectivity and an educational consultant with a total of 35 years advising students on higher education options.