Bowie State actually resulted from the first school opened in the city of Baltimore. Founded in 1865. That “normal school” undertook the mission to train Negro teachers in 1883. The Board of Education assumed control of the school, officially dubbed Baltimore Normal School, in 1908. Four-year programs began in 1935, and in 1963 a liberal arts program was established. In 1970, Bowie State offered its first graduate degree.
Bowie State University was founded as a school for African-Americans. By 1914 it was known as the Maryland Normal School and had moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland. It became a state college in 1963 and a university in 1988. It is Maryland’s oldest historically black college. It is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Its mission statement says in part that Bowie State University “provides high-quality and affordable educational opportunities at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels for a diverse student population of Maryland citizens and the global community.” The University emphasizes the education of minority students and students who struggle with socioeconomic issues. It is classed as a Master’s College and University I by the Carnegie Institute.
Bowie State University
Academics
Bowie State offers 19 undergraduate majors with various concentrations, and 17 graduate majors, as well as 11 certificate programs. With graduate enrollment nearly equally undergraduate enrollment, Bowie State is both a rounded undergraduate institution and a leading graduate institution. It consistently ranks in the top five schools granting graduate degrees to African Americans in various disciplines, and is fourth among all Historically Black Colleges and Universities for granting graduate degrees to African Americans in all disciplines. The student-to-teacher ratio is a low 16:1.
Bowie State University has academic programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. There are 5 colleges: the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Professional Studies, and the School of Graduate and Continuing Education.
Bachelor’s degrees are offered in a variety of fields within the various academic colleges. Degrees at the bachelor’s level can be received in 19 majors, many with concentrations, in such areas as communications, computer science, English, fine and performing arts, history and government, mathematics, biology, sociology, criminal justice, business administration, nursing, social work, and education.
Graduate programs are offered in several areas, with an emphasis on education and professional programs. These include master’s level programs in applied mathematics, computer sciences, counseling psychology, guidance & counseling, education, nursing, business administration, and public administration. The liberal arts and humanities are not represented at the graduate level. The university has also recently begun offering a doctoral program in Educational Leadership. There are also 11 certificate programs.
Most Popular Fields of Study
The top 5 fields of study completed at Bowie State University.
Bowie State ranks first in the nation in graduating African Americans with master’s degrees in computer science, second in the nation for psychology, and third in the nation for communications.
Bowie State is a participant in the National Science Foundation and NASA partnership program, Model Institutions for Excellence. This partnership implements specific improvements to ensure a high percentage of students are retained and graduate from the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The program includes teaching and research laboratories, and specific tutorial facilities to assist students. The Satellite Operations & Control Center is a training facility and mission control center for NASA spacecraft on the Bowie State campus, where students participate in satellite operations and earn mission controller certification.
Bowie State University offers continuing education and extended education in various forms: partnerships with public high schools, distance learning, non-credit workshops, and through several institutes, including the Institute for Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and the Institute for Development and Entrepreneurship Advancement.
Bowie State University
Admissions
Priority is given to applicants whose materials are received before April 1 for the fall and before November 1 for the spring. Application materials are available for download from the University’s website. Submission of a personal essay is options, but is highly recommended, as a well-written essay can have a positive impact on admissions decisions. Bowie State requires a minimum cumulative high school grade point average of 2.0 for admission as an undergraduate. Applicants must submit a complete application along with the non-refundable $40 application fee, have an official high school transcript sent directly to the Office of Admissions, have test scores from either the SAT or the ACT sent directly to the Office of Admissions, and submit any supporting materials such as an essay or letters of recommendation. Applicants are encouraged to contact the University for one of their daily campus tours, which are available by reservation only Monday through Friday between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. There is also an Open House program that offers insights on admissions standards, scholarships, financial aid, majors, advisors, and a tour of the campus. Bowie State is also working on a virtual tour that will be available via the Admissions page of the University’s website.
Bowie State University has an undergraduate admissions deadline of April 1 for the fall semester. The application fee is $40. Applications can be submitted on-line. Students who are enrolled in high school at the time of application will need to have their official final high school transcripts sent after graduation to the Admissions Office.
As part of their application, students should submit high school transcripts and ACT or SAT test scores. Letters of recommendation are optional. Transfer students and international students will have varying requirements depending upon their prior educational background.
Students applying to the graduate programs at Bowie State University should consult the individual department and/or school to which they are applying. Applications can be submitted on-line, and the application fee is $40. General requirements include undergraduate transcripts and other materials or supporting documentation as required by the program. The application deadline is April 1 for the fall semester.
Financial Aid
The Financial Aid office provides counseling services to students and their families regarding the cost of higher education and where they can find assistance to accommodate that cost. The majority of financial aid at Bowie State is based on financial need, but merit-based aid programs are also available. Bowie State supports and provides programs such as the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans and Maryland State Scholarships. There are also a variety of private donor-supported scholarship funds for general support and for support of students with particular interests, talents, and majors. Students are also encouraged to inquire with individual departments about particular aid opportunities for student who study specific disciplines.
Tuition at Bowie State University was $1,891 per semester for the 2004-2005 academic year for in-state, undergraduate students attending full-time. Students applying from out of state and graduate students have higher costs. Additional fees apply.
Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, and loans. Work-study programs are also available for some students. Students who seek financial aid will need to fill out the Federal Student Financial Aid Form, available on-line. Aid is available from federal and state agencies and from Bowie State University institutional funds.
Student Financial Aid Details
How many students use Financial Aid, and how much do they use?
Bowie State University 3263rd for the average student loan amount.
Secrets to getting the best Maryland scholarships and financial aid
Bowie State’s clubs and organizations include17 academic and honor societies, 11 fraternities and sororities, the Student Government, and numerous clubs organized around specific interests, cultures, and religions. Bowie State offers six different residences, including the Goodloe Apartments. Many of the University’s activities and organizations are unique to it or at least unique to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Student services also include career advising, health services, and locating off-campus housing.
Student life at Bowie State University includes opportunities in a diverse range of activities and organizations. There are over 40 clubs, 8 fraternities and sororities, and 13 honor societies. Clubs include an Art Guild, the Baptist Student Ministry, clubs organized for students in various academic majors, the Bowie State Chapter of the Greater Washington Urban League, a Jazz Ensemble, and WBSU Radio.
There are several different residence halls. The University library is the Thurgood Marshall Library, which provides access to all the volumes in the University of Maryland system as well as its own collection.
Student Enrollment Demographics
How many students are enrolled at Bowie State University?
The Bowie State Bulldogs compete in the NCAA’s Division II and in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Fall sports include women’s bowling, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, and football. Winter sports include men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s indoor track and field, and women’s indoor track and field. Spring sports include softball, women’s tennis, men’s outdoor track and field and women’s outdoor track and field. The main athletic facility is the Leonidas James Physical Education Complex, which houses the Athletics Department. Built in 1973, the James Complex can seat 1,831 in its main gymnasium and 196 in the natatorium. There are three basketball courts, an exercise room, eight handball/racquetball courts, an eight-lane swimming pool, and locker facilities. Bulldog Stadium seats 6,000 for football games, and the A.C. Jordan Arena seats as many as 2,200. The Athletic Department also runs and manages a number of sports camps for younger students during their respective off seasons, such as the Luke D’Alessio Summer Basketball Camps for children age 8-17.
Bowie State University is an NCAA Division II School. Teams compete in the CIAA Conference; Bowie State is in the Eastern Division. Men’s sports include football, cross country, track & field, and basketball. Women’s sports include bowling, cross country, volleyball, track & field, softball, and tennis. The sports teams are supported by a cheerleading squad. The team nick-name is the Bulldogs. Prospective students can fill out and submit information on-line.
Athletic facilities at Bowie State University include a stadium and arena. Student athletes receive academic support from the university from the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, which works on community service projects and also provides peer education.
Bowie State University
Traditions
Bowie State proudly maintains its historical emphasis on educating African American students for positions of leadership and success in the professional and academic worlds. Dating back to Baltimore’s first normal school, which held classes in the African Baptist Church, Bowie State has always combined the thrill of inquiry with the respect and reverence for African American history.
Local Community
Bowie had a population of over 50,000 and is the largest municipality in Prince George’s County, Maryland. It is also the fourth largest city in the State of Maryland. Bowie is governed by a council-manager government, meaning that the mayor and council make and pass policy, and an appointed city manager supervises the government’s operations. The city traces its roots back to 1870.
Bowie State University is located near Bowie, Maryland. The surrounding environment is urban; Bowie is located between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland. Students have the resources of two major metropolitan areas available to them.
Campus Crime Statistics
Ranks 8th in Maryland and
503rd overall
on StateUniversity.com‘s Safe School Index
Feel free to add comments or additional information regarding Bowie State University, or discuss this school in the University Discussion Forum
over 2 years agoGwendolyn Barksdale
Why is there every year problems within the financial aid department? We do what is required by applying through FASA and DC One Application forward information and then Bowie's online system doesn't allow us to approve anything? Then we see that a negative balance exsit and can't apply for loans.
about 3 years agoElbert S.Jackson jack dot jackson2 ((at)) us dot army dot mil
I must say Bowie State University has grown by leaps and bounds. I credit Bowie for not only allowing me to enroll as a freshman on probation, a status that I remained in until almost my junior year. Because I didn't apply myself with all the expertise available through the Bowie staff and faculty, I defined college as a party and a good time. It was just prior to my junior year when informed that I wouldn't be allowed to remain a student at Bowie, I had a moment of clarity, it became evident to me that everything I needed to suceed was there at Bowie. After Dr.Sammye Miller who at the time was Head of the History department (Circa 73') gave me a firm talking to, making me reafffirm my character(the things Dr. Miller said to me probably were against the law at the time) that was the turning point in my academic life. I not only applied myself through studying and improved my grades, I actually was given a job tutoring history to fellow students. It took me 5 years to finish and receive my BS in Social Work. Bottom line... My education experience at Bowie State College (now University) is responsible for everything I have acheived. Since I graduated Spring 1976, I've completed 20 years in the U.S. Army, earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration, Served as the Chief Project Officer for the Army's ID Card Program. Thank You to Bowie State
over 3 years agoWilliam E. Henry Jr. henrywbal ((at)) aol dot com
As I scanned the web, I was surprised to see Bowie listed. The overvew of the University truly impressed me. As a child growin up on the campus between 1943 and 1961, it is a delight to see how Bowie has developed and progressed. I am very proud of being a part of the school's history...keep up the great work...
William "Skip" Henry, son of a former president..Dr. Henry (1942 to 1967)
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Why is there every year problems within the financial aid department? We do what is required by applying through FASA and DC One Application forward information and then Bowie's online system doesn't allow us to approve anything? Then we see that a negative balance exsit and can't apply for loans.