Bowie State University

Bowie State University Summary

Bowie State University, located on 338½ acres (1.4 km²) in Bowie, Maryland, is part of the University System of Maryland. The university is Maryland’s oldest historically black university. Bowie State’s history began in 1865 when the Baltimore Association for the Moral and Educational Improvement of Colored People established the Baltimore Normal School in Baltimore, Maryland to train African American teachers. By 1914 the school had moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland and become known as Maryland Normal and Industrial School at Bowie. It became the Maryland State Teachers College at Bowie in 1935 and Bowie State College in 1963. BSU has 25 undergraduate majors, 11 master’s programs, and a doctoral program in disciplines as diverse as computer science, education, human resource development, communications, and nursing. In partnership with the University of Maryland University College, Bowie State University became the first historically black university to include overseas studies. Further examples of the technological focus include addition of the university grounds becoming a Wireless campus, and in 2004, the online registration program replaced the previous system. The $6.5 million Center for Learning Technology (CLT) is a state-of-the-art facility serving the computer science and computer technology programs. In 2005, Bowie State University built a $1 million supercomputer in conjunction with Apple Computer, Inc. The university is also home to The Maryland Center, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998 providing community services.

Summary content courtesy of Wikipedia.

Bowie State University History

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.

Bowie State University Unique Programs

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 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.

Bowie State University Students

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.

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.

Bowie State University 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.