Bowie State University ("Bowie State"), is a public university located on 355½ acres (1.4 km²) in unincorporatedPrince George's County, Maryland, United States, north of the suburban city of Bowie. Bowie State is part of theUniversity System of Maryland. Bowie State is Maryland's oldest historically black university and one of the ten oldest in the country. Bowie State is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

　　Academics

　　BSU has 20 undergraduate majors, 20 master’s programs, two doctoral programs, 10 graduate certificate programs and 2 certificates of advanced study in disciplines as diverse as computer science, education, human resource development, organizational communication, and nursing. In partnership with the University of Maryland University College, Bowie State University became the first historically black university to include overseas studies. It was also the first university in the nation to offer a bachelor's degree in pedology. Programs include a rare doctoral degree in education leadership, a program for education administrators.

　　In 1995, NASA and the National Science Foundation awarded $27 million as one of only six schools in the nation declared [Model Institutions for Excellence in science, engineering, and mathematics. This led to a strengthening of the already growing computer science program; in 1999, the Maryland Higher Education Commission approved the school's additional focus in computers and technology. Since then new technology related programs including music technology and a strengthened computer science department have been added.

　　The university is home to The Maryland Center,a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998 providing community services. In partnership with the federalGeneral Services Administration, the campus hosts the Bowie State University Telecommuting Center, which has state-of-the-art workstations and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Telecommuting Center can be used by anyone.

　　Schools and departments

　　College of Arts and Sciences

　　College of Business

　　College of Education

　　College of Professional Studies

　　Campus and facilities

　　The campus comprises over 24 buildings with more than 988,897 square feet (92,000 m²) of space. The campus is located inBowie, Maryland between the metropolitan areas of Baltimore (25 miles) and Washington D.C. (17 miles). An on-campus MARC Train station and Metrobus stops provide access to local transit. It is a wireless campus equipped with Wi-Fi and public computer labs across campus for student use.

　　Twenty-three percent of students live on campus in seven residence halls. Cultural performances, lectures and sporting events are among the frequent on campus events. Built in 1921, the oldest building still in use is Harriet Tubman Hall. Inaugurated in Fall of 2013, the newest addition to the Bowie State University campus is the 85,000 square foot Student Union Building, which replaced the old Wiseman Center. Other recent improvements to the campus have been the construction (and opening) of the $71 million state-of-the-art Fine & Performing Arts Center, which boasted 123,000 square feet for art, music, dance, and theater programs. The construction of the massive facility has reduced congestion within its former home, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Arts Center.

　　The $17.6 million School of Business and Graduate Studies building is another state-of-the-art facility that houses the Business, Accounting, Finance, Economics, and Management Departments, among others.The campus boasts several other excellent facilities such as the campus include the Christa McAuliffe Residential Community (CMRC) apartments, the Computer Science Building, a state-of-the-art facility serving the computer science and computer technology programs, and the $6.5 million Center for Learning Technology (CLT), serving the College of Professional Studies.

　　On campus, the Bowie State Satellite Operations Control Center (BSOCC) is an orbiting satellite operation and control center allowing students to gain hands-on experience in such a facility. In 2003, the center went fully operational. It is a joint venture operated by the university, the Honeywell Corporation, andNASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.

　　In September 2007, the University began negotiations with Prince George's County for the transfer of 214 acres (0.87 km2) of land to the school. According to county documents, the land, valued at $1.3 million, would cost the University nothing if used "for educational uses including facilities that benefit the welfare of students and faculty in their educational experience at the University." The addition of this land would increase the size of the university by 63%. The main focus for the land is the development of additional student dorms. The land will also be used to establish several retail businesses that will cater to students and the community.

　　Organization

　　Department of Public Safety

　　The Department of Public Safety (BSUDPS, BSUPD or Campus Police) is the primary law enforcement agency for the university and is charged with the protection of life and property in its 338.5 acres (1.370 km2) jurisdiction. The BSUPD is aided by the Prince George's County Police Department for major felonies and other incidents deemed appropriate by authority.

　　The BSUPD started its tenure as a security force at the university's conception on April 8, 1908 at the "Maryland Normal and Industrial School in Bowie" with an initial endowment of 187 acres (0.76 km2) of campus property. All officers under the authority of the BSUDPS are "vested with full police authority under provisions of Title 13, Subtitle 6, Section 13-601, Educational Article, and Annotated Code of Maryland. In addition, police officers are granted additional jurisdictional authority as prescribed in the Criminal Procedure Act, Title 2, Subtitle 1, Section 2-102."

　　The Department of Public Safety reports directly to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and Campus Life. In addition to enforcing laws of the State of Maryland and statutes of Prince George's County, the BSUPD is charged with enforcing regulations of the University and, as such, regulations are enforced internally and handled by the Dean.

　　The current Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety is Ernest L. Waiters. The BSUPD has a complement of:

　　7 sworn officers (not including the Chief)

　　3 communications dispatchers

　　10 public safety aides (non-sworn security personnel)

　　Student life

　　Athletics

　　Bowie State's athletes compete in the Northern Division of the聽Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, participating in the聽NCAA's Division II.

　　The Bulldogs play the following sports:

　　Basketball

　　Bowling

　　Cross Country

　　Football

　　Indoor Track & Field

　　Outdoor Track & Field

　　Softball

　　Tennis

　　Volleyball

　　They compete and/or train on-campus in Bulldog Stadium, the Leonidas James Physical Education Complex, and A.C. Jordan Arena.

　　Clubs and organizations

　　Bowie State has many academic clubs, fraternities, honor societies, organizations, sororities, and student associations on-campus. The computer, education, French, and history clubs are examples of the academic clubs. The art guild, concert and marching bands, jazz and brass ensembles, and others allow students to explore the fine and performing arts.