[3] It was founded in 1865 by the Baltimore Association for the Moral and Educational Improvement of the Colored People as a teaching school.

[4] In 1963, Bowie State College was officially named a liberal arts school – with additional majors in English, history, and social science – although emphasis remained on teacher education.

[4] In the subsequent decades, Bowie continued to expand, especially in professional and Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

In partnership with the federal General Services Administration, the campus hosts the Bowie State University Telecommuting Center.

[12] Bowie State University offers an honors program for academically talented and ambitious undergraduate students.

An on-campus MARC Train station and Metrobus stops provide access to local transit.

It is a joint venture operated by the university, the Honeywell Corporation, and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

[19] 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.

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

[21] The Bulldogs play the following sports:[22] In addition, BSU sponsors athletic clubs for students at the intramural and recreational levels.

[23] The Fitness Room in the Leonidas James Physical Education Complex also has open hours for students, faculty, and staff.

[23] Bowie State has many academic clubs, fraternities, honor societies, organizations, sororities, and student associations.

[24] BSU-TV Channel 74 is a cable television station that broadcasts around the clock for the BSU community,[25] and WBSU Bulldog Nation Radio streams programming online.

They were also a part of the NFL 2007–2008 season opener as they performed the National Anthem with Aretha Franklin and shared the stage with other recording artists such as Aerosmith, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and others.