Academics
New Academic Programs That Began Offering Classes in FY25
Undergraduate Programs
- Accounting
- Virtual Reality and Gaming
Graduate Programs
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Certificates
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
The Future is Now with a Virtual Reality and Gaming Degree from Bowie State University
For students passionate about blending the technical precision of computer science with the creative expression of visual arts, Bowie State University’s Bachelor of Science in Virtual Reality & Gaming offers an ideal pathway to the future.
This forward-thinking degree program lays a comprehensive foundation in digital media, design thinking, operating systems, information security and object-oriented programming. Students graduate equipped with both the technical expertise and creative insight necessary to thrive in the rapidly evolving virtual reality and gaming industries.
“As students’ progress in the program, they master a range of technical and creative tools — including programming languages, animation platforms, game engines and immersive technologies — through a carefully designed course sequence ranging from Computer Science I & II to Motion Graphics,” said Dr. Rosemary Shumba, chair of the Department of Computer Science. “After completing the program, students will be able to break down complex computing problems, design new solutions and apply strategic thinking to the gaming and entertainment industries.”
Bowie State’s Bachelor of Science in Virtual Reality & Gaming prepares students to enter a booming sector projected to reach multibillion-dollar global market status before the decade’s end. With an expanding talent gap in immersive technology, Bowie State graduates are poised to meet industry demand head-on.
Bowie State Offers USM’s First Public Health Informatics Graduate Certificate
Bowie State University is offering the first and only Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Public Health Informatics within the University System of Maryland (USM), a distinction approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission in 2023.
The certificate was developed collaboratively by Bowie State’s Department of Health Sciences and Department of Management Information Systems. The program was supported in part by the ASTP/ONC Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development Program grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
The fully online program is designed to provide flexibility for working professionals. Students participate in weekly synchronous sessions that emphasize instruction, discussion and engagement with faculty and peers, along with asynchronous coursework completed throughout the week. The curriculum culminates in a capstone course in which students apply their knowledge and technical skills to a real-world public health project.
The certificate prepares Maryland Department of Health employees and other public health professionals to strengthen their expertise in both foundational and emerging technologies that support modern public health practice. Areas of focus include cloud computing, big data analytics, artificial intelligence and generative AI, data security and privacy, data management and processing, and project management in public health and healthcare.
Maryland Department of Health and Bowie State University Launch Graduate Certificate Partnership
Bowie State University and the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) have launched a graduate certificate partnership aimed at expanding professional skills among the state’s public health workforce.
The inaugural cohort includes 33 MDH employees who began graduate studies at Bowie State in spring 2025. Of those participants, 17 enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Public Health Informatics, while 16 enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Project Management. Students in the project management certificate program are expected to complete their studies in summer 2025. The public health informatics cohort is scheduled to graduate in winter 2025. A second cohort is planned to begin in spring 2026.
The partnership was established through a memorandum of understanding signed in June 2024 between Bowie State and the Maryland Department of Health’s Office of the Deputy Secretary for Public Health. The agreement runs through September 2027 and provides up to $1.2 million to cover tuition and fees for department employees enrolled in the two graduate certificate programs. By the end of the agreement period, an estimated 90 to 120 MDH employees are expected to participate in the program.
