Top of page

Departments and Programs

If you're looking at a number of colleges, you're probably asking some of the same questions over and over again: what's the difference between a department and a major? What about a program? Is a concentration also a minor? 

In truth, many of these overlaps reflect a school's organizational structures, and shouldn't affect what you want to study. 

The most important part of the chart below is that something here sparks a curiosity in you. Then, if you choose to bring that curiosity to Bowdoin, your faculty mentors and advisors will help you build a plan that combines—and strengthens—what you're passionate about. 

Regardless of what you choose to study, a Bowdoin education prepares you for a meaningful and impactful life, grounded in independent thinking, individual action, and social responsibility.

Area of Study Major Minor Concentration Department Program Special Area of Study
Africana Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Arabic spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Arctic Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Art spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Art History spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Visual Arts spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Asian Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Chinese spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Japanese spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Biochemistry spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Biology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Integrative Biology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Ecology, Evolution, & Marine Biology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Chemistry spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Educational Chemistry spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Environmental Chemistry spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Geochemical Chemistry spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Neurochemical Chemistry spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Cinema Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Classics spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Classical Archaeology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Classical Languages and Literature spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Classical Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Coastal Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Computer Science spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Digital and Computational Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Earth and Oceanographic Science spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Economics spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Economics and Finance spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Education spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Engineering Dual-Degree Option spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
English spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Creative Writing spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Environmental Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
German spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Government and Legal Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  American Politics spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Comparative Politics spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Political Theory spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  International Relations spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
History spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Latin American Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Legal Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Mathematics spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Music spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Social & Historical Context spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Theory and Composition spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Performance spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Neuroscience spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Philosophy spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Physics spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Psychology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Religion spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Romance Languages and Literatures spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Francophone Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Hispanic Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Italian Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Russian spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Russian Language, Literature and Culture  spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Russian Area Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Sociology and Anthropology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Sociology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Anthropology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Theater and Dance spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Performance Arts spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Dance spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Theater spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
  Interdisciplinary Performance spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
You're looking for people and projects that inspire you, in a beautiful place you can call home.

We're looking for you, too
255 Maine Street
Brunswick, Maine 04011
 (207) 725-3000