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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
Anthropology spacer spacer spacer
Arctic Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Art History 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
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
 Molecular and Cellular Biology spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Chemistry spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
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 Educational Chemistry spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
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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
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Coastal Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Computer Science spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Digital and Computational Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer
Earth and Oceanographic Science spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Economics spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
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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
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 International Relations spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
History spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
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Middle Eastern and North African Studies spacer spacer
 Arabic spacer
Music spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
 General Music spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
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Romance Languages and Literatures spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
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Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
 Language, Literature, & Culture spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
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Urban Studies spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer spacer
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Interested in learning more about academics at Bowdoin?

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255 Maine Street
Brunswick, Maine 04011
 (207) 725-3000