Bowdoin College has produced a general Catalogue since 1807, when a single broadsheet listed the president, two professors and two tutors; the 1806 graduates (six students), the 1807 graduates (three students); and the College’s total student body for that year (forty-two). As the College has grown and evolved, so too has the Catalogue.

The Bowdoin College Catalogue and Academic Handbook of today serves as the authoritative source of information about Bowdoin—a comprehensive snapshot in time of the College. It contains primarily academic information, including department and program descriptions, major/minor requirements, and course descriptions, in addition to the College’s calendar, mission statements, and information about expenses and governance.

The Bowdoin College Catalogue and Academic Handbook is overseen by the Office of the Dean for Academic Affairs and the Office of the Registrar. The information it contains is updated annually and is accurate as of August 1, 2024.

Recent editions of the Bowdoin College Catalogue and Academic Handbook can be found in the Archive. For a full archive, visit the Bowdoin Digital Commons.