Champlain College

Champlain College is a private, coeducational institution located in Burlington, Vermont, overlooking Lake Champlain. It distinguishes itself through a professionally focused education rooted in career success, rather than a traditional liberal arts model. The university structures its education through its "Upside-Down" curriculum, where students begin taking courses in their major immediately in the first year, alongside a required core curriculum that emphasizes problem-solving and critical thinking. It offers programs across four main divisions: Business, Communication & Creative Media, Education & Human Studies, and Information Technology & Sciences, all geared toward delivering highly marketable professional skills.

The college was founded in 1878 as the Burlington Business School, with the initial purpose of teaching bookkeeping and other vocational skills needed by the area’s growing commerce sector. It was founded by G. W. Thompson and remained a small business school for many decades. After World War II, the institution expanded its offerings and curriculum, changing its name to Champlain College in 1958. It continued to evolve from a two-year junior college to a four-year institution, gradually expanding its academic breadth and gaining regional accreditation. This history as a business and vocational school is the foundation for its current identity as an innovative, career-oriented college with a focus on practical, cutting-edge professional programs.

This college is a highly innovative institution that has pioneered a career-focused, globally engaged educational model. By reversing the traditional curriculum to prioritize early professional study and backing it with a required core liberal education, the university effectively prepares graduates who are not only skilled but also critical thinkers. Its strategic focus on high-demand professional fields and its operation of fully integrated international campuses solidify its reputation as a distinctive choice for students seeking a practical, future-oriented college experience that leads directly to successful career outcomes.