Study law as an undergraduate at Champlain College and start your legal education right away, during your first semester. Go on to law school afterward or choose a different path; either way, you'll be ready.
This program is for those who don’t want to wait for courses not usually offered in undergraduate programs. The program engenders versatility in students, offering wide career options that stretch well beyond law school. Each professor teaching Law at Champlain has earned a Juris Doctor degree, and the classes deliver a highly analytical education in subjects such as criminal law, contract law, evidence, civil procedure, legal ethics, and constitutional law. Intern with practitioners and be ready for law school or your career.
Champlain’s undergraduate Law program is the perfect pre-law major for students planning to attend law school, and it’s the ideal foundation for those who want to enter the legal field at graduation.
The curriculum includes government, law, legal research and writing, public speaking, and more.
The study of law explores the system enforced by a particular area to govern its members and regulate their actions. As an undergraduate law student, you’ll dive deep into understanding the legal system, topics within the field—like family law and criminal law—and develop the skills to be successful in the field, like critical and analytical thinking, research, interviewing, investigation, and communication.
Champlain’s Bachelor of Science degree in Law is distinctive, providing students with the strongest possible foundation in law and humanities at the undergraduate level. This program is the top choice for students who want to major in Law rather than Legal Studies.
At Champlain, we want you to experience the nature of your major early on. In our Upside-Down Curriculum, your first-year law classes include Criminal Law, American National Government, and Contracts—and they’re all taught by faculty who have years of experience practicing and interpreting law.
Throughout your four years, you’ll explore more specialized areas of the law, such as:
Our undergraduate Law education is focused on experiential learning: you’ll research, write about, and give presentations on challenging, complex civil and criminal legal issues that affect society. As a student, you’ll start doing the work of a professional—writing briefs, analyzing cases, and drawing up legal documents—which will give your career a head start and make your graduate school applications stand out.
Where most schools have political science, Champlain has a Law program specifically for aspiring lawyers.
Articulation agreements with Vermont Law School and New York Law School can expedite your admission.
You’ll gain valuable professional experience with placements in nonprofits and government offices like HOPE Center, Howard Center, Vermont Department of Labor, and more.
With Champlain’s Prison Law Initiative, you’ll have an opportunity to teach law and constitutional rights to people incarcerated in Vermont prisons.
The median salary for lawyers according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Projected growth of overall employment for legal occupations from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Of Champlain Law majors were employed or continuing their education within 6 months of graduating in the last 6 years.
Our Law curriculum is designed to provide you with a strong foundation in constitutional law, contracts, and criminal law. From there, you’ll explore specialized topics like family law, business law, and intellectual property. You’ll be able to tailor your learning with elective courses that align with your unique interests. Our Upside-Down Curriculum gets you in your major right away.
Based on your interest in the Law major, we thought you also might like to check out these other academic programs and opportunities.
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Build a better system. Be an agent of organizational change.
Design your own major through Champlain’s Degree Design Lab. You’ll combine courses and real-world learning experiences to personalize your own education.
Study human motivations and the latest neuroscience in a career-focused Psychology major that prepares you for this dynamic field.
Uplift families, empower individuals, and heal communities with Champlain’s Social Work major.
Identify the opportunities and challenges of navigating the variety of international markets, cultures and geopolitical contexts that arise when conducting business on a global scale.
Develop a practical way of mediating conflict in your workplace, community, and personal life with Champlain College’s Conflict Management Minor.
Justice at all levels is a keystone of a functional society. Learn the criminal justice process at multiple levels and how your knowledge of this system can benefit your career.
Study environmental issues and the politics surrounding them to discover the action-oriented practicalities of what people and organizations can do to change the world for the better.
See your work through the lens of social justice. Learn how social, economic, and political issues influence each other and affect an individual’s or community’s essential rights.
Drive change at the intersection of information and impact.
Uphold a system of justice through meaningful public service.
Through our Prison Law Initiative, Champlain students have an opportunity to teach law and constitutional rights to people incarcerated in Vermont prisons. This unique experience allows you to gain important perspectives while empowering others.
Read more about this life-changing programChamplain’s law school articulation agreements offer great opportunities for motivated students to continue their career-focused education at a prestigious law school. These partnerships guarantee admission to Champlain Law students who fulfill certain admission requirements.
Learn more about articulation agreementsOur Law major sets you up perfectly to excel in law school. 84% of Law majors in the Class of 2023 achieved career success.
Study law as an undergraduate at Champlain College and start your legal education right away, during your first semester. Go on to law school afterward or choose a different path; either way, you'll be ready.
Your career in law begins now with Champlain’s Upside-Down Curriculum. Discover the difference that doing on day one has on your success.
Our Law faculty go above and beyond to inspire your curiosity, learning, and growth. Small class sizes foster personal connections and mastery.