In Champlain's Accounting program, learn the language of business and start uncovering the stories behind numbers.
Every business needs accounting, and the field’s future professionals must be ready with more than just technical skills. Champlain’s robust Accounting major prepares you for versatility and growth by developing accountants who are also strong communicators and critical thinkers, ready to help their clients succeed. Accounting is also available as a three-year degree, and we offer a double major in Accounting and Finance.
Accounting studies provide a deep-dive into how financial information is measured, processed, and communicated for economic entities and organizations such as corporations and businesses. Accounting is far from black-and-white – the ability to understand and create the numbers is only part of what it takes to be a successful accounting professional. You also need to develop and refine the ability to strategize and communicate the rationale, or “why,” behind those decisions. If you’re ready to launch your career in accounting, we invite you to investigate answers with us at Champlain.
Accredited through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), our program will help prepare you for professional in the field. Like all of Champlain’s academic programs, our accounting program is grounded in hands-on learning that puts you at the center of your studies. You’ll have the support of faculty and career counselors to explore the field. Our Accounting degree is different by design. While every student emerges prepared for the CPA exam, you can take a broad range of business courses that will enrich your academic experience and allow you to dive deeper into your specific areas of interest. The curriculum includes a required internship during your time at Champlain to expand learning beyond the classroom and build professional experience.
You’ll be prepared for the career you want. In addition to preparing you for the CPA exam, our program also gives you the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue your Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certification and to sit for the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam.
Interested in an accelerated Accounting program? At Champlain, you can complete a bachelor’s degree in Accounting in three years. You can also double major in Finance and Accounting.
Serve the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), in which you will train and certify in tax law — including the use of electronic filing software — and get to work providing free tax return preparation for eligible taxpayers.
Since 2013, more than 100 Stiller students have traveled to various countries in Asia for life-changing experiences that impact them academically, professionally, and personally for very little personal cost through our Freeman Foundation Grant.
Compete in our annual Elevator Pitch event, in which students can win up to $500 for successfully pitching a business or nonprofit of your choice to fictitious executives. (Accounting students often win and/or earn the People’s Choice award!)
of Accounting majors in the Class of 2023 were employed within six months of graduation. That’s success you can see.
According to Glassdoor.com, accountants who earn a CPA earn significant salaries, reflecting a healthy demand for their specialized skills.
Projected growth of overall employment of accountants and auditors from 2021 to 2031 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Accounting program at Champlain is designed to develop both your technical skills and the human abilities technology can’t replicate: communication, ethical leadership, and more.
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Learn to assess, analyze, and manage risk and liability—a perfect career-building minor for math lovers and problem solvers looking to support a business.
Learn to collect and assess digital evidence through the analysis of financial transactions to prevent fraud and deception in the business world.
Develop personal and professional leadership abilities through a variety of different thinking styles and problem-solving skills. Discover the confidence to be a leader and innovator in your field.
Industries are increasingly considering the environmental impact of their work as part of their business models. Build a foundation of business and marketing skills as they apply to the environment.
Drive change at the intersection of information and impact.
Learn what you love, and love what you learn.
In Champlain’s Accelerated Accounting program, you’ll experience the same high-quality and career-focused accounting curriculum as our four-year bachelor’s degree, but you will graduate in just three years.
Accelerated 3-year Accounting DegreeCan’t choose between majoring in Finance or Accounting? Lucky for you, you don’t have to. Our five-year double major in Finance & Accounting prepares you exceptionally well in both disciplines. You’ll earn the 150 credit hours needed for Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure, and you’ll be well prepared to ace the CPA exams.
Double Major in Finance & AccountingAre you thinking about going to graduate school? Through Champlain College Online, you can seamlessly go from undergraduate to graduate student, enhancing your skills and career opportunities.
Pathways to Advanced DegreesChamplain College students who complete the Accounting program may decide to apply for a CPA license. A CPA is a Certified Public Accountant, a designation licensed by each state.
In Vermont, to earn a CPA license, individuals are required to demonstrate their knowledge and competence by passing the Uniform CPA Exam. Students should note that CPAs require more than a Bachelor’s Degree. The requisite credit hours for the CPA exam are 150 post-secondary credits. This means that a typical undergraduate degree (at 120 credits) is not enough, and students need to take more classes-30 credits’ worth-to be eligible for licensure. Champlain’s five-year double major in Finance & Accounting allows students to meet the necessary 150 credit hours needed in order to sit for the CPA exam.
Champlain College has not determined whether the Accounting program meets the education requirements for professional licensure in any state (or the District of Columbia) other than Vermont.
For students who plan to apply their critical accounting and financial skills to commerce and industry early in their careers, pursuing a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) designation may be a good option.
To become a CMA, you must:
Students who major or minor in Accounting at Champlain College will get the preparation they need to sit for the CMA exams, which can be passed while still in school.
The exam is in two parts, which focus the student’s attention on advanced accounting and financial management skills pertinent to today’s workplace.Part 1 addresses the student’s preparation in Financial Planning, Performance, and Control.Part 2 covers skills related to financial decision making.
By preparing for and achieving the CMA designation, you will:
Membership in the Institute of Management Accountants
The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) has a number of competitive scholarships that allow students to study for and take the exam at no cost. Student memberships in the IMA are a low-cost way for students to keep abreast of changes to the exams and the certification process.
Champlain College currently has faculty members with the CMA designation who are eager to help students plan out their course selection in order to prepare for these exams.
The Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) certification is the standard for those professionals working in fraud prevention and detection and is highly regarded by businesses, as well as by government units and law enforcement.
The CFE can impact salaries, improve career advancement and job flexibility and benefit through earlier fraud detection, resulting in decreased fraud losses.
Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) Membership is open to associate members who are interested in taking their career to the next level by earning the standard of professional excellence in the anti-fraud profession. The CFE credential is increasingly being designated as a preferred credential in the hiring practice of businesses, government entities and law enforcement agencies.
Increase your earnings — CFE’s earn nearly 31% more than their non-certified colleagues according to the Compensation Guide for Anti-Fraud Professionals.
Advance you career — CFE certification is documented evidence of expertise and experience, representing high level of skill, knowledge and professionalism.
Enhance your marketability and job security — Robert Half International identifies the CFE as “in-demand…one of the most marketable credentials today” and A.E Feldman, a leading executive search firm states, “…the CFE has emerged as the gold standard in the area of fraud.”
Gain professional visibility and creditability — The CFE credential is recognized in the hiring and promotion policies of leading organizations, including the FBI the U.S Department of Defense and the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
This information has been furnished by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Since 2013, more than 100 students from the Robert P. Stiller School of Business have traveled to countries in Asia to participate in summer internships. Primary destinations include Kyoto, Japan, and Shanghai, China.
As an accounting student, you’ll have a unique chance to gain international work experience with very little out-of-pocket expense.
Learn more about the Freeman Foundation GrantChamplain’s Accounting Excellence Scholarship Fund celebrates decades of teaching excellence by Champlain’s distinguished Accounting faculty. Established in 2007, the annually awarded fund supports Accounting students who demonstrate both academic merit and financial need.
Walt Luchini, CPA, graduated from Champlain in 1963 and joined its faculty in 1968 after serving in the U.S. Army and working at IBM. A teacher and mentor to hundreds of students, Luchini gained public accounting experience at Urbach Kahn & Werlin CPAs and ran a private practice for many years. He received many honors, including the Edward Phelps Lyman Professorship and the C. Bader Brouilette Alumni Award.
Luchini served as President of the Faculty Senate, was a Division Chairman, and chaired the Curriculum Committee. He specialized in financial accounting at the intermediate and advanced levels and in preparing students for the financial accounting CPA exam.
On the management and tax accounting side of the house, Champ Soncrant, CPA, CMA, started teaching at Champlain in 1971, and brought an enthusiasm and a contagious sense of humor to the classroom. Before coming to Champlain, he served as a cost accountant for the Global Rubber Company, and then ran his own tax practice and consulting firm.
For many years, Soncrant coordinated the highly successful Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, serving low-income and elderly Vermonters; he has been honored by the IRS for this work. At Champlain, he prepared students for the management accounting CPA exam and served as President of the Faculty Senate.
Thane Butt, CPA, CFE, specialized in forensic accounting and auditing. Before joining the Accounting faculty at Champlain in 1982, Butt served as a controller for banks across New England. Her previous experience had been with the International Accounting firm Arthur Andersen — then one of the so-called ‘Big Eight’ — specializing in bank audits. In addition to her passion for accounting, Butt is passionate about reading, and served on the Champlain Community Book Committee for many years.
Early in her professional life, Eadie Templin spent five years at Cuttington College—a small mission college in the interior of Liberia, West Africa—where she taught math and served as Registrar and Dean of Admissions. After working as a systems engineer with IBM in New York City, she came to Champlain in 1976.
Templin served as Program Director for the Accounting major, taught several math and accounting courses, and specialized in governmental and nonprofit accounting and statistics. She chaired the Curriculum Committee, chaired the NEASC Accreditation Committee (twice), and chaired the Inaugural Ceremony Committee for two Champlain presidents. Templin was awarded with the Edward Phelps Lyman Professorship.
The extremely important job of providing students with a solid foundation in both financial and managerial accounting was performed by Dave Mona, Mitch Thibault, and Nancy Wells, who taught both in the classroom and online. A testament to their good work is the fact that many business students transferred into the Accounting major after taking their classes.
Each of these talented teachers was with Champlain for more than 20 years. Mona coordinated the Math and Accounting Lab for many years; prior to working at Champlain, he was a cost accountant with General Electric. Thibault served his country in the U.S. Army before teaching at Vergennes Union High School and Champlain College. Wells served as President of the Faculty Senate and was the first Director of Champlain’s Israel Program, bringing experience from her time as a staff member at Bentley College.
Graduates from Champlain’s Accounting program hit the ground running. 100% of Champlain Accounting graduates from the class of 2023 were employed in relevant careers six months after graduation.
In Champlain's Accounting program, learn the language of business and start uncovering the stories behind numbers.
With our Upside-Down Curriculum, you'll develop expertise in accounting practices, explore hands-on learning through applied projects, and gain valuable experience through internships.
Learn more about the experienced professionals leading Champlain College's accounting program who are dedicated to teaching and mentoring you.
Choose an accelerated accounting degree and get a head start on your accounting career. Graduate with an accounting bachelor's degree in just 3 years at Champlain College.
Can't choose between majoring in Finance or Accounting? Lucky for you, you don't have to.