Game Art Student tests interactive color application

Upside-Down Curriculum

At Champlain, there are no delays between you and your future. With our unique Upside-Down Curriculum, you start taking classes in your major in your first year. 

Most schools require you to take your general education courses before starting classes in your major, but Champlain is different. Our Upside-Down Curriculum lets you dive into your field of study right away.

The Upside-Down Curriculum means you can:

  • Take as many as six classes in your major during your first year at Champlain.
  • Build a highly marketable resume full of professional skills, credentials, and references.
  • Begin career-focused internships sooner than students at other schools.
  • Have four full years to develop the skills essential for success in your career.

If you enroll as an undeclared major, the Upside-Down Curriculum means you’ll be able to take courses in different majors starting in your first semester so you can see which inspires you the most. It will help you choose the academic path that’s right for you by the end of your first year.

 


Champlain is a pioneer of the Upside-Down Curriculum. Undergraduates can take as many as six classes in their majors during their first year [which] allows them to build a resume of professional skills and credentials and obtain work-related internships after their first year. Students who don’t initially declare a major can take courses in different majors in their first semester so they can explore what most inspires them before picking a field of concentration.

Forbes magazine

Student interning at game company in Montreal

 

A Who’s Who of Our Top Employers

It’s not surprising that, within a year after graduating, 90% of surveyed students from the Class of 2022 are employed or continuing their education; many received their job offers prior to graduation. Check out some of the national and local organizations that are hiring our students and grads, participating in our recruiting events, and connecting with our expert career services team on a regular basis.

National EmployersLocal Employers
Amazon Ben & Jerry's
Cisco Meraki Burton
Fidelity Investments Cox Automotive/Dealer.com
Google, Inc. GlobalFoundries
Mandiant, a FireEye Company Howard Center
Microsoft Corporation National Life Group
Raven Software New Breed Marketing
Sony Bend Studios OnLogic (Logic Supply, Inc).
Stroz Friedberg, an Aon company People's United Bank
Trivium Interactive Revision Military Technologies, LLC

The Upside-Down Curriculum At a Glance

In any given area of career-focused study, there’s too much to learn to wait a year or two in college before taking important and relevant courses in your major. You can dive right into several classes in your field starting in the first semester of your first year with our unique Upside-Down Curriculum. This approach has a number of key benefits, including:

Depth

Our programs offer a far greater depth of study at the undergraduate level than can be found at pretty nearly any other institution. Because you’ll start relevant courses sooner in your college career, you’ll dig deeper into your chosen area of study and spend more time learning and doing what you love.

Readiness

The extensive classroom learning and hands-on experience attained within your first two years of study will give you the necessary skills and qualifications to secure part-time work or internships with businesses and nonprofit organizations—and build your portfolio, resume, and skill set.

Employability

Organizations look for up-to-date professionals who can hit the ground running. With plenty of fieldwork, supervised learning, and on-the-job experience, you’ll graduate ready to move seamlessly into a job in your chosen field.

JUST THE FACTS

THE BEST


The Princeton Review selected Champlain as one of the "best colleges" in the northeast for 2023.

THE MOST


Champlain was named a "Most Innovative School" by U.S. News & World Report in its "America's Best Colleges" 2021 ranking of universities in the North.

83%


Of 2022 graduates from Champlain College, 83% completed a career-relevant expertiential learning opportunity during their four years of college.

Students interning at gaming company in Montreal
Student filmmakers on travel course to Saudi Arabia

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Nice to meet you!

Thanks for getting in touch. Download your Academic Book here. Please reach out anytime if you have any questions about Champlain; you can call or text us at (802) 625-0201 or email us at admission@champlain.edu.

Check out our list of majors, come visit out beautiul campus, and explore our blog, The View, for the latest news and updates.