Take up to 9 graduate credits while you finish your bachelor's. You'll start your master's earlier, shorten your time to completion, and keep working while you do it, all online.
Champlain College Online's bachelor's to master's pathway lets you, if eligible, take up to 9 graduate credits during your bachelor's degree. Those credits give you a head start so you can finish your master's degree sooner. The pathway is designed for working adults who don't want to wait to earn a master's degree, including career advancers aiming for management, career changers building a new field, and parents and professionals who need study to flex around a full schedule.
Finish your master's sooner. Graduate credits earned as part of your bachelor's count toward your master's, so you can shorten the path to a master's by up to 3 courses. That saves you almost a whole semester (or two terms).
Keep moving without a gap. Because you're already taking graduate courses, the move from bachelor's student to master's student is a continuation, not a new beginning. Connect with your admission or academic success advisor to plan this journey.
Build skills employers want sooner. Graduate-level coursework prepares you for leadership and specialist roles. Starting early means you can apply what you learn at work while you're still earning your bachelor's, and show you are serious about your career growth.
Save on the total cost of your degrees. Fewer remaining courses can mean a lower total cost to reach your master's. As a bachelor's degree student you will pay the undergraduate tuition for those graduate courses, which is considerably less than graduate tuition. Then, once you graduate with your bachelor's and begin your master's, you qualify for the reduced alumni graduate tuition rate!
To be considered eligible to take graduate-level courses as a bachelor's degree student you must:
You must submit your request to your Academic Success Advisor for registration. If you do not meet the above criteria you should work with your advisor to obtain Program Director approval. Students enrolled in graduate courses will need to adhere to the academic policies set forth in the graduate catalog.
If you’re a bachelor’s student thinking about a master’s degree, one of the most strategic moves you can make is to earn a 9-credit graduate certificate as part of your bachelor’s degree. Those credits roll directly into your intended master’s program, so you begin graduate study with a credential already on your resume.
If there isn’t a certificate that aligns with your master’s program, you still have a great option: take three graduate courses from your intended program as electives in your bachelor’s degree. Those credits will also count toward your master’s. The only difference is that you won’t have an additional credential along the way.
Please visit the bachelor's degree program page of your choice to view the suggested master's pathways.
Whichever route you choose, connect with your Academic Success Advisor as early as possible to map out your journey.
"I wanted to go to an online school with a good reputation, and with a brick-and-mortar base. So I found Champlain, and that was it. Doing the online program was the only way I could pursue my education, being a mom of three and working full time."
Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the pathway.
Eligible Champlain College Online undergraduates can take up to 9 graduate credits as part of their bachelor's degree. These credits give you a head start on your master's degree.
The bachelor's to master's pathway lets you begin graduate coursework before you finish your bachelor's degree. You take up to 9 graduate credits while still an undergraduate, then continue into your master's with those credits already behind you. It shortens your time to completion and helps you move forward without a gap.
Yes, the graduate credits are part of your bachelor's degree and give you a head start on your master's. Work with your advisor to determine how they apply to your specific plan. Note that not every graduate course will work with every master's degree so you MUST be sure that the graduate courses you take are also part of the master's degree you plan to earn.
You can still finish your bachelor's degree as planned. The credits will still count toward your bachelor's degree, and if you complete an entire graduate certificate you will earn that as well even if you do not continue on for your master's degree. If you do not pursue a graduate certificate and just take graduate courses, if you decide to apply to a CCO master's degree at a later date those courses will be considered, depending on your program of choice.
Yes, you still need to complete the application process for a master's degree. Work with your academic success advisor to choose an appropriate master's degree for your goals, and to determine not only which courses to take as an undergraduate but also when to submit your application.
Learn more about the bachelor's to master's pathway from one of our admission advisors, and download our online experience guide to learn more about Champlain College Online.
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