A progressive liberal arts college in Burlington, Vermont that closed in 2016 after financial difficulties.
Burlington College offered undergraduate programs in arts, writing and literature, film studies, photography, fine arts, legal studies, transpersonal psychology, human services, media activism, and graphic design. The college provided individualized undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with study-abroad options in Europe and Cuba. It offered a low-residency Master of Arts degree tailored to individual graduate students' needs. An articulation agreement with Vermont Law School allowed graduates to proceed into JD programs, and the college affiliated with Vermont Woodworking School to offer woodworking and fine craftsmanship courses for credit.
The college operated on a 32.4-acre waterfront campus on North Avenue in Burlington, purchased from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington in 2011. The campus included classrooms, studios, art rooms, film and radio facilities, and laboratories housed in the former diocesan office and classroom building. The college was known for its progressive approach, offering narrative evaluations in addition to traditional transcripts and maintaining no mandatory classes, tests, or official letter/number grades.
Burlington College began in 1972 as the Vermont Institute of Community Involvement, initially serving adult learners and veterans from a founder's living room. By 2007, enrollment reached 204 students. In 2010, a major property purchase of 33 acres created significant debt. Financial difficulties mounted through 2014 when the college was placed on probation by its regional accreditor for failing to meet standards regarding financial resources. Despite selling 27.5 acres in 2015 and reducing debt from $11 million to $2 million, the college's bank declined to renew a $1 million line of credit. The board of trustees voted to close the school in May 2016.