what is the difference between a US university and a US college?

Answer 1

A university is comprised of several colleges, such as a College of Business, or a College of Medicine. It is larger than a college, with many more resources. There is often a good deal of research done at a university, in science, medicine, etc.

Answer 2

This question gets asked all the time on this site, and hardly any answerers ever get it right. That drives me nuts.

PLEASE, trust me on this one.

In the US, people use the term "college" to refer to both, but there is actually a difference.

A college is an institution that has a "college of arts and sciences," in which there are departments of study like English, Philosophy, Political Science, History, Biology, Chemistry, etc.

A university is a larger institution which is made up of several colleges, including the college of arts and sciences, but also including (for example) a college of business, a college of education, a college of fine arts, a college of engineering, etc.

In addition, while some (but not all) colleges have graduate programs in a certain few fields, universities usually have graduate programs in many fields, and may (but not necessarily) have a medical school and/or a law school.

Answer 3

Depends on the University or College. There are some that defy the accepted definitions you'll most likely hear.

Answer 4

A college only gives a 4-year degree (Bachelor's degree). A university gives 4-year degrees as well as graduate (Master's degree) and, sometimes post-gradaute degrees (M. Phil, Ph.D., D. Litt., M.D. etc).