What's the difference between a college and a university?

Question

I heard that generally universities are bigger schools, but does a college have to someway qualify to be a university? Or is there no difference, it's just what the school wants to call itself?

Answer 1

In the traditional setting, a college is a political subdivision within a university; and a school is a subdivision of a college. For example, at UCF, the School of Social Work is located within the College of Health and Public Affairs, which is a college of the University of Central Florida.

Typically, a department is a subunit of a college, which has not grown large enough to be its own school. An example in this case would be the College of Education would have the School of Elementary Education, but the Department of Physical Education.

Now keep in mind, in what would be the "non-traditional" school market, you have institutions calling themselves Universities, when in fact they have neither the student population nor the diversity of degrees to be a real university. I hope this helps and does not confuse you more.

Answer 2

On the most basic level, in the United States, a university offers 4 year degrees, while a college offers 2 year degrees, although a lot of universities have "college" in the name, like Boston College.

On an organizational level, many large universities have subdivisions called colleges, for instance College of Engineering, or College of Letters and Science, which help to organize faculty and courses at the university.

At a few universities, "college" means other things. At UC Santa Cruz, there are several colleges that a student can be in, each one having its own dormitory area, theme, and a few required classes. At UC San Diego, there are several colleges a student can apply to, each of which has different general ed requirements.

Answer 3

In the US, there's not much difference.

Overseas, a "college" usually refers to a place where Years 11 and 12 are taught, whereas a "university" is a tertiary institution for higher learning, usually of a non-vocational orientation. A "college" can refer to a vocational tertiary institution in some non-US countries.

Answer 4

A college is typically any institution that grants post-secondary degrees.
While to be qualified as an university the institution have to grant academic degrees in all three levels (bachlor, master, and doctorate).

Answer 5

Yes universities are bigger than colleges. Not only that but it offers a wider range of courses. Colleges offers degrees in one specific area (ex. Bs Chemistry, BS Biology) while Universities are collection of colleges (ex. college of science, college of liberal arts,etc.). Lastly, universities offer post graduate degrees (masteral and doctorate) unlike colleges which usually offer undergraduate programs.

Answer 6

university is much larger and more expensive

Answer 7

i wanted to ask the same question..............