What is the Difference Between a College and a University

The words college and university represent educational institutions, which impart post-secondary education, but there is a distinct difference between both the institutions. At the same time the difference between a college and a university also changes according to the area it is preferred to in. The meaning of college and university is different in the United States of America, from what it means in Canada and United Kingdom. Normally the nomenclatures, college and university are used to mean similar kind of institutions in Commonwealth Countries, which often follow the system used in the United Kingdom. Having understood that there is a difference between these two educational institutions, the question is what is the exact difference between both of them? Let's find out.

College Vs. University

The word college is taken from the Latin word collegium. The meaning of the word is a group of people staying together for a common purpose, but with their own choice. Hence, you will often come across college students referred to as fellows. However, the word college, as we use today is used to denote an educational institution. There are different undergraduate and graduate courses, which are offered in colleges. The traditional meaning of college was an institution, which was a part of a university. The university was divided into colleges for administration purposes.

Like the word college, the word university is also taken from the Latin word universitas magistrorum et scholarium. This word denotes a small close knit group of teachers and scholars in different fields staying together in pursuit of higher knowledge. The meaning of the word university has not undergone a sea of change and it continues to mean almost the same. In other words, universities are seats of advanced education, which offer opportunities both for learning as well as for research.

Difference in the Courses Offered
College is an in-between stage. It is a stage which is in between schools and universities. They offer limited courses. Normally diploma courses or bachelor's degrees are offered in colleges. At the same time, colleges stands for institutions which offer education in liberal arts at the post secondary level. Some colleges may also offer vocational or technical degree programs. In the United Kingdom and most of the Commonwealth Countries, colleges are a part of the universities.

The difference between these educational institutions lies in the variety of courses offered. Often colleges are restricted to one kind of field. They offer education either in science, arts, commerce, law, business, etc. However, there are different departments or colleges, which are under a university. These departments or colleges are headed by heads or deans. The universities have advanced degrees like Masters and PhD programs.

Difference in Focus
Normally colleges have a limited number of students and the focus of this institution is on teaching. On the other hand, the focus of universities is teaching as well as research. However, research is where, often a lot of focus is laid on. There are some colleges in the United States of America, who do offer doctorate programs as well, but the number of such colleges is limited. Therefore, differentiating between a college and a university in the USA can be a little tricky. It will depend on the respective college and university.

Difference in Degree Conferring
Though colleges offer courses, the degrees are conferred upon by the university to which the college is accredited to. This difference is very clearly seen in the universities in United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Countries. The colleges stand second in rung to the universities, where the colleges are seen as specialized seats of learning under the aegis of a university. In other words, the university can be looked upon as the parent body and the colleges have to follow the rules laid down by the universities.

I hope with this article proves to be of help to you. If you are divided between, how to choose a college or a university, then you will have to decide your goal. Once you have the goal in place, you will find it easier to decide between a college and a university.