University vs College
The difference between university and college depends on the place where are located. In other words, university and college are higher education institutions that take different meanings depending on where they are located. All of the countries agree on what a university is. However, they have different acceptances of the term college. So, you will see that when you say college in UK that is different from the use of the term in Canada. Depending on this definition given in each country, the educational programmes each institution offer also changes. So, make sure that you pay attention where you are when you are using the term college.
What is a University?
According to the Macmillan dictionary definition, a University is “an educational institution where students study for degrees and where academic research is done.”A university is a higher education institution, which grants academic degrees (both undergraduate and postgraduate) in a variety of subjects. The university is derived from the Latin universitas magistrorum et scholarium, roughly meaning “community of teachers and scholars.” The original Latin word referred to degree-granting institutions of learning in Western Europe. In these institutions, a form of legal organization was prevalent.
University is known as a hub of knowledge as it offers knowledge to students who come from various places. In United States, the word university was traditionally used to designate research institutions. The word university was also once reserved for research doctorate-granting institutions.
University of Virginia
What is a College?
The Macmillan dictionary says that a College, in the U.S., is a place that gives students degrees. A school of this type can also be called a university if it is large enough to give degrees in more than one subject. Whereas, in the U.K., a place that gives students qualifications below the level of a university degree, often in the skills they need to do a particular job, is known as a college.
Saint Anselm College
Therefore, the word College is used differently in different parts of the world. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, an institution within a university, an institution offering vocational courses or a secondary school. Colleges can grant certificates or diplomas, but not degrees. However, some educational institutions that are known as colleges have university status and can grant degrees.
What is the difference between University and College?
• Definition of University and College
• A university is a higher education institution, which grants academic degrees (both undergraduate and postgraduate) in a variety of subjects.
• The word College is used differently in different parts of the world. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, an institution within a university, an institution offering vocational courses or a secondary school.
• Usage of the terms University and College
• In the United States and Ireland, college and university are loosely interchangeable.
• In the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and other Commonwealth countries, college generally refers to a part of the university and does not have degree-awarding powers in itself. In these countries, degrees are always awarded by universities and colleges are institutions or organizations affiliated to universities and prepare students for the particular university degree. The colleges affiliated to universities are sometimes referred as University Colleges. Think of the different colleges attached to the University of Oxford.
• Status and Degree awarding authority of University and College
• Universities are always independent higher educational institutions.
• College can be affiliated to the universities. However, colleges are not always affiliated to universities. A college may also be an independent institution which prepares students to sit as external candidates at other universities or has the authority to run courses that lead to the degrees of those universities.
• In the UK, some university colleges are now independent higher education institutions that have the power to award degrees, but do not have university status.
• In Canada, a University is an education institution that can award degrees. The college in Canada can grant bachelor’s degrees and associate’s degrees, along with certificates and diplomas.
• In Australia, universities offer degrees and, within those universities, they do have separate colleges – like faculties. The institution that grants vocational qualifications or tertiary education below degree level is most commonly called TAFE or technical colleges.
Traditionally, the term college applied to a part of a university. Large universities may be split into colleges or departments that offer different degrees. In a sense, the university unified different colleges. However, the meaning of college vary from one country to another. So, the difference between the words College and University depend very much upon where you live. Summing up, university is an autonomous degree awarding institution, but colleges are not always so.
Images Courtesy: University of Virginia and Saint Anselm College via Wikicommons (Public Domain)
