College vs University in the US?

[Cheetah]

Me and a friend had a little discussion I hoped some americans could answer.

What is the difference between Colleges and Universities in the USA?

Is it decided by the number of degrees they offer, or how high the degrees are (bachelor, master, phd)?

Oh, and freshman, sophomore, junior and senior is used both in High School and College/University, right? So you can talk of a High School-sophomore as well as a College-junior?

 

[ummmm........]

Speaking very generally, a college is smaller while a university is larger and will contain several colleges (like a college of business, for example). But there isn't a hard and fast definition of what makes one place a university and another a college.

And you've got the years thing right as well.

 

[Perfection]

College pretty much refers to any postsecondary (after high school) education system including trade schools and higher institutions. A university is really just a system of colleges that usualy offer higher degrees (Above bachler level). For example I am at the University of Minnesota, and my college within the university is the Institute of Technology.

The Freshman-Senior thing is used both at the high school and college level. However at the college level things can become very weird. I am technically a Junior in college but I am a first year student and will most likely graduate in 2008 or 2009.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Universities usually have graduate programs and colleges don't

But there are exceptions: Harvard is a college.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Universities offer bachelor of arts degrees.

I am currently at the Georgia Institute of Technology, which, I am told, is not technically a university.

 

[El_Machinae]

Huh ... I've never even considered the difference. And now I realise I didn't KNOW the difference.

 

[Dida]

Me and a friend had a little discussion I hoped some americans could answer.

What is the difference between Colleges and Universities in the USA?

Is it decided by the number of degrees they offer, or how high the degrees are (bachelor, master, phd)?

Oh, and freshman, sophomore, junior and senior is used both in High School and College/University, right? So you can talk of a High School-sophomore as well as a College-junior?

Well, put it this way, all universities are colleges, but some colleges are not universities. Univ. is a subset of College. That's why people always say 'I am going to college!' but never 'I am going to university!'.
That's why you have large universities offering advance degree (such as College of William and Mary) calling themselve college, but would never see a tiny college focusing primarily on undergrad edu. naming itself 'university'.

 

[Perfection]

Well, put it this way, all universities are colleges, but some colleges are not universities. Univ. is a subset of College. That's why people always say 'I am going to college!' but never 'I am going to university!'.

Well, universities certainly aren't colleges. The University of Minnesota is not a college, but all the little (well, not always little) schools in it are. We have the College of Biological Sciences (smart girls), the Institute of Technology (smart guys), Carlson School of management (greedy guys), the college of liberal arts (dull people) and general college (remedial school) (there's more, but I can't recall them off hand).

 

[Cheetah]

Speaking very generally, a college is smaller while a university is larger and will contain several colleges (like a college of business, for example). But there isn't a hard and fast definition of what makes one place a university and another a college.

And you've got the years thing right as well.

Wouldn't those colleges inside a university be called institutes, like Perfections example (even though he too called it a college)?

For example I am at the University of Minnesota, and my college within the university is the Institute of Technology.

The Freshman-Senior thing is used both at the high school and college level. However at the college level things can become very weird. I am technically a Junior in college but I am a first year student and will most likely graduate in 2008 or 2009.

How can you be a first year student and at the same time be a Junior?? I thought Junior was reserved for your second-last year (usually the third, but if your degree takes five years it's the fourth and there's another word for the third?)?

Universities usually have graduate programs and colleges don't

But there are exceptions: Harvard is a college.

What's a graduate program?

Universities offer bachelor of arts degrees.

Colleges don't offer bachelor of arts degrees?? I would think a bachelor (which is allways three years, right?) would fit easily into a college?

I am currently at the Georgia Institute of Technology, which, I am told, is not technically a university.

Just adding to the confusion then?

Huh ... I've never even considered the difference. And now I realise I didn't KNOW the difference.

Welcome to the club.

 

[Taliesin]

Universities are colleges that are also research institutions, as opposed to just being liberal arts institutions, and so they offer graduate degrees, such as M.A., Ph.D., L.L.B., J.D., M.D., etc. In Canada, colleges are practical skill-training schools that award diplomas, not degrees, while universities award degrees. The University of Toronto, however, is a collection of seven "colleges" which somewhat resemble the colleges comprising Oxford and Cambridge, as separate administrative bodies operating in a collective academic environment.

 

[Perfection]

Wouldn't those colleges inside a university be called institutes, like Perfections example (even though he too called it a college)?

Nope, they're called colleges, and sometimes institutes and sometimes schools.

How can you be a first year student and at the same time be a Junior?? I thought Junior was reserved for your second-last year

There's a nation wide program called AP (advanced placement) where students can take exams and pass out of early college level classes. My school gives me credit for such courses. Since my school bases ranking on credit count my credit count is much higher than other first year students.

(usually the third, but if your degree takes five years it's the fourth and there's another word for the third?)?

There is none, the system breaks down. That's why it's not used as much

What's a graduate program?

Degree programs after completion of a 4 year

Colleges don't offer bachelor of arts degrees?? I would think a bachelor (which is allways three years, right?) would fit easily into a college?

BAs are usually 4 years and certainly found in colleges

Just adding to the confusion then? Welcome to the club.

Hell, I live here and I'm confused. The definitions are muddled.

 

[Perfection]

Universities are colleges that are also research institutions, as opposed to just being liberal arts institutions, and so they offer graduate degrees, such as M.A., Ph.D., L.L.B., J.D., M.D., etc. In Canada, colleges are practical skill-training schools that award diplomas, not degrees, while universities award degrees. The University of Toronto, however, is a collection of seven "colleges" which somewhat resemble the colleges comprising Oxford and Cambridge, as separate administrative bodies operating in a collective academic environment.

Well, in the U.S. a university doesn't have to be a research institution.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Colleges don't offer bachelor of arts degrees?? I would think a bachelor (which is allways three years, right?) would fit easily into a college?

Just adding to the confusion then?

Yep.

The Georgia Institute of Technology consists of five colleges: the College of Engineering, through which I take most of my classes; the College of Computing; the College of Management; the College of Architecture; and the College of Liberal Arts. As none award B.A. degrees, and all award B.S. degrees, the school is an institute rather than a university.

Most bachelor's degree programs here are four-year programs, but apparently the average Georgia Tech student takes five years to earn their bachelor's degree for various reasons: work internships and ridiculous course loads, for example.

 

[Cuivienen]

Universities usually have graduate programs and colleges don't

But there are exceptions: Harvard is a college.

Sort of. A college is an undergraduate program. A university is a school that has both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Thus, Harvard College is the undergraduate school while Harvard University is Harvard College plus the various postgraduate schools.

The only exception I know of to this rule is Colgate University, which has no postgraduate programs.

 

[Taliesin]

Well, in the U.S. a university doesn't have to be a research institution.

If it grants graduate-level degrees, isn't it necessarily a research institution?

 

[Dida]

An university must first be a college, and then university. In that sense, any university can be called a college. It might have the School of Engr, or School of Art under it.

 

[slip79]

Well in NZ colleges are generally high schools (just to throw another spanner in the works ).
One exception are teacher training colleges, which are now almost all incorporated into larger universities over here.
Universities have to have research taking place in them to be called universities.
Unis have schools and faculties inside of them over here.
And a BA usually takes 3 years, if you don't fail anything and manage your course load properly.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Sort of. A college is an undergraduate program. A university is a school that has both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Thus, Harvard College is the undergraduate school while Harvard University is Harvard College plus the various postgraduate schools.

The only exception I know of to this rule is Colgate University, which has no postgraduate programs.

Thanks for the correction.

 

[Taliesin]

Well in NZ colleges are generally high schools (just to throw another spanner in the works

We have those here, but to complicate the situation further, we call them collegiates.

Here, a B.A. takes 3 years, while an Honours B.A. (necessary for graduate work) takes 4. However, many universities are phasing out the 3-year degree. And in Quebec, there is an institution intermediary between high school and university, called the CEGEP, which occupies the two years when students in other provinces complete Grade 12 and the first year of university.

 

[Birdjaguar]

In the US there are community colleges that offer 2 year (mostly technical) degrees: AA (associate of Arts; AS Associate of Science) They are post high school institutions.