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In the uk the term university college is used to denote an institution that teaches degree programmes normally within a specialist field, and may carry out research but is normally teaching-focused. Any institution may describe itself as a university college, but the use of the term "university" in a title requires government approval. To use the term in their titles, institutions must have degree-awarding powers, though some still choose to have their degrees awarded by other institutions. Many university colleges became universities in September 2005, with others seeking to gain the status within the following years. The UK's first private proprietary University College is BPP University College of Professional Studies, which is now known as
In India several educational institutes bear the name University College. These institutes conducts bachelor's degree, master's degree, and diploma programs. The administrative control of these institutes generally lies with the respective University, and considered to be extension of the University. It has Central Universities and state universities supported by central and state govt respectively, with a total of 41 central, 281 state and 129 deemed universities.
In the US the terms are used interchangeably. At one time being a university meant that you offered master's degrees or higher but I'm not sure that is always the case now. I think the rough equivalent to a "college" in the UK is our Community College system in the US where as our colleges/universities are more similar to the UK Universities.
In the US the terms are used interchangeably. At one time being a university meant that you offered master's degrees or higher but I'm not sure that is always the case now. I think the rough equivalent to a "college" in the UK is our Community College system in the US where as our colleges/universities are more similar to the UK Universities.
I believe that's still the case. There's a college down here called Saint Pete College that only goes up to a four year bachelor's degree.
I believe that's still the case. There's a college down here called Saint Pete College that only goes up to a four year bachelor's degree.
It’s not as clear are it once was. Some schools that were strictly four-year colleges are branching out and offering limited graduate programs in certain areas, but keep the “college†description for historical reasons, or because they’re not a research university with the full panoply of graduate degrees.
If we’re on the subject different uses of the word college, in the UK, “college†by itself can mean high school.
In the US, we say “I went to college at X,†because it’s where we got our undergraduate degree, even if the technically a university. In the UK, people say “I went to university.â€
Additionally, in the US, really any kind of higher education institution can call itself a college. Even technical schools that teach things like medical transcription or how to be a pastry chef can call themselves a college. For example, I have a nephew that wanted to become a welder. He was 18 and fresh out of high school. There was a technical school near him, that went under the name of "xxxx College". He thought it was a legitimate school so he and his dad went to check it out. All it turned out to be was some kind of trade training program, mostly for ex-cons. Not exactly what they had in mind.
Often in the US also, at large universities, there are various colleges under the general university umbrella. For example, at the University of Arkansas, if you are studying business, you are studying in the Sam Walton College of Business or architecture you are in the Fay Jones School of Architecture or English you are in the J Wm Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. If you were to meet any of these students they would just say they went to college at the University of Arkansas. Only occasionally, and usually when speaking to someone already familiar with the university, one might say "I go to college at the University of Arkansas" and then go on to say that they were studying business in the "Walton school", but more often than not they would just say "I'm a business major at the University of Arkansas". In these types of situations most people are unfamiliar with the names of the specific colleges, just the university name.
I got my bachelors degree at a very small private university. It didn't have separate colleges, just different departments.
I recall something, in the back of my mind, from when I went to college orientation back in the Pleistocene era. My university said the university was a collection of colleges, and somehow related the word "university" to "universe". (I couldn't find anything about this on Google a couple days ago.) My husband, OTOH, went to an "Institute of Technology", which is more restrictive in its offerings.
I agree with golfgal in that College and University are interchangeable in the US. I know Colleges that offer masters and PhD's. However, I don't know any University that doesn't offer post-grad degrees. I found this wiki link with the OP's question and the answers are pretty much all over the board: What is the difference between a college and a university
They have a nuclear reactor (or at least they used to), so I wouldn't mess with them.
In the US, pretty much anything can call itself a "University", but if your "University" doesn't have accreditation from one of the regional accreditation boards, they'll be considered a joke and their degrees will be next to worthless.
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Colleges and Universities
