Houston Business University

What is the difference between College and University?

I live in Canada and attend a University (MUN) and I am almost finished my Bachlor of Science.. Biology Major. I know in Canada there is a big difference in College and University. Here.. University takes 4 years plus additional x amount if you're doing graduate but College you go in for 2-3 years and get a trade and a lower paying job! What is the difference in the States? I hear people saying they are going to College even though it's a university!

Public Comments

1. The difference between the words college and university depend very much upon where you live. In many cases, in the US, a college refers to a four year advanced education only, and an institution which does not have the accreditation to offer more than a bachelor’s degree. College may also be restricted by its modifiers. For example, a technical college may offer Associate of Arts degrees or certification in certain fields only. A junior college or community college also offers a variety of A.A. degrees and certification programs. Traditionally the term college applied to a part of a university. Large universities may be split into colleges or departments that offer different degrees. The University of California, Berkeley, for instance, has colleges of music, science, law and liberal arts, to name a few. Deans or heads of the college oversees each college, but the ability to grant degrees is through the overhead university. Most large universities also offer advanced degrees like PhDs and Master’s degrees. A four-year college, not attached to a university may only offer bachelor’s degrees.
2. Everyone in the U.S. generally uses the word "college" as encompassing of all post-high school learning institutions. But if you're really curious about the difference, here it is. The difference is simple: Colleges are all undergraduate. Universities have a graduate program as well.