On Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:40:37 +0100, Charlie Pearce=20
<charlie.pearce@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> Colleges *and* universities? I always assumed they were synonyms in
> the USA. What's the defining difference?
You've gotten good responses, but to this left-pondian there seems to be
no defining difference. The best I can come up with are these from the
US Department of Education:
College: ?An institution of higher learning that offers undergraduate
programs, usually of a four-year duration, that lead to the bachelor's
degree in the arts or sciences (B.A. or B.S.). The term "college" is
also used in a general sense to refer to a postsecondary institution. A
college may also be a part of the organizational structure of a
university.?
and
University: ?An educational institution that usually maintains one or
more four-year undergraduate colleges (or schools) with programs
leading to a bachelor's degree, a graduate school of arts and sciences
awarding master's degrees and doctorates (Ph.D.s), and graduate
professional schools.?
(See <http://www.educationbug.org/a/college-vs-university.html>)
"College" and "university" are synonymous on an every-day level. "I
can't afford a single-malt, my kid starts college next year" or
"Officer, I'm a college student and I'm okay" are common. References to
specific institutions do distinguish as in "She's attending Westminster
College[1]" or "My Dad got his PhD from the University of Michigan." The
terms generally differentiate a four-year (or more) experience from two-
year technical schooling.
Based on my forty(mumble) years of college/university teaching, the
difference is institutional: being a "university" is more prestigious
than being a mere "college." Institutional names are often changed
without any perceptible difference in academic programs or any increase
in research efforts. Teachers/junior/community colleges become
universities overnight by fiat. In the last two years, two for-profit
"universities" have opened in my city. Grumble, grumble.
Ken "still proud of Huntingdon *College*" Williams
[1] Churchill reference gratis.
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