What Is the Difference Between College And Universities

Introduction

College and universities are both educational institutions with a focus of educating students with respect to the educational guidelines established by the Ministry of Education. The key differences between a college and universities are mentioned below:

History

1] Simply put, the major difference between a college and universities is that of size. A university is much, much bigger compared to a college. A University is a large establishment which comprises of several other educational institutions. A college is just a small part of a university. A university is a collection of many different colleges and institutes while a college is just a component of a university.

2] The education ministry of a country presides over college and universities. A university is part of the government’s plan to impart education to society. A government university is not commercial in nature and always offers incentives to students. A government college comes under the jurisdiction of a government university and abides by all the rules of that university. A private university needs to be accredited by the concerned authority. A private college is generally a part of a private university. A private college may also be a part of a government university if it has affiliation with a government university. College and universities are graded by the education ministry. A high grade indicates a sound, well co-coordinated educational system while a low grade indicates that the educational institution is not up to the mark. College and universities thrive on this grading system and high profile educational institutions take great pride in their grades.

Features

3] A college is an educational institution which offers only a limited number of subjects. A university almost always offers more subjects than a college. This is because a university is a group of colleges and institutes. A college is almost always affiliated to a certain university. This increases the credibility of a college. Affiliation indicates that the college offers education which is on par with the government standards. Thus all colleges seek affiliation with a university. A college generally specializes in a particular field of education. A university is a collection of colleges which cater to different subjects. This means that the total number of subjects available at a university is always more than that of a college. A university offers more subjects simply because if a subject is not available in a particular college, the university almost always has another college which offers the subject.

4] Another difference between a college and universities is that colleges are not authorized to award degrees and certificates. The right to award degrees and certificates is generally reserved by the universities. These certificates are awarded upon successful completion of a specific tenure of education. Colleges are only authorized to impart education. The colleges must adhere to the guidelines established by the university when imparting education. After completion of all their semesters, students are generally required to take a university examination which is conducted by the education ministry itself. Some colleges do award certificates to their students but a university certificate always holds more value.

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