Tennessee College Guide | 2024-2025 15 Feature Articles Article by The Tennessee College Guide Editorial Staff Selecting the college you want to attend is hard enough, but what makes it even more confusing is the different terminology they use. What exactly is the difference be- tween a college and a university? And while we’re at it, what’s a community col- lege or a technical college, and how are they different from other institutions? Be- fore you get too confused—relax, because the answers are actually pretty simple and in some cases be very important in finding the school that’s right for you. The simplest way to explain the difference between a college and a university is to begin with the number of years of study they offer. As a general rule, both colleges and universities provide four year programs where students will earn their bachelor de- grees with some also offeingr two-year as- sociate degrees. Universities however, generally also provide graduate schools, for students who wish to stay and complete their master’s or doctorate degrees in areas such as law school or medical school. Keep in mind, your first four years of col- lege (freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years) you are referred to as an un- dergraduate (as you have not graduated from college yet). Graduate students are those who have already completed their bachelor’s degree, and are continuing their education seeking a master’s or doc- torate degree. Colleges vs. Universities Whether an institution refers to itself as a ‘college’ or a ‘university’ actually varies from school to school, but generally, col- leges are broken into different departments of study or programs. Universities, on the other hand are generally a combination of individual colleges. If you visit Middle Tennessee State Uni- versity’s website, and click on “Programs of Study,” it will list the different “colleges” within the university, such as the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, the College of Business, or College of Educa- tion. The University of Tennessee- Knoxville is actually made up of eleven different colleges, including the College of Engineering, College of Communication and Information, and the College of Law. Many of Tennessee’s universities actually began with the name “college,’ but ex- panded the number of programs of study over the years. In most cases, those colleges later changed their name to a university after they added graduate programs where students could continue their studies by seeking a graduate degree. In most cases, universities are significantly larger than col- leges, but again, this is a general rule with some exceptions. Student Numbers and Classroom Size Because the universities are a collection of colleges, in most cases universities have more enrolled students than colleges. Also, because there are both undergraduate and graduate students, this also makes the number of students larger versus a college. You may have friends who are already saying, “I want to go to a large university” or “I like the feel of a smaller college.” The size of a college, both in the number of buildings, dorms, and facilities on cam- pus, and the number of students can make a big difference in your college years. Maybe you like the idea of a small com- munity, or perhaps you’re looking for a school with thousands of new people to meet and learn alongside. Getting Started Understanding the Basics About College
