Difference between revisions of "College" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''College''' is a term that has several different uses; most often it is used in the context of [[post-secondary education]], either to describe an entire certificate or degree granting institution, or a sub-division within a larger organization. In the past, colleges were subsumed within a [[university]] system, operating more as the home for students and providing training. The university was the body which granted the degree after students completed their time of study and satisfied requirements, usually involving examinations, set by the university. This is the major difference between a college and a university: Universities are usually larger institutions that incorporate different schools or colleges, although within the English-speaking world, college is often used to describe all post-secondary educational programs and institutions.
  
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Regardless of their exact nature, colleges fall within the purview of [[education]], in particular higher education after the level considered necessary to function effectively as an adult citizen—that offered by [[elementary school|elementary]] and [[high school]]s. As such, colleges teach more specialized mastery of particular skills, greater depth in academic knowledge, or otherwise advance the individual interests and talents of their students. This aspect of education is built on, and requires, the foundation of earlier education, which includes not only academic knowledge but the emotional development and social skills that are acquired in earlier childhood.  
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{{unreferenced|article|date=November 2006}}
 
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'''''College''''' ([[Latin]] '''[[collegium]]''') is a term most often used today to denote an [[educational]] [[institution]]. More broadly, it can be the name of any group of [[colleague]]s (see for example [[electoral college]], [[College of Arms]]). Originally it meant a group of [[person|people]] living together under a common set of [[law|rules]] (''con-'', "together" + ''leg-'', "law"); indeed, some colleges call their members "[[fellow]]s". The precise usage of the term varies among [[English language|English]]-speaking countries.
 
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== United Kingdom ==
 
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[[Image:KingsCollegeChapel.jpg|thumb|300px|KingsCollegeChapel.jpg|King's College, a [[Colleges of the University of Cambridge|constituent college]] of the University of Cambridge]]
 
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[[United Kingdom|British]] usage of the word "college" remains the loosest, encompassing a range of institutions:
 
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* colleges of [[further education]] and [[adult education]].
 
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* "[[sixth form college]]s", where students do [[A Levels]], and some [[specialist school]]s
 
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* the constituent parts of [[collegiate university|collegiate universities]], especially referring to the independent colleges of [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] and [[Durham University|Durham]].
 
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* a name given to large groupings of faculties or departments, notably in the [[university of Edinburgh]], and possibly the [[university of Birmingham]] under restructuring plans.
 
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* [[university college]]s — independent higher education institutions that have been granted degree-awarding powers but not [[university]] status.
 
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* certain [[independent schools|public schools]] for children such as [[Eton College|Eton]] and [[Winchester College|Winchester]].<ref name="Eaton">[http://www.etoncollege.com/eton.asp?di=389 Eton College website] using school as the educational institute but College as the name</ref>
 
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* professional associations such as the [[Royal College of Organists]], the [[Royal College of Surgeons]] and other various [[Royal College]]s.
 
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* the [[College of Justice]] or [[Court of Session]] of [[Scotland]]
 
  
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In general use, a "college" refers to: institutions between secondary school and university, colleges of further education and adult education. These types of institutions were usually referred to as '''technical colleges''', or '''tech''' for short. Recently in the United Kingdom however, with the differences in functionality between universities and colleges becoming less clear-cut, and with the phasing out of polytechnical colleges, many people are starting to refer to them simply as "college". Many types of institutions have "college" in its name but are not "colleges" in the general use of the word. For example [[Eton College]] would not be referred to as a college, but as a school or by its full name.<ref name="Eaton">[http://www.etoncollege.com/eton.asp?di=389 Eton College website] using school as the educational institute but College as the name</ref>
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==Etymology==
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The word '''college''' comes from the [[Latin]] ''collegium,'' which originally meant a group of [[person|people]] living together under a common set of [[law|rules]] (''con-,'' "together" + ''leg-,'' "law"); the tradition continues up to this day as some colleges call their members "fellows."<ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'' (Oxford Press, 1971, ISBN 019861117X).</ref> However, the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] did not use the word college to denote an educational institution. It was, in fact, adopted for such use by the [[France|French]] in the early fourteenth century, in the form of ''collège.'' From there, it was passed on to [[Middle English language|Middle English]].<ref>''American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language,'' [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/College College] Retrieved November 17, 2007.</ref>
  
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:''For notable examples of the college system inside UK universities see [[Colleges within UK Universities]]''
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==Definitions==
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In relation to universities, the term ''college'' normally refers to a part of the university which does not have degree-awarding powers in itself. Degrees are always awarded by ''universities'', ''colleges'' are institutions or organisations which prepare students for the degree. In some cases, colleges prepare students for the degree of a university of which the college is a part (eg colleges of the [[University of London]], [[University of Cambridge]], etc) and in some cases colleges are independent institutions which prepare students to sit as external candidates at other universities (eg many higher education colleges prepare students to sit for external examinations of universities).{{fact}} In the past, many of what are now universities with their own degree-awarding powers were colleges which had their degrees awarded by either a federal university (eg [[Cardiff University]]) or another university (eg many of the [[New Universities|post-1992 universities]]).
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The post-secondary educational system, (or [[Higher education]] as it is sometimes referred to) is responsible for providing [[education]] beyond compulsory schooling, (usually [[Secondary schooling]]). Unlike [[Primary education|Primary]] and secondary, higher education is not mandatory; students are admitted to most post secondary institutions through an admissions process that can be competitive. Prospective students are able to choose which institutions to apply to and have the option not to attend a higher education school if they chose not to. There are many different types of schools in the post-secondary educational system, and a college is one form.
  
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== United States of America==
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While the terms "[[university]]" and "college" are often used interchangeably, they are in fact, two different types of institutions. Colleges are often undergraduate institutions that grant Associate or Bachelor level degrees in the field of [[Liberal Arts]] and [[Science]]s or [[Vocational education|vocational]] certificates. Some colleges offer post-graduate level programs and research institutions, but more often it is the larger universities that are better known for such programs. Colleges also tend to be smaller organizations than their university counterparts.
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[[Image:BCburnslawnsunset.jpg|thumb|300px|Boston College]]
 
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In [[American English]], the word, in contrast to its many and varied British meanings, almost always refers to undergraduate university studies or to a school providing professional or technical training on a (loosely) comparable level. It can therefore refer to both a self-contained institution that has no graduate studies and to the undergraduate school of a full university (i.e. that also has a graduate school). The usual practice in the United States today is to use "[[university]]" in the official names of institutions made up of several faculties or "schools" and granting a range of higher degrees while "college" is used in the official names of smaller institutions only granting [[Bachelor's degree|bachelor's]] or [[associate's degree]]s. (See [[liberal arts colleges]], [[community college]]). Nevertheless, several prominent American universities, including [[Boston College]], [[Dartmouth College]], [[College of Charleston]], and [[College of William and Mary]], have retained the term "college" in their names for historical reasons though they offer a wide range of higher degrees.  This problem led, in part, to the threatened lawsuit between [[Yale College Wrexham]] (equivalent to an American "[[high school]]") and [[Yale University]], the latter claiming trademark infringement.{{fact}} As of 2003, there were 2,474 four-year colleges and universities in the United States.<ref name="numberofcolleges">[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0908742.html Number of U.S. Colleges and Universities and Degrees Awarded, 2003], infoplease.com</ref>
 
  
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Usage of the terms varies among the [[U.S. state|states]], each of which operates its own institutions and licenses private ones. In [[1996]] for example, [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] changed all of its four-year colleges to universities, and all of its [[vocational]] [[technology]] [[school]]s to [[technical college]]s. (Previously, only the four-year [[research]] institutions were called universities.) Other states have changed the [[name]]s of individual colleges, many having started as a [[teacher]]s' college or [[vocational school]] (such as an A&M &mdash; an [[agricultural]] and [[Mechanics|mechanical]] school) that ended up as a full-fledged [[state university]].
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Sometimes college is used to describe particular schools of study within a university (such as, College of [[Engineer|Engineering]], College of [[Nurse|Nursing]]; in [[United States of America|America]], often the term "school" is employed instead of college, such as the School of Physical Sciences). These colleges are institutions devoted to a particular field of study and are responsible for all administrative duties within their programs of study. Sometimes a student must apply both to the university at large as well as to the college of study they wish to study in. Colleges can also be used to describe a cluster of buildings or facilities at a large university.<ref>Dictionary.com, [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/college College]. Retrieved November 17, 2007.</ref>
  
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It should be noted, too, that "university" and "college" do not exhaust all possible titles for an American institution of higher education. Other options include "institute" ([[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]), "academy" ([[United States Military Academy]]), "union" ([[Cooper Union]]), "conservatory", and "school" ([[Juilliard School]])
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==History==
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Colleges did not originate as they stand today. Originally, colleges, as the Latin name applies, were groups or associations connected to larger universities. Oftentimes in Europe, colleges were where students lived, housed libraries, and offered tutoring. In France, these colleges started as charity donations for students who wanted to attend a university but could not afford housing at the regular costs.<ref>''The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French,'' [http://www.answers.com/topic/coll-ge Collège.] Retrieved December 5 2007.</ref> Early colleges would also help students prepare for exams and were charged with maintaining collections that would eventually become museums and scientific research institutions.<ref>Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, [http://www.answers.com/topic/university University.] Retrieved December 22, 2007.</ref>
  
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The term ''college'' is also, as in the United Kingdom, used for a constituent semi-autonomous part of a larger university but generally organized on academic rather than residential lines. For example, at many institutions,  the undergraduate portion of the university can be briefly referred to as '''the college''' (such as The College at [[Brown University|Brown]], [[Harvard College]] at [[Harvard University|Harvard]], or [[Columbia College of Columbia University|Columbia College]] at [[Columbia University|Columbia]]) while at others each of the faculties may be called a "college" (the "college of engineering", the "college of nursing", and so forth). There exist other variants for historical reasons; for example, [[Duke University]], which was called Trinity College until the 1920s, still calls its main undergraduate subdivision [[Trinity College of Arts and Sciences]].  Some American universities, such as [[Princeton University|Princeton]], [[Rice University|Rice]], and [[Yale University|Yale]] do have [[residential college]]s along the lines of Oxford or Cambridge, but the name was clearly adopted in homage to the British system.{{fact}} Unlike the Oxbridge colleges, these residential colleges are not autonomous legal entities nor are they typically much involved in education itself, being primarily concerned with room, board, and social life. At the [[University of California, San Diego]], however, each of the six residential colleges does teach its own core writing courses and has its own distinctive set of graduation requirements.
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Eventually, colleges as separate entities began to emerge in the mid to late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when more and more higher educational institutions started to emerge in the Western world. [[Economics]] and [[logic|logistics]] made it more practical for smaller institutions to be built, rather than attempt to create universities, especially since it had taken the great universities of the world hundreds of years to become as large and complex as they were. Hence, smaller institutions were created, focusing on the undergraduate level of education, minus the cost of large storage and research facilities, and adaptable to the needs of the community it was built in. Thus, the college as an independent entity was created, while college as a specific school in a large university remained.
  
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Finally, some institutions, such as the [[University of Chicago]] use the term "college" to distinguish their undergraduate program from their graduate and research programs.
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==Organization==
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[[Image:Brooks Hall UGA.jpg|right|250 px|thumbnail|Brooks Hall, home of the Terry College of Business at the [[University of Georgia]] in [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]], [[Georgia (U.S. State)|Georgia, United States]]]]
  
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College students are also sharing what their life in college is like through the internet via blogging. For example, [http://thecollegekid.wordpress.com/ theCollegeKid] is a blog about a senior college student in southern California who writes both about his life and about the life of a college students in general.  
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Although each institution is organized differently, nearly all colleges have a board of trustees, a president, [[chancellor (education)|chancellor]] or [[rector]], at least one vice president, vice-chancellor or vice-rector, and deans of various divisions. Colleges are generally divided into a number of academic departments. Public college systems are ruled over by government-run higher education boards. They review financial requests and budget proposals and then allocate funds for each college in the system. They also approve new programs of instruction and cancel or make changes in existing programs. In addition, they plan for the further coordinated growth and development of the various institutions of higher education in the state or country. However, many public colleges in the world have a considerable degree of financial, research, and pedagogical autonomy. Private colleges are privately funded having generally a broader independence from state policies.
  
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[[Image:HarvardYard.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Harvard Yard]]]]
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==Cultural variants==
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===United Kingdom===
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[[Image:KingsCollegeChapel.jpg|thumb|300px|KingsCollegeChapel.jpg|King's College, a [[Colleges of the University of Cambridge|constituent college]] of the University of Cambridge]]
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[[United Kingdom|British]] usage of the word "college" remains the loosest, encompassing a range of institutions:
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* Colleges of [[further education]] and [[adult education]].
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* "[[Sixth form college]]s," where students do [[A Levels]], and some [[specialist school]]s
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* The constituent parts of [[collegiate university|collegiate universities]], especially referring to the independent colleges of [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] and [[Durham University|Durham]].
 +
* A name given to large groupings of faculties or departments, notably in the [[university of Edinburgh]], and possibly the [[university of Birmingham]] under restructuring plans.
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* [[University college]]s—independent higher education institutions that have been granted degree-awarding powers but not [[university]] status.
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* Certain [[independent schools|public schools]] for children such as [[Eton College|Eton]] and [[Winchester College|Winchester]].<ref>Eton College, [http://www.etoncollege.com/eton.asp?di=389 Eton’s History.] Retrieved November 17, 2007.</ref>
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* Professional associations such as the [[Royal College of Organists]], the [[Royal College of Surgeons]] and other various [[Royal College]]s.
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* The [[College of Justice]] or [[Court of Session]] of [[Scotland]]
  
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===The origin of the U.S. usage===
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In general use, a "college" refers to: Institutions between secondary school and university, colleges of further education and adult education. These types of institutions were usually referred to as '''technical colleges,''' or '''tech''' for short. Recently in the United Kingdom, however, with the differences in functionality between universities and colleges becoming less clear-cut, and with the phasing out of polytechnical colleges, many people are starting to refer to them simply as "college." Many types of institutions have "college" in its name but are not "colleges" in the general use of the word. For example, [[Eton College]] would not be referred to as a college, but as a school or by its full name.
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The founders of the first institutions of higher education in the United States were graduates of the [[University of Oxford]] and the [[University of Cambridge]]. The small institutions they founded would not have seemed to them like universities &mdash; they were tiny and did not offer the higher degrees in medicine and theology. Furthermore, they were not composed of several small colleges. Instead, the new institutions felt like the Oxbridge colleges they were used to &mdash; small communities, housing and feeding their students, with instruction from residential tutors (as in the United Kingdom, described above). When the first students came to be graduated, these "colleges" assumed the right to confer degrees upon them, usually with authority — for example, the [[College of William and Mary]] has a [[Royal Charter]] from the British monarchy allowing it to confer degrees while [[Dartmouth College]] has a charter permitting it to award degrees "as are usually granted in either of the universities, or any other college in our realm of Great Britain." 
 
  
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Contrast this with [[Europe]], where only universities could grant degrees. The leaders of [[Harvard College]] (which granted America's first degrees in 1642) might have thought of their college as the first of many residential colleges which would grow up into a New Cambridge university. However, over time, few new colleges were founded there, and Harvard grew and added higher faculties. Eventually, it changed its title to university, but the term "college" had stuck and "colleges" had sprung up all over the United States.
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===United States of America===
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[[Image:BCburnslawnsunset.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Boston College]]
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In [[American English]], the word, in contrast to its many and varied British meanings, almost always refers to undergraduate university studies or to a school providing professional or technical training on a (loosely) comparable level. It can therefore refer to both a self-contained institution that has no graduate studies and to the undergraduate school of a full university (that also has a graduate school). The usual practice in the United States today is to use "[[university]]" in the official names of institutions made up of several faculties or "schools" and granting a range of higher degrees while "college" is used in the official names of smaller institutions only granting [[Bachelor's degree|bachelor's]] or [[associate's degree]]s. Nevertheless, several prominent American universities, including [[Boston College]], [[Dartmouth College]], [[College of Charleston]], and [[College of William and Mary]], have retained the term "college" in their names for historical reasons though they offer a wide range of higher degrees.
  
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==British and American usage contrasted==
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The term ''college'' is also, as in the United Kingdom, used for a constituent semi-autonomous part of a larger university but generally organized on academic rather than residential lines. For example, at many institutions, the undergraduate portion of the university can be briefly referred to as '''the college''' (such as The College at [[Brown University|Brown]], [[Harvard College]] at [[Harvard University|Harvard]], or [[Columbia College of Columbia University|Columbia College]] at [[Columbia University|Columbia]]) while at others each of the faculties may be called a "college" (the "college of engineering," the "college of nursing," and so forth). There exist other variants for historical reasons; for example, [[Duke University]], which was called Trinity College until the 1920s, still calls its main undergraduate subdivision [[Trinity College of Arts and Sciences]].  
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The aspect of the American use of the word "college" that seems the most confusing to British people is that it refers to both institutions using "college" in their name and to the undergraduate portions of institutions using "university" in their names. This use is not colloquial, and it is in fact not even confusing as long as one realizes that the same level of education (undergraduate) is always meant. In British usage, in contrast, "college" can refer to different levels of education and different kinds of institutions (see United Kingdom section above), as a result of which even many British people are confused by the many different British uses of the word.
 
  
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Where a British person would say "go to university", Americans instead say "go to college" or frequently "go to school", even when referring to an institution officially called a "university", as long as they are not referring to graduate or first-professional studies in the same school. In the United Kingdom, aside from usage in reference to [[collegiate universities]] as detailed above, to attend "college" would usually be accepted as meaning one attends a [[technical college]] or a specific [[sixth form]] institution. (Most [[state schools]] and [[Independent school (United Kingdom)|independent school]] in the United Kingdom have sixth forms, but there are a number of sixth form specific institutions).
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Some American universities, such as [[Princeton University|Princeton]], [[Rice University|Rice]], and [[Yale University|Yale]] do have [[residential college]]s along the lines of Oxford or Cambridge. Unlike the Oxbridge colleges, these residential colleges are not autonomous legal entities, nor are they typically much involved in education itself, being primarily concerned with room, board, and social life. At the [[University of California, San Diego]], however, each of the six residential colleges does teach its own core writing courses and has its own distinctive set of graduation requirements. Some institutions, such as the [[University of Chicago]] use the term "college" to distinguish their undergraduate program from their graduate and research programs.
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[[Image:HarvardYard.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Harvard Yard]]]]
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However, in the U.S., students at universities still refer to them as "college", but only when referring to their undergraduate studies and students. (Otherwise, the term "graduate school" is always used, except in reference to "business school" or a first-professional school such as "law school" or "medical school".) The institution that administers many standardized admissions tests in the U.S. is known as the [[College Board]] because it originally only provided tests for undergraduate admissions. So, to Americans, the word "college" refers to an undergraduate education, while "university" is a much less common catch-all term for both undergraduate and graduate studies.
 
  
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==The rest of the English-speaking world==
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It should be noted, too, that "university" and "college" do not exhaust all possible titles for an American institution of higher education. Other options include "institute" ([[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]), "academy" ([[United States Military Academy]]), "union" ([[Cooper Union]]), "conservatory," and "school" ([[Julliard School]]).
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Influenced by their origins in the [[British Empire]], by contact with and sometimes imitation of U.S. academia, and even by modern American [[pop culture]], the rest of the English-speaking world seems to have adopted a mix of the U.S. and British practices.
 
  
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=== Australia ===
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===Australia===
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In [[Australia]], the term "college" can refer to an institution of [[tertiary education]] that is smaller than a university, run independently or as part of a university. Following a reform in the [[1980s]] many of the formerly independent colleges now belong to a larger university. Many private [[high school]]s that provide [[secondary education]] are called "colleges" in Australia. The term can also be used to refer to residence halls, or [[University college#Australia|dormitories]], as in the United Kingdom, but compared to the UK their tutorial programs are relatively small-scale and they do no actual teaching towards academic degrees, with the exception of one or two that host [[theology|theological]] colleges. In the state of [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]], most public schools providing secondary education are known as ''secondary colleges''.
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In [[Australia]], the term "college" can refer to an institution of [[tertiary education]] that is smaller than a university, run independently or as part of a university. Following a reform in the 1980s many of the formerly independent colleges now belong to a larger university. Many private [[high school]]s that provide [[secondary education]] are called "colleges" in Australia. The term can also be used to refer to residence halls, or [[University college#Australia|dormitories]], as in the United Kingdom, but compared to the UK their tutorial programs are relatively small-scale and they do no actual teaching towards academic degrees, with the exception of one or two that host [[theology|theological]] colleges. In the state of [[Victoria, Australia|Victoria]], most public schools providing secondary education are known as ''secondary colleges.''
  
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Additionally, in [[Tasmania]] and the [[Australian Capital Territory]], "college" refers to the final two years of high school (years eleven and twelve), and the institutions which provide this. In this context, "college" is a system independent of the other years of high school. (Here, the expression is a shorter version of ''matriculation'' college.) All college courses in the ACT are sanctioned by the [[Board of Senior Secondary Studies]], or BSSS.
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Additionally, in [[Tasmania]] and the [[Australian Capital Territory]], "college" refers to the final two years of high school (years eleven and twelve), and the institutions which provide this. In this context, "college" is a system independent of the other years of high school. (Here, the expression is a shorter version of ''matriculation'' college.) All college courses in the ACT are sanctioned by the [[Board of Senior Secondary Studies]], or BSSS.
  
 
=== Canada ===
 
=== Canada ===
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[[Image:Trinity College, UofT.jpg|right|thumb|[[University of Trinity College|Trinity College]] main building in Toronto, Canada.]]
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[[Image:Trinity College, UofT.jpg|right|200 px|thumb|[[University of Trinity College|Trinity College]] main building in Toronto, Canada.]]
  
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In [[Canada]], the term "college" usually refers to a [[community college]] or a technical, applied arts, or applied science school. These are [[post-secondary education|post-secondary]] diploma-granting institutions, but they are not universities and typically do not grant degrees, except in [[British Columbia]] where some have university status.{{fact}} In [[Quebec]], it can refer in particular to [[CEGEP]] (''Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel'', "college of general and professional education"), a form of post-secondary education specific to the [[Quebec education system]] that is required in order to continue onto university, or to learn a trade. In [[Ontario]] there are also institutions which are designated [[university college]] as they only grant under-graduate degrees. This is to differentiate between universities which have both under-graduate and graduate programs and those that do not. There are very few university colleges in Ontario as most universities have graduate programs.
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In [[Canada]], the term "college" usually refers to a [[community college]] or a technical, applied arts, or applied science school. These are [[post-secondary education|post-secondary]] diploma-granting institutions, but they are not universities and typically do not grant degrees, except in [[British Columbia]], where some have university status.<ref>Glen A. Jones, ''Higher Education in Canada: Different Systems, Different Perspectives'' (Routledge, 1997, ISBN 0815322992).</ref> In [[Quebec]], it can refer in particular to [[CEGEP]] (''Collège d'enseignement général et professional,'' "college of general and professional education"), a form of post-secondary education specific to the [[Quebec education system]] that is required in order to continue onto university, or to learn a trade. In [[Ontario]], there are also institutions which are designated [[university college]] as they only grant under-graduate degrees. This is to differentiate between universities which have both under-graduate and graduate programs and those that do not. There are very few university colleges in Ontario, as most universities have graduate programs.
  
 
The [[Royal Military College of Canada]], a full-fledged degree-granting university, does not follow the naming convention used by the rest of the country.
 
The [[Royal Military College of Canada]], a full-fledged degree-granting university, does not follow the naming convention used by the rest of the country.
  
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The term "college" also applies to distinct entities within a university (usually referred to as "[[federated school|federated colleges]]" or "affiliated colleges"), akin to the residential colleges in the United Kingdom. These colleges act independently, but in affiliation or federation with the university that actually grants the degrees. For example, [[University of Trinity College|Trinity College]] was once an independent institution, but later became federated with the [[University of Toronto]], and is now one of its residential colleges. Occasionally, "college" refers to a subject specific faculty within a university that, while distinct, are neither ''federated'' nor ''affiliated''—College of Education, College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, among others.
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The term "college" also applies to distinct entities within a university (usually referred to as "[[federated school|federated colleges]]" or "affiliated colleges"), akin to the residential colleges in the United Kingdom. These colleges act independently, but in affiliation or federation with the university that actually grants the degrees. For example, [[University of Trinity College|Trinity College]] was once an independent institution, but later became federated with the [[University of Toronto]], and is now one of its residential colleges. Occasionally, "college" refers to a subject specific faculty within a university that, while distinct, are neither ''federated'' nor ''affiliated''—College of Education, College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, among others.
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There are also universities referred to as art colleges, empowered to grant academic degrees of BFA, Bdes, MFA, Mdes and sometimes collaborative PhD degrees. Some of them have "university" in their name ([[Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University]]) and others do not ([[Ontario College of Art & Design]] and [[Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design]]).
 
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It should be noted that, unlike in the United States, there is a strong distinction between "college" and "university" in Canada. In conversation, one specifically would say either "I'm going to university" (i.e., studying for a three- or four-year degree at a university) or "I'm going to college" (suggesting a technical or career college).  Due to this distinction, the cultural phenomenon known as [[Campus radio|college radio]] in the United States is more properly called "campus radio" in Canada.  
 
  
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In a number of Canadian cities, many government-run secondary schools are called “collegiate institutes” (C.I.), a complicated form of the word “college” which avoids the usual “post-secondary” connotation. This is because these secondary schools have traditionally focused on academic, rather than vocational, subjects and ability levels (for example, collegiates offered Latin while vocational schools offered technical courses). Some private secondary schools in Toronto choose to use the word “college” in their names nevertheless.{{fact}} Some secondary schools elsewhere in the country, particularly ones within the [[separate school]] system, may also use the word "college" or "collegiate" in their names.{{fact}}
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There are also universities referred to as art colleges, empowered to grant academic degrees of BFA, Bdes, MFA, Mdes, and sometimes collaborative PhD degrees. Some of them have "university" in their name ([[Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University]]) and others do not ([[Ontario College of Art & Design]] and [[Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design]]).  
  
 
===Ireland ===
 
===Ireland ===
 
[[Image:Trinity college front square cropped.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Parliament Square, Trinity College, Dublin.]]
 
[[Image:Trinity college front square cropped.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Parliament Square, Trinity College, Dublin.]]
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{{seealso|List of universities in the Republic of Ireland}}
 
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In the [[Republic of Ireland]], the term "college" is usually limited to an institution of [[tertiary education]], but the term is quite [[generic]] within this field. University students often say they attend "college" rather than "university", with the term college being more popular in wider society. This is possibly due to the fact that, until 1989, no university provided teaching or research directly. Instead, these were offered by a constituent college of the university, in the case of the [[National University of Ireland]] and [[University of Dublin]] &mdash; or at least in strict legal terms. There are many [[secondary education]] institutions that use the word college. Many secondary schools formerly known as technical colleges, were renamed as community colleges. These are secondary institutions in contrast to the American [[community college]].
 
−
 
−
The state's only [[ancient university]], the [[University of Dublin]], is really English in its origins and, until recently, its outlook. Created during the reign of [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]], it is modeled on the universities of [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] and [[University of Oxford|Oxford]]. However, only one ''constituent college'' was ever founded, hence the curious position of [[Trinity College, Dublin]] today. For a time, degrees in [[Dublin Institute of Technology]] were also conferred by the university. However, that institution now has its own degree awarding powers and is considering applying for full university status.
 
−
 
−
Among more modern foundations, the [[National University of Ireland]], founded in 1908, consisted of constituent colleges and recognised colleges until 1997. The former are now referred to as ''constituent universities'' &mdash; institutions that are essentially universities in their own right. The National University can trace its existence back to 1850 and the creation of the ''[[Queen's University of Ireland]]'' and the creation of the ''[[Catholic University of Ireland]]'' in 1854. From 1880, the degree awarding roles of these two universities was taken over by the ''[[Royal University of Ireland]]'', which remained until the creation of the National University in 1908 and the [[Queen's University of Belfast]].
 
−
 
−
The state's two new universities [[Dublin City University]] and [[University of Limerick]] were initially [[National Institute for Higher Education]] institutions. These institutions offered university level [[academic degree]]s and [[research]] from the start of their existence and were awarded university status in 1989 in recognition of this. These two universities now follow the general trend of universities having associated colleges offering their degrees.
 
  
−
Third level technical education in the state has been carried out in the [[Regional Technical College]] network since 1970. These institutions are now referred to as ''Institutes of Technology'', and some have ''delegated authority'' that entitles them to give degrees and diplomas in their own name. Initially these institutions offered only [[National Certificate]] and [[National Diploma]] courses. Now they also offer [[academic degree]]s at [[undergraduate]] and [[postgraduate]] level.
+
In the [[Republic of Ireland]], the term "college" is usually limited to an institution of [[tertiary education]], but the term is quite generic within this field. University students often say they attend "college" rather than "university," with the term college being more popular in wider society. This is possibly due to the fact that, until 1989, no university provided teaching or research directly. Instead, these were offered by a constituent college of the university, in the case of the [[National University of Ireland]] and [[University of Dublin]]—or at least in strict legal terms. There are many [[secondary education]] institutions that use the word "college." Many secondary schools formerly known as technical colleges, were renamed as community colleges. These are secondary institutions in contrast to the American [[community college]].
−
 
 
−
Other types of college include ''Colleges of Education''. These are specialist institutions, often linked to a university, which provide both [[undergraduate]] and [[postgraduate]] [[academic degrees]] for people who want to train as teachers.
 
  
 
=== Hong Kong ===
 
=== Hong Kong ===
−
{{seealso|Education in Hong Kong}}
 
−
 
 
In [[Hong Kong]], the term "college" has a range of meanings, as in the British case. In the first case it can refer to a [[secondary school]]. It is also used by tertiary institutions as either part of their names, such as [[Shue Yan College]]; to refer to a constituent part of the university, such as the colleges in the collegiate [[Chinese University of Hong Kong]]; or to a residence hall of a university, such as [[St. John's College, University of Hong Kong]].
 
In [[Hong Kong]], the term "college" has a range of meanings, as in the British case. In the first case it can refer to a [[secondary school]]. It is also used by tertiary institutions as either part of their names, such as [[Shue Yan College]]; to refer to a constituent part of the university, such as the colleges in the collegiate [[Chinese University of Hong Kong]]; or to a residence hall of a university, such as [[St. John's College, University of Hong Kong]].
  
 
=== India ===
 
=== India ===
−
{{seealso|Universities and colleges in India|Indian Institute of Management|Indian Statistical Institute}}
+
The term "university" is more common than "college" in [[India]]. Generally, colleges are located in different parts of a state and all of them are affiliated to a regional university. The colleges offer programs under that university. Examinations are conducted by the university at the same time for all colleges under its affiliation. There are several hundred universities and each university has affiliated colleges.
−
 
 
−
The term university is more common than college in [[India]]. Generally, colleges are located in different parts of a state and all of them are affiliated to a regional university. The colleges offer programmes under that university. Examinations are conducted by the university at the same time for all colleges under its affiliation. There are several hundred universities and each university has affiliated colleges.
 
−
 
 
−
The first liberal arts and sciences college in India was the [[Presidency College, Kolkata]] (estd. 1817) (initially known as Hindu College). The first Missionary institution to impart Western style education in India was the [[Scottish Church College, Calcutta]] (estd. 1830). The first modern university in India was the [[University of Calcutta]] (estd. January 1857). The first research institution for the study of the social sciences and ushering the spirit of [[Oriental]] research was the [[Asiatic Society]], (estd. 1784). The first college for the study of Christian theology and ecumenical enquiry has been the [[Serampore College]] (estd. 1818).
 
−
 
 
−
The [[Indian Institutes of Technology]] (IITs) are specialized institutions that award their own degrees. They are premier institutes in India. There are only seven of them at present.
 
  
−
Of late the government has been establishing [[IIIT|Indian Institutes of Information Technology]] (IIITs) as specialized centres of excellence in the rapidly emerging field of Information Technology. They have been setup to educate professionals for the booming technology oriented market.
+
The first liberal arts and sciences college in India was the [[Presidency College, Kolkata]] (established 1817) (initially known as Hindu College). The first Missionary institution to impart Western style education in India was the [[Scottish Church College, Calcutta]] (established 1830). The first modern university in India was the [[University of Calcutta]] (established January 1857). The first research institution for the study of the social sciences and ushering the spirit of [[Oriental]] research was the [[Asiatic Society]], (established 1784). The first college for the study of Christian theology and ecumenical inquiry has been the [[Serampore College]] (established 1818).
  
 
=== Singapore ===
 
=== Singapore ===
−
The term "college" in [[Singapore]] is generally only used for pre-university educational institutions called "Junior Colleges", which provide the final two years of [[secondary education]] (equivalent to sixth form in British terms or grades 11-12 in the American system). Since [[1 January]] [[2005]], the term also refers to the three campuses of the [[Institute of Technical Education]] with the introduction of the "collegiate system", in which the three institutions are called [[ITE College East]], [[ITE College Central]], and [[ITE College West]] respectively.
+
The term "college" in [[Singapore]] is generally only used for pre-university educational institutions called "Junior Colleges," which provide the final two years of [[secondary education]] (equivalent to sixth form in British terms or grades 11-12 in the American system). Since January 1, 2005, the term also refers to the three campuses of the [[Institute of Technical Education]] with the introduction of the "collegiate system," in which the three institutions are called [[ITE College East]], [[ITE College Central]], and [[ITE College West]] respectively.
  
−
The term "[[university]]" is used to describe higher-education institutions offering locally-conferred degrees. Institutions offering diplomas are called "[[polytechnic]]s", while other institutions are often referred to as "institutes" and so forth.
+
The term "[[university]]" is used to describe higher-education institutions offering locally-conferred degrees. Institutions offering diplomas are called "[[polytechnic]]s," while other institutions are often referred to as "institutes" and so forth.
  
 
=== New Zealand ===
 
=== New Zealand ===
−
[[image:universityofotagoclocktower_small.jpg|right|frame|The University of Otago.]]
+
[[image:universityofotagoclocktower_small.jpg|left|frame|The University of Otago.]]
−
 
 
−
In [[New Zealand]] the word "college" normally refers to a [[Secondary education|secondary]] school for ages 13 to 17. In contrast, most older schools of the same type are "high schools". Also, single-sex schools are more likely to be "Someplace Boys/Girls High School", but there are also very many coeducational "high schools". The difference between "high schools" and "colleges" is only one of terminology.  There does seem to be a geographical difference in terminology: "colleges" most frequently appear in the North Island, whereas "high schools" are more common in the South Island.   
 
  
−
The constituent colleges of the former [[University of New Zealand]] (such as Canterbury University College) have become independent universities. Some halls of residence associated with New Zealand universities retain the name of "college", particularly at the [[University of Otago]] (which although brought under the umbrella of the University of New Zealand, already possessed university status and degree awarding powers). The institutions formerly known as "Teacher-training colleges" now style themselves "College of education".
+
In [[New Zealand]], the word "college" normally refers to a [[Secondary education|secondary]] school for ages 13 to 17. In contrast, most older schools of the same type are "high schools." Also, single-sex schools are more likely to be "Someplace Boys/Girls High School," but there are also very many coeducational "high schools." The difference between "high schools" and "colleges" is only one of terminology.  There does seem to be a geographical difference in terminology: "Colleges" most frequently appear in the North Island, whereas "high schools" are more common in the South Island.<ref>Sholeh A. Maani, ''Investing in Minds: The Economics of Higher Education in New Zealand'' (Institute of Policy Studies, 1997, ISBN 0908935110).</ref> 
  
−
Some universities, such as the [[University of Canterbury]], have divided their University into constituent administrative "Colleges" - the College of Arts containing departments that teach Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science containing Science departments, and so on.  This is largely modelled on the Cambridge model, discussed above.
+
The constituent colleges of the former [[University of New Zealand]] (such as Canterbury University College) have become independent universities. Some halls of residence associated with New Zealand universities retain the name of "college," particularly at the [[University of Otago]] (which although brought under the umbrella of the University of New Zealand, already possessed university status and degree awarding powers).  
  
−
Like the United Kingdom some professional bodies in New Zealand style themselves as "colleges", for example, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the R.A.C. of Physicians etc.
+
Some universities, such as the [[University of Canterbury]], have divided their University into constituent administrative "Colleges"—the College of Arts containing departments that teach Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science containing Science departments, and so on.
  
 
=== South Africa ===
 
=== South Africa ===
−
[[Image:St Johns College Johannesburg.jpg|thumb|St. John's College, Johannesburg]]
+
[[Image:St Johns College Johannesburg.jpg|thumb|250 px|St. John's College, Johannesburg]]
  
−
Similar to New Zealand, in South Africa the word "college" normally refers to a [[Secondary education|secondary]] school. Nevertheless, most secondary schools are called "Someplace High (School)". The word "college" in South Africa generally implies that the school is private. In many cases the high school is exclusive and follows the English public school model. Thus no less than six of South Africa's [[Elite Seven]] high schools call themselves "college" and fit this description. A typical example of this category would be [[St John's College (Johannesburg, South Africa)|St John's College]].
+
Similar to New Zealand, in South Africa the word "college" normally refers to a [[Secondary education|secondary]] school. Nevertheless, most secondary schools are called "Someplace High (School)." The word "college" in South Africa generally implies that the school is private. In many cases, the high school is exclusive and follows the English public school model. Thus, no less than six of South Africa's [[Elite Seven]] high schools call themselves "college" and fit this description. A typical example of this category would be [[St. John's College (Johannesburg, South Africa)|St. John's College]].<ref>Ian Bunting, ''A Legacy of Inequality—Higher Education in South Africa'' (University of Cape Town Press, 1997, ISBN 0799215155).</ref>
  
−
Another category of private high schools also use the "college" term. However, these schools do not follow the British public school model, but rather are more informal in character and specialize in improving children's marks through intensive focus on examination needs. These "colleges" are thus often nick-named "cram-colleges"  
+
Another category of private high schools also use the "college" term. However, these schools do not follow the British public school model, but rather are more informal in character and specialize in improving children's scores through intensive focus on examination needs. These "colleges" are thus often nick-named "[[cram school|cram-college]]s."  
  
−
Although the term "college" is hardly used in any context at any university in South Africa, some non-university tertiary institutions call themselves colleges. These include teacher training colleges, business colleges and wildlife management colleges to name a few.  
+
Although the term "college" is hardly used in any context at any university in South Africa, some non-university tertiary institutions call themselves colleges. These include [[teacher training college]]s, business colleges, and wildlife management colleges to name a few.
  
−
== The non-English-speaking world ==
+
==Notes==
−
{{unreferenced|section|date=December 2006}}
+
<references/>
−
Some languages beyond English use words similar to "college". (French, for example, has the [[Collège de France]].) However, in other languages, confusion is most likely to arise when an American is reading something translated by someone using British conventions, or ''vice versa''.
 
−
 
 
−
*In [[Belgium]], the term '''college''' is used for institutes of [[secondary education]], more in particular for [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] schools ([[official]] secondary schools are called ''[[atheneum]]''). For [[higher education]], there are two types of institutions: the ''[[hogeschool]]/haute école'' (which literally means ''high school'' but is translated as ''university college'') and the [[university]]. With the current reform of higher education under the [[Bologna process]], the ''university colleges'' offer [[professional]] [[bachelor's degree]]s (three years study in one cycle). When ''university colleges'' associate themselves to a university they are also allowed to offer academic programmes. The university is then responsible for the academic content of these programmes and the research groups attached. Universities offer [[academic]] [[bachelor's degree]]s (three years study in one cycle) and [[master degree|master's degrees]] (one or two years study in addition to the academic bachelor's degree). Since only universities have real research groups, they are the only ones to offer [[doctorate]] degrees. (More information about the higher education system can be found in the Higher Education Register<ref>[http://www.highereducation.be The Higher Education Register: official register of higher education in Flanders/Belgium]</ref>.)
 
−
*In the [[People's Republic of China]], [[Japan]], [[South Korea]] and other [[East Asia]]n states, colleges and universities are collectively named 大學 or in simplified writing 大学, which is a word originally introduced by [[Confucius]] with his influential book of the same name. The original word and subsequently the book's title is most frequently translated to "[[Great Learning|The Great Learning]]". Today's pronunciation of this word is country- and sometimes region- specific and includes ''daxue'' (Chinese) and ''daigaku'' (Japanese). In Japan, ''daigaku'' is usually considered distinct from ''senmon gakkou'' (専門学校), which is more of a [[Post-secondary education|post-secondary]] ''[[Vocational education|vocational school]]''. In the [[People's Republic of China]], the college students are selected through the annual [[National College Entrance Examination]]. The meaning of 大學 is clear, but in the case of smaller institutions, the term 學院 ("xueyuan" in Chinese) is often used and, like "college" in English, can refer to either an institution of tertiary or secondary education.
 
−
*In [[Denmark]] the term '''kollegium''' means [[dormitory]]. A University is called a ''Universitet''. Some institutes of higher education call themselves ''[[højskole]]'' which literally means "high school" e.g. [[Copenhagen Business School|''Handelshøjskolen i København'' (Copenhagen Business School)]] .
 
−
*In [[Finland]] the term ''college'' has no single counterpart. A general university is called ''yliopisto'' (in Swedish, ''universitet''). A university on a specific field of study is ''korkeakoulu'' (literally, ''high school''). The Swedish term is ''högskola''. In translation they use "university", "school", or "academy". One of them even uses ''college'': ''[[Maanpuolustuskorkeakoulu]]'' is in English "The National Defence College". An institute of the more practically oriented branch of tertiary education is ''ammattikorkeakoulu'', in Swedish ''yrkeshögskola''. Some of them translate their name as "polytechnic", some as "university of applied science".
 
−
*In [[France]], '''collège''' generally refers to a ''[[middle school]]'' or ''junior high school''. However, it can also be used in a manner more similar to that of English, such as in the term ''[[electoral college]]'' or the [[Collège de France]]. The latter use, though, is not as common.
 
−
*In [[Germany]] a ''[[Hochschule]]'' or ''Universität'' is an institute of [[tertiary education]]. "College" is a more proper term to use than a direct translation: ''Hochschule'' literally means "high school". German [[secondary education]] often takes place in an institution called in [[German language|German]] an ''[[Oberschule]]'', with its specific forms ''[[Hauptschule]]'', ''[[Realschule]]'', ''[[Gymnasium (school)|Gymnasium]]'', and in some [[States of Germany|states]] also ''[[Gesamtschule]]'', together with vocational secondary education in ''[[Berufsschule]]'' (in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] called ''Berufskolleg''). The term ''Kolleg'' (literally: college) is used in some [[States of Germany|states]] for institutions of [[adult education]] where graduates of a ''Berufsschule'' can graduate with an [[Abitur]]. A ''Graduiertenkolleg'' is a German [[Graduate school]] and a ''Studienkolleg'' is a special university-preparatory school for foreign students whose foreign high school diploma is not recognised to be equivalent to a German Abitur.
 
−
*In [[Greece]] the term college is mainly used to refer to private secondary education institutions (high schools and junior high schools), while Πανεπιστήμιο (University) is the term utilized for Higher Education.
 
−
*In [[Hungary]] the term '''kollégium''' refers to a [[dormitory]] that may or may not be independent from an educational institution; it can also refer to a university's autonomous student organisation, dedicated to the advanced study of a certain science, topic etc, for example the "College for Social Theory".
 
−
*In [[Indonesia]] the term ''kolese'' refers to a school that be organized by [[Jesuits]]. For example, [[Kanisius|Kolese Kanisius]], [[Jakarta]].
 
−
*In [[Italy]] the term ''collegio'', in school contest, refers to a particular school (with elite, alternative or stricter education; a ''collegio'' offered by the State to the children of some of its civil employee, or a ''collegio'' related to a military education, is more commonly called ''convitto''), with possibility of passing here the night or most of the day.
 
−
*In [[the Netherlands]] the term '''college''' is used for institutes of [[secondary education]]. The term '''college''' is also used for classes or lectures at university.
 
−
*In [[Norway]] the term "[[university college]]" is used as an official English translation for ''[[høgskole]]'', a term used for independent [[List of universities in Norway|educational institutions]] providing [[tertiary education|tertiary]], but not [[quaternary education]]. Similarly to the situation in Germany and Sweden, the [[Norwegian (language)|Norwegian]] term ''høgskole'' literally means "high school".
 
−
*In [[Portugal]] the term college (''colégio'') is mainly used to refer to private [[secondary education]] institutions, while ''Universidade'' (University), ''Instituto'' or ''Escola Superior'' are the terms generally used for several kind of higher education institutions.
 
−
*In [[Spain]] and the [[Spanish (language)|Spanish]] speaking countries of [[Latin America]] the term '''colegio''' (school) refers to either institutions for primary and secondary education or some [[wiktionary:Homogenous|homogenous]] grouping of people who refer to themselves as a ''colegio'' inasmuch as they are colleagues. For example, in [[Peru]] the professional organizations that group the [[lawyers]] of [[Lima]] or the biologists of Peru are called "Colegio de Abogados de Lima" (or College of Laywers of Lima) and [[Colegio de Biologos del Peru]].
 
−
*In [[Sweden]] the term "[[university college]]" is used as an official English translation for ''[[högskola]]'', a term used for independent [[List of universities in Sweden|educational institutions]] providing [[tertiary education|tertiary]], but not [[quaternary education]]. Similarly to the situation in Norway, the [[Swedish (language)|Swedish]] term ''högskola'' literally means "high school". The same term is also used for a number of institutions which function as specialized [[university|universities]] rather than as university colleges, providing quaternary education and conducting [[research]] (such as ''Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan'', the [[Royal Institute of Technology]]).
 
−
*In some [[Cantons of Switzerland|cantons]] of the French speaking part of [[Switzerland]] and also on the border to the [[Swiss German]] speaking part (i.e. in [[Fribourg]]) the French term “Collège” (German: Kollegium) is used for the [[Gymnasium (school)|Gymnasium]] (10th to 13th grade) which lends to the [[matura]]. It is also used as a name for the physical building in which obligatory education takes place (e.g., ''Le Collège des Coteaux'').
 
−
 
 
−
==See also==
 
−
*[[Career college]]
 
−
*[[Collegiate church]]
 
−
*[[Community college]]
 
−
*[[Junior college]]
 
−
*[[Residential college]]
 
−
*[[Sixth form college]]
 
−
*[[University college]]
 
−
*[[University]]
 
−
*[[List of colleges and universities]]
 
−
*[[Electoral college]]
 
−
*[[College of Cardinals]]
 
−
*[[House system]]
 
−
*[[Colleges within UK Universities]]
 
−
*[http://www.edukenya.com Kenyan Colleges and Universities]
 
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<!--
 
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Commented out, is this appropriate?
 
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==College Searches==
 
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*[http://www.Colleges.com/ College Search]
 
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*[http://www.TheTopColleges.com/ TheTopColleges - Essential Info]
 
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*[http://www.CollegeToolkit.com/ College Toolkit]
 
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*[http://www.Review.com/ Princeton Review]
 
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*[http://www.Petersons.com/ Petersons]
 
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*[http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/ College Board]
 
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*[http://www.edukenya.com Kenyan Colleges and Universities]
 
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—>
 
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
<div class="references-small">
+
*Bunting, Ian. 1997. ''A Legacy of Inequality--Higher Education in South Africa.'' University of Cape Town Press. ISBN 0799215155.
−
<references/>
+
*Jones, Glen A. 1997. ''Higher Education in Canada: Different Systems, Different Perspectives.'' Routledge. ISBN 0815322992.
−
</div>
+
*Maani, Sholeh A. 1997. ''Investing in Minds: The Economics of Higher Education in New Zealand.'' Institute of Policy Studies. ISBN 0908935110.
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{{Credit1|College|104723547|}}
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{{Credits|College|104723547|}}

Latest revision as of 22:22, 10 October 2008


Schools
Musica 1488.jpg
Education
History of education
Pedagogy
Teaching
Homeschooling
Preschool education
Child care center
Kindergarten
Primary education
Elementary school
Secondary education
Middle school
Comprehensive school
Grammar school
Gymnasium
High school
Preparatory school
Public school
Tertiary education
College
Community college
Liberal arts college
University

College is a term that has several different uses; most often it is used in the context of post-secondary education, either to describe an entire certificate or degree granting institution, or a sub-division within a larger organization. In the past, colleges were subsumed within a university system, operating more as the home for students and providing training. The university was the body which granted the degree after students completed their time of study and satisfied requirements, usually involving examinations, set by the university. This is the major difference between a college and a university: Universities are usually larger institutions that incorporate different schools or colleges, although within the English-speaking world, college is often used to describe all post-secondary educational programs and institutions.

Regardless of their exact nature, colleges fall within the purview of education, in particular higher education after the level considered necessary to function effectively as an adult citizen—that offered by elementary and high schools. As such, colleges teach more specialized mastery of particular skills, greater depth in academic knowledge, or otherwise advance the individual interests and talents of their students. This aspect of education is built on, and requires, the foundation of earlier education, which includes not only academic knowledge but the emotional development and social skills that are acquired in earlier childhood.

Etymology

The word college comes from the Latin collegium, which originally meant a group of people living together under a common set of rules (con-, "together" + leg-, "law"); the tradition continues up to this day as some colleges call their members "fellows."[1] However, the Romans did not use the word college to denote an educational institution. It was, in fact, adopted for such use by the French in the early fourteenth century, in the form of collège. From there, it was passed on to Middle English.[2]

Definitions

The post-secondary educational system, (or Higher education as it is sometimes referred to) is responsible for providing education beyond compulsory schooling, (usually Secondary schooling). Unlike Primary and secondary, higher education is not mandatory; students are admitted to most post secondary institutions through an admissions process that can be competitive. Prospective students are able to choose which institutions to apply to and have the option not to attend a higher education school if they chose not to. There are many different types of schools in the post-secondary educational system, and a college is one form.

While the terms "university" and "college" are often used interchangeably, they are in fact, two different types of institutions. Colleges are often undergraduate institutions that grant Associate or Bachelor level degrees in the field of Liberal Arts and Sciences or vocational certificates. Some colleges offer post-graduate level programs and research institutions, but more often it is the larger universities that are better known for such programs. Colleges also tend to be smaller organizations than their university counterparts.

Sometimes college is used to describe particular schools of study within a university (such as, College of Engineering, College of Nursing; in America, often the term "school" is employed instead of college, such as the School of Physical Sciences). These colleges are institutions devoted to a particular field of study and are responsible for all administrative duties within their programs of study. Sometimes a student must apply both to the university at large as well as to the college of study they wish to study in. Colleges can also be used to describe a cluster of buildings or facilities at a large university.[3]

History

Colleges did not originate as they stand today. Originally, colleges, as the Latin name applies, were groups or associations connected to larger universities. Oftentimes in Europe, colleges were where students lived, housed libraries, and offered tutoring. In France, these colleges started as charity donations for students who wanted to attend a university but could not afford housing at the regular costs.[4] Early colleges would also help students prepare for exams and were charged with maintaining collections that would eventually become museums and scientific research institutions.[5]

Eventually, colleges as separate entities began to emerge in the mid to late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when more and more higher educational institutions started to emerge in the Western world. Economics and logistics made it more practical for smaller institutions to be built, rather than attempt to create universities, especially since it had taken the great universities of the world hundreds of years to become as large and complex as they were. Hence, smaller institutions were created, focusing on the undergraduate level of education, minus the cost of large storage and research facilities, and adaptable to the needs of the community it was built in. Thus, the college as an independent entity was created, while college as a specific school in a large university remained.

Organization

Brooks Hall, home of the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, United States

Although each institution is organized differently, nearly all colleges have a board of trustees, a president, chancellor or rector, at least one vice president, vice-chancellor or vice-rector, and deans of various divisions. Colleges are generally divided into a number of academic departments. Public college systems are ruled over by government-run higher education boards. They review financial requests and budget proposals and then allocate funds for each college in the system. They also approve new programs of instruction and cancel or make changes in existing programs. In addition, they plan for the further coordinated growth and development of the various institutions of higher education in the state or country. However, many public colleges in the world have a considerable degree of financial, research, and pedagogical autonomy. Private colleges are privately funded having generally a broader independence from state policies.

Cultural variants

United Kingdom

King's College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge

British usage of the word "college" remains the loosest, encompassing a range of institutions:

  • Colleges of further education and adult education.
  • "Sixth form colleges," where students do A Levels, and some specialist schools
  • The constituent parts of collegiate universities, especially referring to the independent colleges of Oxford, Cambridge and Durham.
  • A name given to large groupings of faculties or departments, notably in the university of Edinburgh, and possibly the university of Birmingham under restructuring plans.
  • University colleges—independent higher education institutions that have been granted degree-awarding powers but not university status.
  • Certain public schools for children such as Eton and Winchester.[6]
  • Professional associations such as the Royal College of Organists, the Royal College of Surgeons and other various Royal Colleges.
  • The College of Justice or Court of Session of Scotland

In general use, a "college" refers to: Institutions between secondary school and university, colleges of further education and adult education. These types of institutions were usually referred to as technical colleges, or tech for short. Recently in the United Kingdom, however, with the differences in functionality between universities and colleges becoming less clear-cut, and with the phasing out of polytechnical colleges, many people are starting to refer to them simply as "college." Many types of institutions have "college" in its name but are not "colleges" in the general use of the word. For example, Eton College would not be referred to as a college, but as a school or by its full name.

United States of America

Boston College

In American English, the word, in contrast to its many and varied British meanings, almost always refers to undergraduate university studies or to a school providing professional or technical training on a (loosely) comparable level. It can therefore refer to both a self-contained institution that has no graduate studies and to the undergraduate school of a full university (that also has a graduate school). The usual practice in the United States today is to use "university" in the official names of institutions made up of several faculties or "schools" and granting a range of higher degrees while "college" is used in the official names of smaller institutions only granting bachelor's or associate's degrees. Nevertheless, several prominent American universities, including Boston College, Dartmouth College, College of Charleston, and College of William and Mary, have retained the term "college" in their names for historical reasons though they offer a wide range of higher degrees.

The term college is also, as in the United Kingdom, used for a constituent semi-autonomous part of a larger university but generally organized on academic rather than residential lines. For example, at many institutions, the undergraduate portion of the university can be briefly referred to as the college (such as The College at Brown, Harvard College at Harvard, or Columbia College at Columbia) while at others each of the faculties may be called a "college" (the "college of engineering," the "college of nursing," and so forth). There exist other variants for historical reasons; for example, Duke University, which was called Trinity College until the 1920s, still calls its main undergraduate subdivision Trinity College of Arts and Sciences.

Some American universities, such as Princeton, Rice, and Yale do have residential colleges along the lines of Oxford or Cambridge. Unlike the Oxbridge colleges, these residential colleges are not autonomous legal entities, nor are they typically much involved in education itself, being primarily concerned with room, board, and social life. At the University of California, San Diego, however, each of the six residential colleges does teach its own core writing courses and has its own distinctive set of graduation requirements. Some institutions, such as the University of Chicago use the term "college" to distinguish their undergraduate program from their graduate and research programs.

Harvard Yard

It should be noted, too, that "university" and "college" do not exhaust all possible titles for an American institution of higher education. Other options include "institute" (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), "academy" (United States Military Academy), "union" (Cooper Union), "conservatory," and "school" (Julliard School).

Australia

In Australia, the term "college" can refer to an institution of tertiary education that is smaller than a university, run independently or as part of a university. Following a reform in the 1980s many of the formerly independent colleges now belong to a larger university. Many private high schools that provide secondary education are called "colleges" in Australia. The term can also be used to refer to residence halls, or dormitories, as in the United Kingdom, but compared to the UK their tutorial programs are relatively small-scale and they do no actual teaching towards academic degrees, with the exception of one or two that host theological colleges. In the state of Victoria, most public schools providing secondary education are known as secondary colleges.

Additionally, in Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, "college" refers to the final two years of high school (years eleven and twelve), and the institutions which provide this. In this context, "college" is a system independent of the other years of high school. (Here, the expression is a shorter version of matriculation college.) All college courses in the ACT are sanctioned by the Board of Senior Secondary Studies, or BSSS.

Canada

Trinity College main building in Toronto, Canada.

In Canada, the term "college" usually refers to a community college or a technical, applied arts, or applied science school. These are post-secondary diploma-granting institutions, but they are not universities and typically do not grant degrees, except in British Columbia, where some have university status.[7] In Quebec, it can refer in particular to CEGEP (Collège d'enseignement général et professional, "college of general and professional education"), a form of post-secondary education specific to the Quebec education system that is required in order to continue onto university, or to learn a trade. In Ontario, there are also institutions which are designated university college as they only grant under-graduate degrees. This is to differentiate between universities which have both under-graduate and graduate programs and those that do not. There are very few university colleges in Ontario, as most universities have graduate programs.

The Royal Military College of Canada, a full-fledged degree-granting university, does not follow the naming convention used by the rest of the country.

The term "college" also applies to distinct entities within a university (usually referred to as "federated colleges" or "affiliated colleges"), akin to the residential colleges in the United Kingdom. These colleges act independently, but in affiliation or federation with the university that actually grants the degrees. For example, Trinity College was once an independent institution, but later became federated with the University of Toronto, and is now one of its residential colleges. Occasionally, "college" refers to a subject specific faculty within a university that, while distinct, are neither federated nor affiliated—College of Education, College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, among others.

There are also universities referred to as art colleges, empowered to grant academic degrees of BFA, Bdes, MFA, Mdes, and sometimes collaborative PhD degrees. Some of them have "university" in their name (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University) and others do not (Ontario College of Art & Design and Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design).

Ireland

Parliament Square, Trinity College, Dublin.

In the Republic of Ireland, the term "college" is usually limited to an institution of tertiary education, but the term is quite generic within this field. University students often say they attend "college" rather than "university," with the term college being more popular in wider society. This is possibly due to the fact that, until 1989, no university provided teaching or research directly. Instead, these were offered by a constituent college of the university, in the case of the National University of Ireland and University of Dublin—or at least in strict legal terms. There are many secondary education institutions that use the word "college." Many secondary schools formerly known as technical colleges, were renamed as community colleges. These are secondary institutions in contrast to the American community college.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, the term "college" has a range of meanings, as in the British case. In the first case it can refer to a secondary school. It is also used by tertiary institutions as either part of their names, such as Shue Yan College; to refer to a constituent part of the university, such as the colleges in the collegiate Chinese University of Hong Kong; or to a residence hall of a university, such as St. John's College, University of Hong Kong.

India

The term "university" is more common than "college" in India. Generally, colleges are located in different parts of a state and all of them are affiliated to a regional university. The colleges offer programs under that university. Examinations are conducted by the university at the same time for all colleges under its affiliation. There are several hundred universities and each university has affiliated colleges.

The first liberal arts and sciences college in India was the Presidency College, Kolkata (established 1817) (initially known as Hindu College). The first Missionary institution to impart Western style education in India was the Scottish Church College, Calcutta (established 1830). The first modern university in India was the University of Calcutta (established January 1857). The first research institution for the study of the social sciences and ushering the spirit of Oriental research was the Asiatic Society, (established 1784). The first college for the study of Christian theology and ecumenical inquiry has been the Serampore College (established 1818).

Singapore

The term "college" in Singapore is generally only used for pre-university educational institutions called "Junior Colleges," which provide the final two years of secondary education (equivalent to sixth form in British terms or grades 11-12 in the American system). Since January 1, 2005, the term also refers to the three campuses of the Institute of Technical Education with the introduction of the "collegiate system," in which the three institutions are called ITE College East, ITE College Central, and ITE College West respectively.

The term "university" is used to describe higher-education institutions offering locally-conferred degrees. Institutions offering diplomas are called "polytechnics," while other institutions are often referred to as "institutes" and so forth.

New Zealand

The University of Otago.

In New Zealand, the word "college" normally refers to a secondary school for ages 13 to 17. In contrast, most older schools of the same type are "high schools." Also, single-sex schools are more likely to be "Someplace Boys/Girls High School," but there are also very many coeducational "high schools." The difference between "high schools" and "colleges" is only one of terminology. There does seem to be a geographical difference in terminology: "Colleges" most frequently appear in the North Island, whereas "high schools" are more common in the South Island.[8]

The constituent colleges of the former University of New Zealand (such as Canterbury University College) have become independent universities. Some halls of residence associated with New Zealand universities retain the name of "college," particularly at the University of Otago (which although brought under the umbrella of the University of New Zealand, already possessed university status and degree awarding powers).

Some universities, such as the University of Canterbury, have divided their University into constituent administrative "Colleges"—the College of Arts containing departments that teach Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science containing Science departments, and so on.

South Africa

St. John's College, Johannesburg

Similar to New Zealand, in South Africa the word "college" normally refers to a secondary school. Nevertheless, most secondary schools are called "Someplace High (School)." The word "college" in South Africa generally implies that the school is private. In many cases, the high school is exclusive and follows the English public school model. Thus, no less than six of South Africa's Elite Seven high schools call themselves "college" and fit this description. A typical example of this category would be St. John's College.[9]

Another category of private high schools also use the "college" term. However, these schools do not follow the British public school model, but rather are more informal in character and specialize in improving children's scores through intensive focus on examination needs. These "colleges" are thus often nick-named "cram-colleges."

Although the term "college" is hardly used in any context at any university in South Africa, some non-university tertiary institutions call themselves colleges. These include teacher training colleges, business colleges, and wildlife management colleges to name a few.

Notes

  1. ↑ Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford Press, 1971, ISBN 019861117X).
  2. ↑ American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, College Retrieved November 17, 2007.
  3. ↑ Dictionary.com, College. Retrieved November 17, 2007.
  4. ↑ The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French, Collège. Retrieved December 5 2007.
  5. ↑ Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, University. Retrieved December 22, 2007.
  6. ↑ Eton College, Eton’s History. Retrieved November 17, 2007.
  7. ↑ Glen A. Jones, Higher Education in Canada: Different Systems, Different Perspectives (Routledge, 1997, ISBN 0815322992).
  8. ↑ Sholeh A. Maani, Investing in Minds: The Economics of Higher Education in New Zealand (Institute of Policy Studies, 1997, ISBN 0908935110).
  9. ↑ Ian Bunting, A Legacy of Inequality—Higher Education in South Africa (University of Cape Town Press, 1997, ISBN 0799215155).

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Bunting, Ian. 1997. A Legacy of Inequality—Higher Education in South Africa. University of Cape Town Press. ISBN 0799215155.
  • Jones, Glen A. 1997. Higher Education in Canada: Different Systems, Different Perspectives. Routledge. ISBN 0815322992.
  • Maani, Sholeh A. 1997. Investing in Minds: The Economics of Higher Education in New Zealand. Institute of Policy Studies. ISBN 0908935110.

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