Foreign Student Series #3: College or University?

This is Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Education Report.

We have part three of our series for students who want to attend
a college or university in the United States. Today we talk about
the difference between a college and a university. Internet users
can find this report at WWW.testbig.com.

Colleges and universities have a lot in common. They prepare
young adults for work. They provide a greater understanding of the
world and its past. And they help students learn to value the arts
and sciences.

Students who attend either a college or a university
traditionally take four years to complete a program of study. Those
who are successful receive a bachelor's degree. But one difference
is that many colleges do not offer additional study programs or
support research projects.

Universities often are much larger than colleges. Universities
carry out a lot of research. They offer more programs in different
areas of study, for undergraduate and graduate students.

Modern universities developed from those of the Middle Ages in
Europe. The word "university" came from the Latin "universitas."
This described a group of people organized for a common purpose.

"College" came from a Latin word with a similar meaning,
"collegium." In England, colleges were formed to provide students
with places to live. Usually each group was studying the same thing.
So the word "college" came to mean one area of study.

Today, most American colleges offer an area of study called
liberal arts. The liberal arts are subjects first developed and
taught in ancient Greece. They trained a person's mind. They were
seen as different from subjects that were considered more useful in
everyday life.

Another meaning of "college" is a part of a university. The first
American universities divided their studies into many areas and
called each one a college. This is still true.

Programs in higher learning may also be called "schools." For
example, the University of Texas at Austin has fourteen colleges and
schools. These include the colleges of pharmacy, education,
engineering, and fine arts. They also include the schools of
architecture, business, law and information.

Again, you can find our Foreign Student Series online at
WWW.testbig.com. International students can also get
information at educationusa.state.gov.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy
Steinbach. This is Gwen Outen.