Types of Colleges
Colleges and Universities
A college is defined as an institution of higher education offering instruction beyond high school whose programs satisfy the requirements for a degree at the associates and/or baccalaureate and graduate levels. Colleges usually offer a wide range of degree programs with faculty whose duties include teaching and scholarly research.
A university is defined as an institution of higher learning offering instruction beyond high school whose programs satisfy the requirements for a degree at the baccalaureate and graduate levels. Universities are generally composed of several individual colleges and professional schools (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, School of Law).
Public vs. Private
All institutions are either privately or publicly controlled. There are about 2,500 private institutions and 1,000 public institutions in the United States. The chart below highlights some basic differences.
Private | Public | |
Student Body | These institutions may be co-educational, or exclusively for women or men. | These institutions are co-educational. |
Control | These institutions are either non-sectarian and run by a board of trustees, with no special affiliation, or they are religiously affiliated. Some church-related institutions have strong affiliations that can affect curriculum and regulations while others have less strong affiliations. | These institutions are controlled by the state, county, or municipality. |
Size | Size varies from small to large | Size varies, many are large |
Tuition | Privately controlled institutions are usually more expensive. Financial aid programs may overcome this difference. | Publically supported institutions are typically less expensive. Funded by state monies, tuition is usually lower for in-state students than for out-of-state students. |
Liberal Arts Colleges
Technical Institute
A technical institute is a degree-granting college that offers intensive training in engineering and other scientific fields. Undergraduate study sometimes requires five years. Recently, some schools of technology have coordinated their programs with liberal arts colleges.
Two-Year Colleges
Cooperative College or University
A cooperative college or university offers a four or five-year work study program. Periods of study on campus are alternated with periods of paid employment in business and industry. The objective of the cooperative education program is to provide practical work experience with classroom theory. Many colleges integrate cooperative education into several of their curricula offerings.
Nursing Schools
Military Service Academies
Career Schools