What are the main differences between a college and university?

The main difference is size and scope. Universities are larger institutions that offer both undergraduate and graduate programs, including master's degrees and doctorates. They typically have multiple colleges or schools within them, such as a school of medicine, law, or engineering, and often emphasize research. Colleges are generally smaller and tend to focus primarily on undergraduate education, offering bachelor's degrees and sometimes associate degrees. Liberal arts colleges, for example, concentrate on broad academic study rather than specialized research. Community colleges offer two-year programs and associate degrees. That said, the terms are used inconsistently, especially in the United States, where some institutions use "college" in their name despite functioning as full universities.