University vs. College

In the United States, the two terms are used on a roughly interchangeable basis. Unlike Canada, “college” does not refer to strictly a two-year transfer or technical degree granting institution. Besides two-year institutions, a U.S. college can be part of a larger university system—Harvard College is the undergraduate school at Harvard University, for instance. A college can be an independent institution that grants undergraduate degrees with few, if any, graduate programs.  The word “college” can also refer to secondary degree-granting institutions in general.