Colleges within UK Universities

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 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). 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 post-1992 universities).

Oxford and Cambridge

The two ancient universities of England: Oxford and Cambridge (collectively termed Oxbridge), are federations of autonomous colleges. While many of the Student Affairs functions are housed in the colleges, each college is more than a residence hall.

In addition to accommodation, meals, common rooms, libraries, sporting and social facilities for its students, each college admits students to the University and, through tutorials or supervisions, contributes to the work of educating them.

The faculties at each university provide lectures, central facilities such as libraries and laboratories, and examines for and awards degrees. Academic staff are commonly employed both by the university (typically as lecturer or professor) and by a college (as fellow or tutor), though some may have only a college or university post. Nearly all colleges cater to students studying a range of subjects.

Since the colleges are all fully independent legal entities owning their own buildings, employing their own staff, and managing their own endowments, colleges vary widely in wealth. It is entirely possible for some colleges to be in better financial health than the universities of which they are a part.

Typically a student or fellow of an Oxbridge college is said to be "living in college" if their accommodation is inside the college buildings. Most colleges also accommodate students in houses or other buildings away from the college site.

Durham University

The Durham University is also collegiate in nature, and its colleges enjoy the same legal status as 'listed bodies' as the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. Generally, however, its colleges are not financially independent (exceptions being Ushaw, St Chad's and St John's). Although the colleges do not have any teaching duties as part of the university, they do provide meals, libraries, computers, scholarships and recreational facilities for their members. In many ways, colleges at Durham University have a similar function to that of a traditional Hall of residence at many other universities, however, the colleges do provide a larger role in the pastoral care of students than a traditional hall, with each college having a personal tutorial system, JCR, MCR & SCR and either a Master or Principal in charge of the everyday running of the college. The colleges also have a role in the admissions of students, although not as large as those at Oxbridge, and normally confined to identifying students that suite the college ethos and atmosphere.

University of London

The University of London is a federal university comprised of twenty constituent colleges. Due to historical reason the two founding colleges, University College and King's College, have their names resembling the Oxbridge colleges. Later the expansion of the University saw the growth of the small specialist colleges such as School of Oriental and African Studies and School of Pharmacy either by establishing within or merging into the University.

These colleges, whether they are recognised or listed bodies, award the University of London degrees. The Privy Council, however, had recently granted degree awarding power to Imperial College London (2003) and University College London (2005), while the former had formally decided to leave the federal University to award its own degree and the latter decided not to exercise the power for the time being.

University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh recently restructured and created colleges along academic lines merging the old Faculties into larger bodies, and devolving control for most matters to academic schools.

University of St Andrews

The University of St Andrews is legally a collegiate university, having two colleges: the United College of St Salvator and St Leonard and St Mary's College. However, each college exists in name only and the power they once held is now vested in the Academic Senate and the Faculties of Arts, Divinity, Medicine and Science.

University of Wales

In the University of Wales, colleges are the lower tier of institutional membership, below constituent institutions, following the reorganisation of the university in 1996. Prior to this, the member institutions were all called colleges. There are not currently any colleges in the University of Wales, but this is likely to change in the future.

New Universities

Three of the "Plate glass universities", Lancaster, York and Kent, have a similar system, although their colleges lack the legal status of those at Durham and Oxbridge. Officially, the University of London consists of a number of colleges. However, the federation has always been even looser there than at Oxford or Cambridge, to the extent that each of these "colleges" is essentially an independent university-level institution.

See also

• Sixth form college
• University college
• University
• List of colleges and universities
• House system
• List of universities in the United Kingdom
• Colleges of the University of Oxford
• Colleges of the University of Cambridge

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