The terms "college" and "university" are often used interchangeably. A university
is usually comprised of multiple degree-conferring colleges. The University of Wyoming
is comprised of six undergraduate colleges and the College of Law. In addition, there
are a number of degree options and academic departments within each college.
Undergraduate programs follow high school and lead to an associate's (two-year) degree
or a bachelor's (four-year) degree. The University of Wyoming does not offer associate
degrees, but many community colleges offer them. Graduate programs follow a bachelor’s
degree and lead to a master’s or doctoral degree (PhD).
Essentially there is no difference any more. While historically, correspondence courses
existed where you used postal mail to complete a degree, now it is all online.
An undergraduate major is the study of a body of knowledge in a subject area of interest.
Most undergraduate majors at the University of Wyoming result in either a Bachelor
of Science degree or a Bachelor of Arts degree.
A concentration (also called option or program area) is a collection of courses within
a major that focuses on a particular subject area. Not all majors require the selection
of a concentration. International Studies and Family and Consumer Sciences are just
two examples of UW majors that do require this.
