# Community college (en los EE.UU. solamente)



## WyomingSue

Estaba con un grupo de hispanohablantes aquí en Wyoming.  Una da clases en nuestra "community college."  No es una universidad, porque solamente provee dos años de estudios.  Yo había aprendido que solamente se usa "colegio" para la escuela secundaria, pero mis amigos me dijeron que sí, aquí se usa "colegio" para este tipo de instituto pos-secundaria por falta de otra palabra.  ¿Qué se usa en otras partes de los EE.UU.?


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## chileno

Creo que todos ocupan colegio porque es más fácil decir que "college".

Tú estás correcta, colegio es para toda la educación hasta 12 avo grado.

Quizás se les pudiera llamar pre-universitarios.


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## Nasiba

Hola WyomingSue, En el suroeste de EEUU, trabajo en un “community college”. En la infomación que publica éste “community college” y la de algunas otras instituciones semejantes en EEUU (en Texas y California por ejemplo) lo traducen como “universidad comunitaria”. Mi profesor de español de la institución me asegura que es la mejor traducción. He visto también esta traducción en información del gobierno estadounidense sobre la educación. 
Ésta tipo de institución no suele existir exactamente igual en el mundo hispano y por eso no hay una traducción que cabe perfectamente. "Universidad comunitaria" parece ser la manera aceptable aquí en EEUU de lidear con ésta situcación. 
Saludos


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## merquiades

Hola.  A veces lo he traducido así:  centro de formación (vocacional, técnica, universitaria, profesional, regional, superior, de dos años.... póngase el adjetivo adecuado, si hace falta).


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## WyomingSue

Gracias por sus sugerencias.  Usaré universidad comunitaria.  Supongo que mis amigos continuarán como antes  .


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## divina

Vivo en el noreste de EE.UU., y aquí lo dejan como "community college", por lo menos cuando se trata de hablar coloquialmente.


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## CZECKCOQUI

Me gusta la sugerencia de universidad comunitaria. Estoy actualmente en México, y es cierto, he aprendido que acá colegio y bachillerato son el equivalente de High School en EE.UU. 
Estoy traduciendo una guía para estudiantes de la High School que desean ir a "college" y no pondré colegio; es un anglicismo aceptado, lo sé, pero no para una guía que será leída por padres que no conocen ese uso coloquial... 
De todos modos, gracias por la aportación, Nasiba.


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## wildan1

Yo también trabajo con programas que envían estudiantes de América Latina a EEUU y siempre se usa el término inglés sin traducirlo -- _community college_. 

Este tipo de institución estadounidense es particular en el mundo. No es puramente una universidad porque también ofrece cursos técnicos que no corresponden a estudios universitarios--mecánico, soldadura, etc.


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## Moritzchen

Es una universidad. Los estudiantes pueden obtener un AA y las materias son transferibles a universidades de cuatro años, sólo que resulta más económico cursarlas en un Community College. Los otros cursos de francés, plomería, cómo ser administradores de edificios de alquiler, cocina china, etc., se llaman "extension courses" y no proporcionan créditos transferibles.


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## Sikundr

Estoy de acuerdo con Merquiades.   A mí me gusta el término "centro de formación de (vocacional, técnica, universitaria, profesional, regional, superior, de dos años" o "centro preuniversitario"  porque al final de cursar los estudios se otorga un título de diplomatura.  En la universidad se concede la licenciatura tras cursar los cuatro años de estudios.


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## chileno

Moritzchen said:


> Es una universidad. Los estudiantes pueden obtener un AA y las materias son transferibles a universidades de cuatro años, sólo que resulta más económico cursarlas en un Community College. Los otros cursos de francés, plomería, cómo ser administradores de edificios de alquiler, cocina china, etc., se llaman "extension courses" y no proporcionan créditos transferibles.



No es una universidad, porque aunque se obtenga un AA o un BA/BS, no sales con un grado universitario. Digamos que alguien sale graduado con un Bachelor's Degree in Science (BS) con un major en Psicología. No puede ejercer de Psicólogo una vez egresado, porque no es psicólogo.


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## Moritzchen

chileno said:


> No es una universidad, porque aunque se obtenga un AA o un BA/BS, no sales con un grado universitario. Digamos que alguien sale graduado con un Bachelor's Degree in Science (BS) con un major en Psicología. No puede ejercer de Psicólogo una vez egresado, porque no es psicólogo.


OK, if you say so.
 and in spite of what many others in this thread have said...


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## chileno

Moritzchen said:


> OK, if you say so.
> and in spite of what many others in this thread have said...



hehehe

But it is true, isn't it?

In College you get your BS. and it is a degree. So, again, like I said before, you get your BS in Psychology. Once out of college, can you work as a Psychologist? 

I think that explains it all, right?  Maybe I am wrong.


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## Moritzchen

chileno said:


> ... Maybe I am wrong.


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## chileno

As far as someone getting a BS in Psychology and being or not being able to perform as a Psychologist?

I am asking because an American told me that. She went to college and graduated with a BS in Psychology. I asked her if you was a Psychologist and she said, no. She stated she needed to go to University, or more years of study in order to graduate as a Psychologist. I don't recall if I asked how many more years. But I am sure she said BS.


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## WyomingSue

A BS is an university degree.  The fact that you can't practice as a psychologist is because to practice as a psychologist you need a master's degree or a PhD.  That is a different issue than the original question about community colleges.


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## chileno

Isn't it then a contradictory term?

I am not sure, but I would be willing to bet that anywhere in the world you cannot call University an institution from which you graduate but cannot exercise your profession. 

Right?

This is interesting, at least for people who come to the US.


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## wildan1

chileno said:
			
		

> I am not sure, but I would be willing to bet that anywhere in the world you cannot call University an institution from which you graduate but cannot exercise your profession.
> 
> Right?


Not in the US.

Most professions in the US are licensed, which typically is a process including doing an internship and taking a skills test PLUS the degree. The government in a given US state issues these licenses; not universities. You can have a PhD in psychology but without licensure you still cannot legally serve as a psychotherapist. 

The same goes for teaching in public schools, working as  a doctor, dentist, lawyer, etc.

Back to the original question--US Community Colleges DO issue a university degree--the Associate of Arts/Science (A.A./A.S.), given after two years of prescribed academic work. Most colleges have "articulation" agreements with universities in their state or jurisdiction, and that degree is recognized as two years of the usual four years of coursework required for a Bachelors (BA/BS) degree. So in AE terms, I would say a CC is an _institution of higher education_, or a _postsecondary institution_, but I would not call it a _university: _


> *university *_noun_
> 
> Institution of higher education, usually comprising a liberal arts and sciences college and graduate and professional schools that confer degrees in various fields. A university differs from a college in that it is usually larger, has a broader curriculum, and offers advanced degrees in addition to undergraduate degrees.
> Source: Merriam-Webster


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## chileno

Correct again.

So, you are telling me that a person who graduates with a BS degree in Psychology, gives whatever test is approved in that particular State and he or she will be able  to exercise as Psychologist?

Man! This is like pulling teeth...


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## aztlaniano

chileno said:


> a person who graduates with a BS degree in Psychology, gives whatever test is approved in that particular State and he or she will be able  to exercise as Psychologist?


Psychology may not be the best example. I'd guess there are states where you can call yourself a "psychologist" without even having a degree.
To become a physician, or a lawyer, you have to pass the medical board or bar exams, respectively. It doesn't matter where you got your degree from (a postgraduate degree, incidentally), which is why many aspiring doctors study in Mexico or Puerto Rico, if they can't get into a university in the U.S.


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## abb1025

chileno said:


> Correct again.
> 
> So, you are telling me that a person who graduates with a BS degree in Psychology, gives whatever test is approved in that particular State and he or she will be able to exercise as Psychologist?
> 
> Man! This is like pulling teeth...



For that, you need a doctorate in dentistry. 

American universities are very different from universities in some other countries. The BA or BS degree may qualify you to practice a specific career, such as engineering or accounting without further education. However, American universities also offer degrees that do not lead to any specifc job, but qualify you to either continue on to graduate school, medical school, law school or to seek a job in a career that doesn't require a specific degree.

In the U.S. you can attend what we call a University and earn a BS or BA degree that quallifies you to do almost nothing: for example, with a BA in philosophy from a university, you cannot teach philosophy. To teach in high school, you would need to also have a BA in education, and to teach in a college or university you would need to go to graduate school and graduate with a minimum of an MA in philosophy, more likely a PhD.

Many American universities even offer a BA or BS in what they call "general studies."

So yes, you can spend $20,000 or more per year at what is called a university in the U.S. and graduate with a degree that does not qualify you to work in a specific profession. It may not be logical, but that's the system.


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## wildan1

chileno said:


> Correct again.
> 
> So, you are telling me that a person who graduates with a BS degree in Psychology, gives whatever test is approved in that particular State and he or she will be able  to exercise as Psychologist?
> 
> Man! This is like pulling teeth...


Legally, yes, with ongoing required professional supervision over time.

Practically, no. A BS-level graduate could find work in a social services agency, a nursing home or a school, but no one in the US would go to a person with only a bachelor's degree for individual psychotherapy. It's not considered enough training for this kind of challenging work.


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## chileno

So, college is not really a University.

In a college you can get a BA or BS but not a Master or Phd, but in a University you can get all of those. In general then, a BS or BA might be consider a technical degree (for lack of a better term) within a career that will allow you to perform in a job, as long as an employer allows you, but you still will need to go to University to get a higher degree within that career.

That is what I am understanding. 

(very funny abb1025!)


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## Moritzchen

It´s a college. It offers undergraduate courses you can seamlessly transfer to a full-fledged university.
You don't want to call it University, fine, call it Charlie.
But it doesn't matter.
It's about translating the term into Spanish.
In your country where do you take "estudios universitarios de pregrado" if not in a Universidad?


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## k-in-sc

Most U.S. university degrees at any level don't automatically qualify you for a career, as has been said. 
The difference between technical colleges/community colleges/junior colleges, colleges and universities is the level of degree they can grant.
A bachelor's would not be considered a technical degree, quite the opposite, in fact.


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## chileno

Moritzchen said:


> It´s a college. It offers undergraduate courses you can seamlessly transfer to a full-fledged university.
> You don't want to call it University, fine, call it Charlie.
> But it doesn't matter.
> It's about translating the term into Spanish.
> In your country where do you take "estudios universitarios de pregrado" if not in a Universidad?



Calling it college will suffice. Correct, you can seamlessly transfer to a full-fledged university. Maybe we can call a college a "semi-university"? 

In Chile is called Liceo/Colegio which where you get you High School Diploma with mention (major) in something...Science, Humanistics or Undifferentiated. That is equivalent to a (Bachillerato). 




k-in-sc said:


> Most U.S. university degrees at any level don't automatically qualify you for a career, as has been said.
> The difference between technical colleges/community colleges/junior colleges, colleges and universities is the level of degree they can grant.
> A bachelor's would not be considered a technical degree, quite the opposite, in fact.





chileno said:


> So, college is not really a University.
> 
> In a college you can get a BA or BS but not a Master or Phd, but in a University you can get all of those. In general then, a BS or BA might be consider a technical degree (for lack of a better term) within a career that will allow you to perform in a job, as long as an employer allows you, but you still will need to go to University to get a higher degree within that career.
> 
> That is what I am understanding.
> 
> (very funny abb1025!)



Thanks K-in_SC for your reply, I guess I should've highlighted in red earlier...


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## Moritzchen

chileno said:


> Calling it college will suffice. Correct, you can seamlessly transfer to a full-fledged university. Maybe we can call a college a "semi-university"? ..



No, we call it a college. 



chileno said:


> In Chile is called Liceo/Colegio which where you get you High School Diploma with mention (major) in something...Science, Humanistics or Undifferentiated. That is equivalent to a (Bachillerato). ...


Right, we call that High School.
Now for your undergraduate courses, (cursos de pregrado) you may attend one of these wonderful courses at the Universidad de Chile.


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## k-in-sc

Why are we renaming the elements of the U.S. educational system ...?


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## chileno

> Originally Posted by *chileno*
> 
> 
> 
> Calling it college will *suffice*. Correct, you  can seamlessly transfer to a full-fledged university. Maybe we can call a  college a "semi-university"? ..





Moritzchen said:


> No, we call it a college.




Correct.



> Originally Posted by *chileno*
> 
> 
> In Chile is called Liceo/Colegio which where  you get you High School Diploma with mention (major) in  something...Science, Humanistics or Undifferentiated. That is equivalent  to a (Bachillerato). ...





Moritzchen said:


> Right, we call that High School.



Equivalent to to a bachelor??????



Moritzchen said:


> Now for your undergraduate courses, (cursos de pregrado) you may attend one of these wonderful courses at the Universidad de Chile.



Well, I have been in this country since 1979 and I graduated in 1971.

And in any event, that links to a university... There are institutes that compete with universities nowadays, too.


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## chileno

k-in-sc said:


> Why are we renaming the elements of the U.S. educational system ...?




Who's renaming the U.S. educational system?

I thought this conversation was to elucidate what a college means in the U.S. and how to translate it to Spanish.

I guess I am wrong.


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## wildan1

_Colegio_ means _high school (secondary school)_; it has nothing to do with _college, university_ or _higher education_ as far as I know.

As I said earlier, _Community College _is a unique North Ameircan educational institution. It is different from both _college_ and colegio. Outside of the U.S. and Canada it does not exist--even in other English-speaking countries. 

I think it merits keeping its English name in Spanish unless or until Spanish-speaking countries adopt its model and give it a Spanish name.


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## Moritzchen

Tú hablaste de bachillerato. Y es lo que obtienes una vez terminada la secundaria que aquí es high-school. No tiene nada que ver con un bachelor's. Los estudios cursados en un community college, se dan en las universidades de países como el tuyo como te lo mostré en el enlace del post 27 y tú tan sagazmente observas que 





chileno said:


> And in any event, that links to a university... .


Exaaaactly!!!

P.S: Acá encuentro Universidad comunitaria, tal como lo había sugerido Nasiba en # 3 hace más de un año atrás.


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## wildan1

Moritzchen said:


> Acá encuentro Universidad comunitaria, tal como lo había sugerido Nasiba en # 3 hace más de un año atrás.


I think you were on a useful site relaed to community colleges, Moritzchen, but maybe on the wrong page--see here.


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## Moritzchen

I don't think I'm in the wrong page.
Now your page talks about _colegios universitarios_, so go figure.


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## k-in-sc

That page calls it a "colegio universitario."


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## chileno

I give up!


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## aloofsocialite

Para complicarnos la vida aún más, a los "_Community Colleges_" también les llamamos a veces "_Junior Colleges_", aunque supongo que hay quienes que los consideran distintos.
A veces usamos "_University" _y "_College" _indistintamente, sobre todo en el habla coloquial, pero propiamente dicho, hay una diferencia que se marca muy bien en el diccionario:



*col·lege*


*noun**1.*an institution of higher learning, especially one providing a general or liberal arts education rather than technical or professional training. Compare university.

*2.*a constituent unit of a university, furnishing courses ofinstruction in the liberal arts and sciences, usually leading to abachelor's degree.






*u·ni·ver·si·ty*


*noun, **plural **u·ni·ver·si·ties.*an institution of learning of the highest level, having a college ofliberal arts and a program of graduate studies together with several professional schools, as of theology, law, medicine, and engineering,and authorized to confer both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Continental European universities usually have only graduate or professional schools.



*community college*


*noun*a nonresidential junior college established to serve a specific community and typically supported in part by local government funds.



*junior college*


*noun**1.*a collegiate institution offering courses only through the first one or two years of college instruction and granting a certificate of title instead of a degree.


​


_University_ - Universidad  (suele ser, por lo menos, de cuatro años)
_College - _Universidad (también suele ser de cuatro años)
_Community College / Junior College_ - "Colegio universitario" (del Diccionario de la RAE)  (suele ser de dos años si sacas un diplomado de dos años (Associates Degree) o incluso más si sólo asistes para conseguir un mayor grado de formación personal, p.ej. para aprender a cocinar, coser, mecanografiar, etc.)

Si buscáis en vuestro buscador preferido (por no caer en el barbarismo de decir g***lear ) veréis que hay varias páginas y instituciones que se califican de "colegios universitarios" y que desempeñan el papel de "_community college_".  

Dicho eso, no puedo hacer comentarios sobre cómo de frecuente se usa este término en EE.UU. entre los hispanohablantes.  Puede que se diga más a menudo "universidad" o simplemente "_community college_" así sin traducir, particularmente entre los hablantes poliglotas.

*colegio**.*

*~** universitario.**1.* m. Centro docente, dependiente de una universidad, en el que se imparten enseñanzas del primer ciclo universitario.

http://lema.rae.es/drae/?val=colegio​


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## wildan1

aloofsocialite said:


> Para complicarnos la vida aún más, a los "_Community Colleges_" también les llamamos a veces "_Junior Colleges_", aunque supongo que hay quienes que los consideran distintos.


The distinction would be that _"Junior Colleges" _almost don't exist anymore. They originally were (mostly private) residential institutions like full undergraduate institutions; most have either expanded to become that, or closed. Others have repurposed themselves and redesigned themselves as _community colleges_. There remain only a couple dozen junior colleges across the USA nowadays.


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## aloofsocialite

Thanks for the clarification.  Here we use the term "junior college" pretty interchangeably with "community college", despite the fact that "junior colleges" may only exist in very few places any more, and that there's a public/private distinction as noted in the List of junior colleges in the United States. 

Ex.  "My daughter Suzie goes to UC Berkeley but my son Sammy goes to our local J.C. (junior college)."  We might say "J.C." or "junior college" even when the institution is technically a "community college".

Thanks again wildan!


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## Judica

Colegio = High School in the US

Community College = part of the University System which offers two year Degrees or transferable
 majors to the University. There are no dorms/housing. If you decide to transfer to a University, you will begin at the Junior level not Freshmen.

University = A University. They usually have four year coarses for BA/BS. Interestingly, The University of Baltimore was a two year Uni up until a few years ago. [It previously only offered Junior-Senior level along with Post-Graduate.]

Post Graduate / Graduate School = Higher level degrees beyond basic University such as Masters and Doctorates. (Law School, Medical School, Engineering, Education, etc.)




> To become a physician, or a lawyer, you have to pass the medical board  or bar exams, respectively. It doesn't matter where you got your degree  from (a postgraduate degree, incidentally), which is why many aspiring  doctors study in Mexico or Puerto Rico, if they can't get into a  university in the U.S.



Just to correct one thing, Abb1025 ... Puerto Rico is part of the US.


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## Judica

Also, there is no equivalent to a US Community College in other countries (that I know of). Keep in mind, no matter which one(s) they may attend, people in the US will generally say they went to "college". People in the UK say they went to "University".


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## aztlaniano

Judica said:


> Colegio = High School in the US
> Just to correct one thing, Abb1025 ... Puerto Rico is part of the US.


Without debating el Desastre del 98, let's just agree that Puerto Rico is a dominion of the U.S., without forming part of the metropolitan U.S., unlike Guadeloupe, for example, which is part of metropolitan France.
"Colegio" in Spain is used mostly for elementary schools, or schools that offer elementary (gardes 1 to 6) and obligatory secondary education (from grade 7 up through grade 10, or second year of high school, in the U.S.). Schools that offer only secondary education, including el bachillerato (grades 11 and 12), are institutos.
Incidentally, a university student may live in a "colegio mayor" (a dormitory).
Anyway, "colegio" is best avoided when translating "community college".


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