<p>Most direct translation: </p>

<p>大专学位 99% equals to "Associate Degree"</p>

<p>Drop the mic.</p>

<p>The College(A school, not "those colleges(schools) under a university) in China, is <strong>totally different</strong> from College you heard in USA. And why? That's another good question that out of the scope of your question.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-29T06:19:40.283Z
2017-09-29T06:19:40.283Z
Kevman
<p>Your understanding of "大专院校" is probably right.</p>

<p>But "大专" used alone is different from "大专院校". It is probably the short form of "大学专科", and is a kind of education after secondary schools but has shorter terms (usually 2~3 years) and does not provide a bachelor's degree. On the contrary, "大本", or "大学本科" usually takes 4~5 years and will provide a bachelor's degree.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-24T03:41:13.407Z
What is the official name for that in English given by education authorities in China, do you know? Like sometimes you have to tell or show other colleges or employers in other countries such an education experience?
NanningYouth
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-24T03:52:52.290Z
See the comment 1: "大专 three-year college; junior college; professional training college " I put couple of ';' from the copied text.
dan
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2017-09-24T04:22:29.520Z
I found a lot of posts asking the official English translation but didn't find a definitive answer.
fefe
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2017-09-24T02:29:29.420Z
2017-09-24T02:29:29.420Z
fefe
<p>I think the closest match in English would be a diploma vs a degree. The courses that finish with a diploma instead of a degree are 专科 and the schools that can only issue diplomas but not degrees are 专科院校</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-29T16:24:08.053Z
2017-09-29T16:24:08.053Z
jf328
<p>I notice that in the recent evaluation of first-rate universities and disciplines in China, no colleges of vocational education are granted the honor. But I learn from other sources that such colleges are the integral part of higher education of this country, which have outnumbered the traditional colleges that offer four-year long undergraduate education.</p>

<p>They say such colleges were changed from the former secondary schools of vocation, so that they are simply 大专, not 本科. But I understand that all colleges are known in Chinese as 大专院校, so what is the difference?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-24T02:48:17.253Z
bkrs：大专  three-year college
junior college
professional training college
 
1) 大钧。指天，大自然。
  **2) 指大学与高等专科院校。如：大专院校。
3) 特指高等专科学校。如：大专毕业.**  
大专院校 [institution of higher education] 高等院校的简称。 专指专科学校 universities and colleges; institutions of higher education
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-24T02:49:40.737Z
You might get a moot point here.  The term 大专院校 is on the fence. It could be either 专科 or all kinds of colleges including 专科 and 本科，IMO.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-24T02:56:44.900Z
I think most of time 大专院校 refers to 专科, but it relies on the context to determine.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-30T07:17:28.113Z
The *New Century Chinese-English Dictionary*: junior college for professional/vocational training
Wang Dingwei
<meaning-in-context>
What is the meaning of 大专?
# What is the meaning of 大专?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-24)

I notice that in the recent evaluation of first-rate universities and disciplines in China, no colleges of vocational education are granted the honor. But I learn from other sources that such colleges are the integral part of higher education of this country, which have outnumbered the traditional colleges that offer four-year long undergraduate education.

They say such colleges were changed from the former secondary schools of vocation, so that they are simply 大专, not 本科. But I understand that all colleges are known in Chinese as 大专院校, so what is the difference?

**Tags:** meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: bkrs：大专  three-year college junior college professional training college   1) 大钧。指天，大自然。   **2) 指大学与高等专科院校。如：大专院校。 3) 特指高等专科学校。如：大专毕业.**   大专院校 [institution of higher education] 高等院校的简称。 专指专科学校 universities and colleges; institutions of higher education  
> **username_2**: You might get a moot point here.  The term 大专院校 is on the fence. It could be either 专科 or all kinds of colleges including 专科 and 本科，IMO.  
> **username_2**: I think most of time 大专院校 refers to 专科, but it relies on the context to determine.  
> **username_3**: The *New Century Chinese-English Dictionary*: junior college for professional/vocational training  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-09-29. Score: 1

Most direct translation:

大专学位 99% equals to "Associate Degree"

Drop the mic.

The College(A school, not "those colleges(schools) under a university) in China, is **totally different** from College you heard in USA. And why? That's another good question that out of the scope of your question.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-09-24. Score: 1

Your understanding of "大专院校" is probably right.

But "大专" used alone is different from "大专院校". It is probably the short form of "大学专科", and is a kind of education after secondary schools but has shorter terms (usually 2~3 years) and does not provide a bachelor's degree. On the contrary, "大本", or "大学本科" usually takes 4~5 years and will provide a bachelor's degree.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What is the official name for that in English given by education authorities in China, do you know? Like sometimes you have to tell or show other colleges or employers in other countries such an education experience?  
> **username_2**: See the comment 1: "大专 three-year college; junior college; professional training college " I put couple of ';' from the copied text.  
> **username_5**: I found a lot of posts asking the official English translation but didn't find a definitive answer.  

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### Answer by username_6 on 2017-09-29. Score: 0

I think the closest match in English would be a diploma vs a degree. The courses that finish with a diploma instead of a degree are 专科 and the schools that can only issue diplomas but not degrees are 专科院校


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