Distinguishing Between Faculty & Department

Faculty and department are two distinct terms frequently used interchangeably, particularly within the context of universities. Both terms refer to a specific body within an educational institution that focuses on a particular subject area.

Faculty

A faculty is a group of individuals within a university or other relevant institutions who specialize in a specific subject or several closely related subjects. In universities, a faculty usually consists of teachers or professors who focus on a particular field of teaching.

Department

A department is a subdivision of an organization that encompasses various fields, necessitating the segregation of its members according to their area of focus. In a university setting, this might involve creating departments for each field of study, such as engineering, medicine, science, psychology, and the arts. A department typically includes the staff, students, and facilities.

Key Takeaways

• A faculty primarily consists of a human workforce, such as university staff or a group of employees in an institution, while a department may encompass not only the participating population but also the physical structure, tools used for research or other purposes, and the concepts represented by the department itself.
• The term “faculty” is more commonly used in educational institutions, while “department” is more widely used in other areas, such as government organizations or companies.
• In multi-structured organizations like universities, a faculty may refer to the teachers assigned to teach a specific subject, whereas a department is a sub-organization that includes the faculty, students enrolled in the subject, and the infrastructure.