Subject vs. Course — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 16, 2024
A subject is a specific area of knowledge or field of study, such as mathematics or history, while a course is a series of classes or a structured program designed to teach a particular subject or skill set.
Difference Between Subject and Course
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Subjects represent broad areas of knowledge and inquiry that define the scope and content of academic study, such as biology, literature, or physics. They encompass the foundational theories, principles, and information that constitute a field of learning. Courses, however, are the structured educational experiences that deliver the content of these subjects to students. They include lectures, assignments, exams, and sometimes practical work, tailored to cover specific topics within a subject.
While a subject is a more general term that doesn't imply a specific educational structure, a course is an organized offering within an educational institution that leads to a deeper understanding of a part of, or an entire, subject. For example, "English" is a subject that covers a wide range of topics, including literature, writing, and language studies. An English course might focus on a specific area, such as American literature, and include a syllabus, reading list, and assignments specific to that topic.
Subjects can remain relatively constant over time, as they are defined by their content and scope. Courses, however, can vary greatly in their delivery, content, and duration, even within the same subject, depending on the educational institution, the instructor, and the educational goals.
In the academic journey, students often choose a major or a specialization in a subject, which then dictates the specific courses they will take. For instance, a student majoring in "Chemistry" (the subject) might take courses in organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and biochemistry.
Both subjects and courses are integral to the education system, with subjects providing the framework and foundation of knowledge, and courses offering the pathway to mastering that knowledge.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Broad area of knowledge or field of study
Series of classes or program teaching a specific subject or skill set
Scope
General and wide-ranging
Specific topics within a subject
Structure
Conceptual framework
Organized educational experience with a syllabus
Duration
Timeless, as long as the field exists
Fixed, typically a semester or academic year
Examples
Mathematics, History, Science
Calculus I, World War II History, General Biology
Compare with Definitions
Subject
Defines the overall content and boundaries of study.
The subject of English literature spans centuries of written works.
Course
Consists of lectures, materials, and assessments.
The course Introduction to Sociology includes specific readings and assignments.
Subject
Encompasses entire fields like "Art" or "Science."
The subject of mathematics covers topics from algebra to calculus.
Course
Has a set start and end date, often a semester.
The course Creative Writing runs from September to December.
Subject
Includes the basic principles and theories.
The subject of physics explores laws of motion and energy.
Course
Each course focuses on a particular aspect of a subject.
A biology course might concentrate on marine ecosystems.
Subject
Often chosen as a major or specialization in higher education.
Students may declare psychology as their subject of major.
Course
May include labs, projects, or fieldwork.
A chemistry course includes lab sessions for experiments.
Subject
Learning within a subject can be lifelong and expansive.
The subject of computer science continually evolves with technology.
Course
Successful completion often results in credits or certification.
Completing a course in first aid might certify you in CPR.
Subject
A person or thing that is being discussed, described, or dealt with
I've said all there is to be said on the subject
He's the subject of a major new biography
Course
Development in a particular way; progress
The course of events.
Subject
A branch of knowledge studied or taught in a school, college, or university
Maths is not my best subject
Course
Movement in time; duration
In the course of a year.
Subject
A member of a state other than its ruler, especially one owing allegiance to a monarch or other supreme ruler
The legislation is applicable only to British subjects
Course
The direction of continuing movement
The boat took a northern course.
Subject
A noun or noun phrase functioning as one of the main components of a clause, being the element about which the rest of the clause is predicated.
Course
The route or path taken by something that moves, such as a stream or vehicle.
Subject
A thinking or feeling entity; the conscious mind; the ego, especially as opposed to anything external to the mind.
Course
A designated route or area on which a race is held
The course of a marathon.
Subject
Likely or prone to be affected by (a particular condition or occurrence, typically an unwelcome or unpleasant one)
He was subject to bouts of manic depression
Course
See golf course.
Subject
Dependent or conditional upon
The proposed merger is subject to the approval of the shareholders
Course
A mode of action or behavior
Followed the best course and invested her money.
Subject
Under the authority of
Ministers are subject to the laws of the land
Course
A typical, natural, or customary manner of proceeding or developing
A fad that ran its course.
Subject
Conditionally upon
Subject to the EC's agreement, we intend to set up an enterprise zone in the area
Course
A systematic or orderly succession; a sequence
A course of medical treatments.
Subject
Cause or force someone or something to undergo (a particular experience or form of treatment, typically an unwelcome or unpleasant one)
He'd subjected her to a terrifying ordeal
Course
A continuous layer of building material, such as brick or tile, on a wall or roof of a building.
Subject
Bring (a person or country) under one's control or jurisdiction, typically by using force
The city had been subjected to Macedonian rule
Course
A complete body of prescribed studies constituting a curriculum
A four-year course in engineering.
Subject
Being in a position or in circumstances that place one under the power or authority of another or others
Subject to the law.
Course
A unit of such a curriculum
Took an introductory course in chemistry.
Passed her calculus course.
Subject
Prone; disposed
A child who is subject to colds.
Course
A part of a meal served as a unit at one time
The first course was a delicious soup.
Subject
Likely to incur or receive; exposed
A directive subject to misinterpretation.
Course
(Nautical) The lowest sail on a mast of a square-rigged ship.
Subject
Contingent or dependent
A vacation subject to changing weather.
Course
A point on the compass, especially the one toward which a vehicle, such as a ship, is moving.
Subject
One who is under the rule of another or others, especially one who owes allegiance to a government or ruler.
Course
(Music) A string or set of two or more closely-spaced and usually identically-tuned strings, as on a lute.
Subject
One concerning which something is said or done; a person or thing being discussed or dealt with
A subject of gossip.
Course
To move swiftly through or over; traverse
Ships coursing the seas.
Subject
Something that is treated or indicated in a work of art.
Course
To hunt (game) with hounds.
Subject
(Music) A theme of a composition, especially a fugue.
Course
To set (hounds) to chase game.
Subject
A course or area of study
Math is her best subject.
Course
To proceed or move swiftly in a certain direction or along a course
"Big tears now coursed down her face" (Iris Murdoch).
Subject
A basis for action; a cause.
Course
To hunt game with hounds.
Subject
One that experiences or is subjected to something
The subject of ridicule.
Course
A sequence of events.
The normal course of events seems to be just one damned thing after another.
Subject
A person or animal that is the object of medical or scientific study
The experiment involved 12 subjects.
Course
A normal or customary sequence.
Subject
A corpse intended for anatomical study and dissection.
Course
A programme, a chosen manner of proceeding.
Subject
One who is under surveillance
The subject was observed leaving the scene of the murder.
Course
Any ordered process or sequence of steps.
Subject
(Grammar) The noun, noun phrase, or pronoun in a sentence or clause that denotes the doer of the action or what is described by the predicate.
Course
A learning programme, whether a single class or (UK) a major area of study.
I need to take a French course.
Subject
(Logic) The term of a proposition about which something is affirmed or denied.
Course
A treatment plan.
Subject
The mind or thinking part as distinguished from the object of thought.
Course
A stage of a meal.
We offer seafood as the first course.
Subject
A being that undergoes personal conscious or unconscious experience of itself and of the world.
Course
The succession of one to another in office or duty; order; turn.
Subject
The essential nature or substance of something as distinguished from its attributes.
Course
A path that something or someone moves along.
His illness ran its course.
Subject
To cause to experience, undergo, or be acted upon
Suspects subjected to interrogation.
Rocks subjected to intense pressure.
Course
The itinerary of a race.
The cross-country course passes the canal.
Subject
To subjugate; subdue.
Course
A racecourse.
Subject
To submit to the authority of
Peoples that subjected themselves to the emperor.
Course
The path taken by a flow of water; a watercourse.
Subject
Likely to be affected by or to experience something.
A country subject to extreme heat
Menu listings and prices are subject to change.
He's subject to sneezing fits.
Course
(sports) The trajectory of a ball, frisbee etc.
Subject
Conditional upon something; used with to.
The local board sets local policy, subject to approval from the State Board.
Course
(golf) A golf course.
Subject
Placed or situated under; lying below, or in a lower situation.
Course
(nautical) The direction of movement of a vessel at any given moment.
The ship changed its course 15 degrees towards south.
Subject
Placed under the power of another; owing allegiance to a particular sovereign or state.
Course
(navigation) The intended passage of voyage, such as a boat, ship, airplane, spaceship, etc.
A course was plotted to traverse the ocean.
Subject
(grammar) In a clause: the word or word group (usually a noun phrase) about whom the statement is made. In active clauses with verbs denoting an action, the subject and the actor are usually the same.
In the sentence ‘The cat ate the mouse’, ‘the cat’ is the subject, ‘the mouse’ being the object.
Course
The drive usually frequented by Europeans at an Indian station.
Subject
An actor; one who takes action.
The subjects and objects of power.
Course
(nautical) The lowest square sail in a fully rigged mast, often named according to the mast.
Main course and mainsail are the same thing in a sailing ship.
Subject
The main topic of a paper, work of art, discussion, field of study, etc.
Course
Menses.
Subject
A particular area of study.
Her favorite subject is physics.
Course
A row or file of objects.
Subject
A citizen in a monarchy.
I am a British subject.
Course
(masonry) A row of bricks or blocks.
On a building that size, two crews could only lay two courses in a day.
Subject
A person ruled over by another, especially a monarch or state authority.
Course
(roofing) A row of material that forms the roofing, waterproofing or flashing system.
Subject
(music) The main theme or melody, especially in a fugue.
Course
(textiles) In weft knitting, a single row of loops connecting the loops of the preceding and following rows.
Subject
A human, animal or an inanimate object that is being examined, treated, analysed, etc.
Course
(music) One or more strings on some musical instruments (such as the guitar, lute or vihuela): if multiple, then closely spaced, tuned in unison or octaves and intended to played together.
Subject
(philosophy) A being that has subjective experiences, subjective consciousness, or a relationship with another entity.
Course
(transitive) To run through or over.
Subject
(logic) That of which something is stated.
Course
(transitive) To pursue by tracking or estimating the course taken by one's prey; to follow or chase after.
Subject
(math) The variable in terms of which an expression is defined.
0, we have x
Course
(transitive) To cause to chase after or pursue game.
To course greyhounds after deer
Subject
To cause (someone or something) to undergo a particular experience, especially one that is unpleasant or unwanted.
I came here to buy souvenirs, not to be subjected to a tirade of abuse!
Course
The act of moving from one point to another; progress; passage.
And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais.
Subject
(transitive) To make subordinate or subservient; to subdue or enslave.
Course
The ground or path traversed; track; way.
The same horse also run the round course at Newmarket.
Subject
Placed or situated under; lying below, or in a lower situation.
Course
Motion, considered as to its general or resultant direction or to its goal; line progress or advance.
A light by which the Argive squadron steersTheir silent course to Ilium's well known shore.
Westward the course of empire takes its way.
Subject
Placed under the power of another; specifically (International Law), owing allegiance to a particular sovereign or state; as, Jamaica is subject to Great Britain.
Esau was never subject to Jacob.
Course
Progress from point to point without change of direction; any part of a progress from one place to another, which is in a straight line, or on one direction; as, a ship in a long voyage makes many courses; a course measured by a surveyor between two stations; also, a progress without interruption or rest; a heat; as, one course of a race.
Subject
Exposed; liable; prone; disposed; as, a country subject to extreme heat; men subject to temptation.
All human things are subject to decay.
Course
Motion considered with reference to manner; or derly progress; procedure in a certain line of thought or action; as, the course of an argument.
The course of true love never did run smooth.
Subject
Obedient; submissive.
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities.
Course
Customary or established sequence of events; recurrence of events according to natural laws.
By course of nature and of law.
Day and night,Seedtime and harvest, heat and hoary frost,Shall hold their course.
Subject
That which is placed under the authority, dominion, control, or influence of something else.
Course
Method of procedure; manner or way of conducting; conduct; behavior.
My lord of York commends the plot and the general course of the action.
By perseverance in the course prescribed.
You hold your course without remorse.
Subject
Specifically: One who is under the authority of a ruler and is governed by his laws; one who owes allegiance to a sovereign or a sovereign state; as, a subject of Queen Victoria; a British subject; a subject of the United States.
Was never subject longed to be a king,As I do long and wish to be a subject.
The subject must obey his prince, because God commands it, human laws require it.
Course
A series of motions or acts arranged in order; a succession of acts or practices connectedly followed; as, a course of medicine; a course of lectures on chemistry.
Subject
That which is subjected, or submitted to, any physical operation or process; specifically (Anat.), a dead body used for the purpose of dissection.
Course
The succession of one to another in office or duty; order; turn.
He appointed . . . the courses of the priests
Subject
That which is brought under thought or examination; that which is taken up for discussion, or concerning which anything is said or done.
Make choice of a subject, beautiful and noble, which . . . shall afford an ample field of matter wherein to expatiate.
The unhappy subject of these quarrels.
Course
That part of a meal served at one time, with its accompaniments.
He [Goldsmith] wore fine clothes, gave dinners of several courses, paid court to venal beauties.
Subject
The person who is treated of; the hero of a piece; the chief character.
Writers of particular lives . . . are apt to be prejudiced in favor of their subject.
Course
A continuous level range of brick or stones of the same height throughout the face or faces of a building.
Subject
That of which anything is affirmed or predicated; the theme of a proposition or discourse; that which is spoken of; as, the nominative case is the subject of the verb.
The subject of a proposition is that concerning which anything is affirmed or denied.
Course
The lowest sail on any mast of a square-rigged vessel; as, the fore course, main course, etc.
Subject
That in which any quality, attribute, or relation, whether spiritual or material, inheres, or to which any of these appertain; substance; substratum.
That which manifests its qualities - in other words, that in which the appearing causes inhere, that to which they belong - is called their subject or substance, or substratum.
Course
The menses.
Subject
The principal theme, or leading thought or phrase, on which a composition or a movement is based.
The earliest known form of subject is the ecclesiastical cantus firmus, or plain song.
Course
To run, hunt, or chase after; to follow hard upon; to pursue.
We coursed him at the heels.
Subject
The incident, scene, figure, group, etc., which it is the aim of the artist to represent.
Course
To cause to chase after or pursue game; as, to course greyhounds after deer.
Subject
To bring under control, power, or dominion; to make subject; to subordinate; to subdue.
Firmness of mind that subjects every gratification of sense to the rule of right reason.
In one short view subjected to our eye,Gods, emperors, heroes, sages, beauties, lie.
He is the most subjected, the most nslaved, who is so in his understanding.
Course
To run through or over.
The bounding steed courses the dusty plain.
Subject
To expose; to make obnoxious or liable; as, credulity subjects a person to impositions.
Course
To run as in a race, or in hunting; to pursue the sport of coursing; as, the sportsmen coursed over the flats of Lancashire.
Subject
To submit; to make accountable.
God is not bound to subject his ways of operation to the scrutiny of our thoughts.
Course
Education imparted in a series of lessons or class meetings;
He took a course in basket weaving
Flirting is not unknown in college classes
Subject
To make subservient.
Subjected to his service angel wings.
Course
A connected series of events or actions or developments;
The government took a firm course
Historians can only point out those lines for which evidence is available
Subject
To cause to undergo; as, to subject a substance to a white heat; to subject a person to a rigid test.
Course
Facility consisting of a circumscribed area of land or water laid out for a sport;
The course had only nine holes
The course was less than a mile
Subject
The subject matter of a conversation or discussion;
He didn't want to discuss that subject
It was a very sensitive topic
His letters were always on the theme of love
Course
A mode of action;
If you persist in that course you will surely fail
Once a nation is embarked on a course of action it becomes extremely difficult for any retraction to take place
Subject
Some situation or event that is thought about;
He kept drifting off the topic
He had been thinking about the subject for several years
It is a matter for the police
Course
A line or route along which something travels or moves;
The hurricane demolished houses in its path
The track of an animal
The course of the river
Subject
A branch of knowledge;
In what discipline is his doctorate?
Teachers should be well trained in their subject
Anthropology is the study of human beings
Course
General line of orientation;
The river takes a southern course
The northeastern trend of the coast
Subject
Something (a person or object or scene) selected by an artist or photographer for graphic representation;
A moving picture of a train is more dramatic than a still picture of the same subject
Course
Part of a meal served at one time;
She prepared a three course meal
Subject
A person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation;
The subjects for this investigation were selected randomly
The cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities
Course
(construction) a layer of masonry;
A course of bricks
Subject
A person who owes allegiance to that nation;
A monarch has a duty to his subjects
Course
Move swiftly through or over;
Ships coursing the Atlantic
Subject
(grammar) one of the two main constituents of a sentence; the grammatical constituent about which something is predicated
Course
Move along, of liquids;
Water flowed into the cave
The Missouri feeds into the Mississippi
Subject
(logic) the first term of a proposition
Course
Hunt with hounds;
He often courses hares
Subject
Cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to;
He subjected me to his awful poetry
The sergeant subjected the new recruits to many drills
People in Chernobyl were subjected to radiation
Course
As might be expected;
Naturally, the lawyer sent us a huge bill
Subject
Make accountable for;
He did not want to subject himself to the judgments of his superiors
Subject
Make subservient; force to submit or subdue
Subject
Refer for judgment or consideration;
She submitted a proposal to the agency
Subject
Not exempt from tax;
The gift will be subject to taxation
Subject
Possibly accepting or permitting;
A passage capable of misinterpretation
Open to interpretation
An issue open to question
The time is fixed by the director and players and therefore subject to much variation
Subject
Being under the power or sovereignty of another or others;
Subject peoples
A dependent prince
Common Curiosities
Are all courses focused on academic subjects?
No, courses can also be skill-based or vocational, focusing on practical skills outside traditional academic subjects.
How do universities decide which courses to offer within a subject?
Course offerings are based on the curriculum goals, faculty expertise, and student interest and demand, aligning with broader educational objectives.
Can a subject be taught without a course?
Informally, yes. One can study a subject independently, but formal education is typically structured into courses.
How is the success of a course measured?
Success can be measured by student outcomes, such as grades, comprehension, and application of the material, as well as student and instructor feedback.
How do online courses fit into this comparison?
Online courses function similarly to traditional courses but are delivered digitally, offering flexibility in accessing and completing course materials.
Can a course cover multiple subjects?
Yes, interdisciplinary courses can combine elements from different subjects, such as a course on bioethics that includes biology and philosophy.
How do educators ensure courses stay relevant to the subject?
Courses are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect current knowledge, research, and methodologies in the subject area.
Is it possible for two courses with the same name to be different?
Yes, course content can vary between institutions or instructors, even if the courses share the same title.
Can a course be part of more than one subject?
Yes, especially in interdisciplinary studies, a course might count towards requirements in multiple subjects or majors.
Do all courses lead to a degree?
Not necessarily. Some courses are standalone for personal development or specific certification and may not contribute to a degree.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
