How is an academic course structured in its content (USA)?

Question

I don’t even know if “course” is the better word choice in the title of this question.

Those things may be obvious for Americans, but it’s tricky to understand the elements of the academic life in a given country because the words are similar or the same in other countries, but with different meanings. I searched those meanings, but it’s hard to understand them isolated and without examples (how they usually appear). I assume those things are too obvious to be explained (even by colleges themselves), but only learned in practice. If someone has a link to a college explaining the structure of what it teaches through a diagram I would be amazed.

If I want to become, for instance, a Nutritionist, I would get into a Nutrition ____ (program?/course?) in order to earn a Nutrition ____ (degree?). When people ask me what I do in college, I answer that I ____ (study? / am coursing?/ am majoring in?) Nutrition. In this semester I have a _____ (course?/subject?/either of both?) called Physiopathology of Nutrition II that is really hard. If I wanted to say that I want to give up Nutrition, I'd say "I want to give up this ____ (course?/major?/college?/degree?)."

Answer 1

Without diving too deep into the actual workings of any specific (American?) higher education system, I will attempt to fill in the blanks based on sentence structures and my best judgement.

If I want to become, for instance, a Nutritionist, I would get into a Nutrition program in order to earn a Nutrition degree/diploma. When people ask me what I do in college, I answer that I am majoring in/studying/taking Nutrition. In this semester I have a course called Physiopathology of Nutrition II that is really hard. If I wanted to say that I want to give up Nutrition, I'd say "I want to give up this program."

Let's dissect this a bit:

Blanks 1 & 5: A program is a subject you study in a university or college for which you must complete a set of courses in order to earn your degree/diploma.

Blank 2: A degree is a certificate you get when you complete a program in University, whereas a diploma is a certificate you get for completing a college program. Having one of the two is often necessary to get a career.

Blank 3: If you are majoring in a certain subject, you are currently enrolled in a university/college program for that subject. Taking is less formal, but most English speakers would understand, and you can avoid confusion by saying taking ____ in university/college rather than simply taking ____. You could use studying, but this could also mean you are researching the subject independently of an educational institute. You can study nutrition without majoring in it.

Blank 4: A course (as mentioned in Blanks 1 & 5) is kind of like a high school class, where you probably sit in a lecture hall and take notes while a professor teaches you about a specific topic related to your program. It is important to note that a program is a general area of study, which is composed of courses. You cannot really have one without the other.

Hope this helps!