The differences between a conservatory of music and the music department of a comprehensive university are as follows:

The nature of the school: a conservatory of music is usually a separate institution of higher music, focusing on music education and art research. The music department of a comprehensive university belongs to a college or department of a comprehensive university.

major setting: the major setting of the conservatory of music is relatively more professional and targeted, covering a wider range of music fields, such as music performance, composition, music education, music performance, musicology and so on. However, there may be relatively few majors in the music department of a comprehensive university, and a wider range of music disciplines may be integrated into other departments.

Teaching resources: Conservatory of Music usually has more abundant music facilities and art resources in terms of teaching resources, such as concert halls, rehearsal rooms, orchestras and choirs, so as to provide a better environment for music learning and performance. The music department of a comprehensive university may share teaching resources with other disciplines, and at the same time try to provide a good music learning environment.

Faculty: The faculty of a conservatory of music is usually more professional and has a high-level team of music teachers, many of whom are well-known musicians, performers or scholars. However, there may be relatively few teachers in the music department of comprehensive universities, and some teachers may concurrently serve as teaching tasks in other disciplines.

In a word, there are some differences in the nature of the school, specialty setting, teaching resources and teaching staff between the conservatory of music and the music department of a comprehensive university. When choosing a conservatory of music or a music department of a comprehensive university, it is necessary to consider the individual's demand for music learning and development and his preference for the depth and breadth of his major.