A Different World is an American television sitcom which aired for six seasons on NBC (from September 24, 1987 until July 9, 1993). It is a spin-off series from The Cosby Show, originally centered around Denise Huxtable (portrayed by actress Lisa Bonet) and the life of students at Hillman College, a fictional historically Black college in Virginia. Later seasons of the show focused on other characters including Dwayne Wayne (portrayed by actor Kadeem Hardison) and Whitley Gilbert (portrayed by actress Jasmine Guy).

While it was a spin-off from the Cosby Show, A Different World typically addressed issues that were avoided by the Cosby Show writers (race and class relations, the Equal Rights Amendment). One episode that aired in 1990 was one of the first American network television episodes to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Reruns can be seen weekdays on The N, occasionally on Oxygen and in syndication.

The success and popularity of A Different World is credited with an increase in enrollment at historically Black colleges and universities during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Spin-off of The Cosby Show, the original premise of the series was abandoned after the first season due to Lisa Bonet's exiting the show.

Even after Lisa Bonet had left the series, there was still a certain amount of interplay between this show and "Cosby Show, The" (1984). Phylicia Rashad, Lisa Bonet and Joseph C. Phillips appear on an episode during the 1990-1991 season when Dwayne comes to visit Denise. Rashad is also the sister of frequent episode director Debbie Allen. In the 1987-1988 season, Rudy Huxtable(played by Keshia Knight Pulliam)came to Hillman College to visit Denise. In 1992, a character from the late years of The Cosby show (Charmaine Brown, played by Karen Malina White) joined the cast of A Different World, as a new student at Hillman College.

In the party scene during the "Good Help Is Hard To Find" episode, airing November 8, 1990, the song heard in the background is "Try Me" from the debut album of Guy, Jasmine.

The visuals of the campus buildings and entrance to the fictional Hillman College were of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Lisa Bonet left the show because she was pregnant and the writers could not write around this or exclude her from many scenes or episodes, as she was supposed to be the main character.

Originally, the character of Whitley was to only appear in just the pilot. However, she became so popular that not only did she become a regular, but it helped to make Jasmine Guy the star of the show.

Darryl M. Bell inherited a large sum of money and controlling interest in a Fortune 500 company; however, he blew through the cash in a matter of months buying friends ridiculously expensive gifts and was forced to declare bankruptcy soon thereafter.

The show's theme was sung by Phoebe Snow in the first season. It was sung by from season's two through five was sung by Aretha Franklin. In the final season, it was sung by Boyz II Men.

Dawnn Lewis, who played Jaleesa on the show, was one of the songwriters of the show's theme.