It's a common refrain every year, in every university town. Are degrees becoming more common now? It's no secret that more and more students start their degrees every year. If this is happening though, what's happening to the status of degrees, and is it still worth getting one?

Student numbers are climbing higher and higher every year. In fact, their numbers have doubled since 1992. This has happened due to changes in government, and universities offering more and varied courses to potential students.

In a crowded workplace, getting a degree is seen as one way of defining yourself above others when you're looking for work. In other cases, getting a degree is essential for the career you're looking at getting into. Either way, there certainly are more students attending university than there have ever been.

Because there's been this huge growth in student numbers, there are of course a wider array of courses available. To the outside eye, it can seem as though some of these degrees are a 'waste of time'. What's a student going to do with a degree in film making, or fashion design? Aren't these just 'soft' subjects with no application to the real world?

There is the odd course that shows up in the papers as a publicity grab, advertising classes in a subject either hyper specialised or outrageous. However, the vast majority of courses do have an application in the job market. Take the fashion designer, for example. The lay person would think that unless you're next Chanel, then there's no point studying this. However, it's not just Chanel designing clothes. High street stores and independent sellers all need clothes to keep themselves going as a company.

Many recent graduates have reported that they have been finding it harder to find work in their chosen field. It's true that with so many more students entering higher learning, it means that there's more graduates now to compete against when you finish your course. Many students say they've had to take an entry level position in a job that's not related to their degree in any way, just to ensure they have money coming in.

While this is happening to an extent, it's not the whole picture. It's true that some students are finding it harder to get into work, but the ones that do succeed do so because they're able to think creatively. They're the ones making connections while at university, and looking for other ways into their chosen field. As for entry level positions, in many fields you have to start from the bottom. Even if you have a degree, there's a lot you'll need to learn before you can progress.

On the other side of the coin, it could be argued that more students than ever are getting the chance to study. After all, everyone has the right to be educated to the level of their choice. If students want to be educated at a university level, they should be able to access it.

The increase in available degrees shows that universities are happy to meet that demand, and teach more students than ever before. These degrees are also allowing students to branch out into careers that they may never have dreamed of before. It increases choice, and that's never a bad thing when it comes to your career.

As well as getting a degree, going to university means that you're gaining essential life skills in a safe and controlled setting. This can be as mundane as learning how to cook dinner, or practicing team work for when you start working in your first job.

University is now a place where you grow holistically. Staff in charge of student care look at the whole picture, not just how the student is doing academically. It's the best place to learn all of these essential skills, before heading off into the workplace.

While there may be more degrees available now, there's still some degrees that will always be needed by students. Vocational degrees, such as medical or teaching degrees, are needed in order to keep vital services staffed by experts. If a student knows that they want to get into such a line of work, then these degrees will always be open to them.

So, are degrees too common in the UK? They may be more common, but it just means that graduates need to think around the problem of getting hired. Plus, going to university means you'll learn life skills that you wouldn't otherwise have. All in all, degrees are common, but not too common in the UK.