In this essay I will examine the benefits and drawbacks of studying for a university degree and will demonstrate which one outweighs the other. I will also start by defining what a university degree actually is. A degree can be defined as an academic diploma that is received from a college or university. It is an official certificate that a person gains after completing three to four years of study at an academic institution of higher education. The most common type of degree is called a ‘bachelors’ degree, which is also known as a first degree. Owning a degree qualifies a person for various professional fields. For some fields, for example the medical field, the occupations have titles for which a degree must first be obtained. To gain the title of ‘doctor’, a doctorate must be completed. This is an advanced graduate degree programme and is the highest form of degree. Other forms of degree include a master’s degree which is a course of study taken after a first degree is obtained.
Many professions require at least a basic first degree. Fields such as medicine, science and law require an advanced degree and sometimes a doctoral degree. Some fields that require a basic degree or higher, include business and education. Possession of any type of degree can often be seen the degree holders name. For example John Smith BBA, this would stand for bachelor’s degree of business administration, or M.D. which would stand for doctor of medicine. Doctoral candidates require completion of a dissertation or thesis, which is a piece of original research. This must be completed before the candidate receives the qualification. The dissertation must be approved by an academic committee before the candidate can qualify for the doctoral degree.

There are many benefits of gaining a degree but it can be suggested that there are more disadvantages than there are advantages. In recent