If someone has a 2:1 English literature degree , would you say they are very intelligent/academic?

[Curiousss]

Just basically this question, curious to know what people think.

If they were a recent graduate I would want to know what else they got up to at uni as a 2:1 is a standard grade now. (Saying that I seem to be working with a lot of graduates who if they only have one degree have a First in a STEM subject. Most people have more qualifications.)

If they were older I would want to know what they had been doing in their career so far.

No. I'd not even rate Russell group that much!!

My SIL has a degree from Cambridge, she's intelligent but has a very average job.

They are intelligent (IQ higher than 100) but not very intelligent or academic unless there’s some drip feed like the uni is Oxford and they started learning English a couple of years before starting uni.

Impossible to say and it won't be the same answer for how ever many 100s of students get that degree every year

In comparison to whom? At a population level?

No

Oh come on!!

People choose universities for lots of reasons.

OP
Stop measuring intelligence based on a qualification.

2:1 from Cambridge 30 years ago- probably very intelligent.

2:1 from a poor ex poly last year- probably quite thick.

Intelligent yes, very intelligent no

Compared to the general population then yes they are probably above a average intelligence but among people who have been to uni and have degrees they would be average

Depends on their age and the uni. 40 years ago it was considered that you’d done well with a 2:2, 1sts were rare. No I think it’s pretty average.
if they’ve gone to Oxbridge or an Ivy League uni id think they were pretty smart, but if it’s from the university of mid Wiltshire, I wouldn’t really consider it a degree at all.

So, yes then.

Not particularly. I know some absolute morons with degrees in English 😂

If a degree comes from a particularly prestigious Uni and they have a First I'd possibly be somewhat impressed...if not, meh. Degrees are ten a penny nowadays they don't really indicate much at all in many cases.

It was an NUI university (National University of Ireland ) and it was in 2009

Sorry but no! They may know some literary knowledge which is taught but not natural, creative intelligence. I know a few, much younger friends, whose grammar is a disgrace to having graduated in English/English literature.

I'd guess they're fairly intelligent but not massively so or particularly academic.

I'm only here for the shameless snobbery.

<polishes First in a STEM subject from 30 years ago when it was a notable achievement unlike today when every other student graduates with one>

People choose jobs for all sorts of reasons though.

I am sure I could have had a more stratospheric career if I had wanted to (based on my qualifications) but I chose to prioritise family and I was also constrained by a physical health condition.

Not particularly.

I just googled and apparently undergrads used to be more intelligent than average 50 years ago, but no longer, because so many more people go

This is N American data I think but I guess the trend is the same here

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378173544_Meta-analysis_On_average_undergraduate_students'_intelligence_is_merely_average

Me too 😄

Degrees don't prove intelligence.

Bowing down to you right now

(average humanities degree, same era - I was an absolute waster but am good at exams)

No i wouldn't consider anyone with a degree more intelligent than someone without one

I got a Desmond 😭 and was depressed about it for years, it's still a sore spot, so maybe compared to me, just slightly more yes

I'd be more interested in how many languages they speak, their knowledge of everyday things and, above all, their social abilities (neuro diversities not included)

Someone intelligent can communicate with different people and get things done - intelligence is more rounded now

Edited

But then, if someone worked in a stem environment, Ie doctor, I'd think yes they're intelligent

I have a 2:1 in English from UCL, graduating over 50 years ago. Two people in my year graduated with a first. I knew before we sat our finals that they were exceptional and had brains that worked in ways mine didn't even understand. So as PPs have said, it would depend on when they were at university and, to a lesser extent, where.