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.

No, not really. I have one. I’m not particularly bright and I didn’t work particularly hard, as I was a prat and more interested in ecstasy and clubs at the time. Graduated 15 years ago. Until recently held a very senior job in tech and had no idea who went to uni or where. No one cared.

Definitely not stupid, but it wouldn’t particularly impress me.

In the UK I don't think undergraduate degrees mean much as far as intelligence. I would assume such a person was well-read and had a reasonable level of critical thinking skill. After a year or two degree qualifications become quite irrelevant in my experience.

I have that.
I am quite bright when it comes to general knowledge and common sense but nowhere near highly intelligent.

No

I got a 2:1 in English Lit, graduated in 1994.

I consider myself reasonably intelligent, but certainly don't always/only equate intelligence with someone's degree.

Ooft. The MN snobs are out in force tonight!

Sad to see English Literature dismissed as a Mickey Mouse degree - shows far the arts and humanities - once highly revered subjects - have sunk in people's estimation.

I have an English Literature and Classics 2:1 from an RG university, graduating over 25 years ago. Not highly intelligent but I'd say above average. But yes, depends what you go on to do with it. The majority of my sixth form (privately educated) attended post 1992 universities studying more vocational subjects and many of them have gone on to extremely well. DH got a Desmond from a newer university in English Literature and earns more than me....

I would think “oh they have a 2:1 in English lit” it wouldn’t spur me on to think they were very intelligent at all! It’s what it says on the tin imo…

I got a 2:1 in English Lit at Leeds.

Would say I’m reasonably intelligent. Not extremely! But not dim.

that’s a very average degree

@SlaveToAGoldenRetriever I work in an industry that’s super important to the UK economy. And is also being hugely impacted by AI. We’ve hired loads of grads from humanities backgrounds (ie in your world not that employable) because they understand the nuance of language and make incredibly good AI prompters. Don’t assume that a degree not directly related to an industry isn’t valuable. It can be.

I'd say it was average. I've got a First in a humanities subject and loads of people get Firsts these days. The vast majority gain either a 1 or a 2:1.

I'd think a person was academic if they'd got a Merit/Distinction in a Masters.

Government stats show nearly half of people get a 2:1, and those getting a 1 aren't too far behind. Combined about 80% get either.

https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/education-skills-and-training/higher-education/undergraduate-degree-results/latest/

Some of the replies on this thread are so typical Mumsnet. Can't bear to acknowledge that someone could be very intelligent/academic with a 2:1 in English Lit.

It's not something you can answer on that info alone. Some people might be, others not so much. Context and more information are needed.

FWIW Op I have a 2:1 in a fairly unrespected subject from a shit poly uni. I'd consider myself pretty intelligent. However, I worked 3 jobs throughout my A levels and was homeless. I've done another degree and a Masters since and got a First and Distinction from more respected Universities.

To me, the bear minimum it shows is that you can analyse and apply knowledge and have the ability to organise your time and think critically.

Wow, the bar is very high. I do know it was a very difficult degree , multiple 5000 word essays due within a week of each other on all sorts of critical theory, it definitely pushed me, so it definitely didn't feel like an easy or mickey mouse degree.

I've got one of those from the OU in addition to a 2.2 in International Studies from Stoke Poly, now Staffordshire University. I'm very proud of both of them - they may not represent the pinnacle of achievement, but I had to put in plenty of work to get them, often while dealing with other things.

I don't expect anyone else to be particularly impressed though. After all, what does a 2.1 or a First for that matter, tell you about someone's creative or problem solving skills, their critical thinking or their conversation?

Ps. I got it on 2009 from one of the NUI universities in Ireland

Of course they're academic and intelligent compared to a lot of other people

I'm not a degree is a huge marker of intelligence tbh.

Same here

I got a 1st last year in literature and Philosophy from a RG uni, as a mature student. I'm clever but also organised and diligent. I'm doing a lit MA now at the same university.

From my little group of mature students, the difference between those that got a 1st and those that got a 2.1 is being organised and diligent. In fact the scarily intelligent one got a 2.1 as she is also a bit scatty and unorganised.

And my grammar is pure shite, y6 ds knows more than me. I used grammarly for essay checking.

Can't bear to acknowledge that someone could be very intelligent/academic with a 2:1 in English Lit.

They could be, I'm just not sure a degree is the only marker.

Depends when they got their degree. A 2 .1 nowadays is like a 2.2 from the 90s or earlier. Still higher than average intelligence though as the majority don't have the academic grades to go to uni

It's not snobbery @Eyerollexpert , @Pinkissmart .

When I went to uni the the top 10% went to university. 5% got a first and maybe 40% got a 2:1, so (assuming all degrees are equal, which they probably aren’t) it would have put you in the top5%.

today 50% go to university and 33% get a 1st, so only top 30%.

I don’t think it really matters, you don’t go to uni to price how clever you are, you go to to learn. Well, I did anyway.

Me too 😁

What do you want posters to say?

If you talking about yourself why does it matter what strangers who know nothing about you think? A person's intelligence isnt solely determined by their degree