Media scientist to literary scholar
A media scientist already meets 79% of what the literary scholar role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.
34.2/ 100
1 How much of what a literary scholar is expected to do is already part of a media scientist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the literary scholar role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A literary scholar role treats 39 of its required skills as things a media scientist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply for research funding
- apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities
- apply scientific methods
- communicate with a non-scientific audience
- conduct research across disciplines
- consult information sources
What stands in the way is 6 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 48 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A literary scholar role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a media scientist background worth leading with.
- already held literary techniques arts and humanities
- already held history of literature arts and humanities
- already held perform background research on writing subject information skills
- already held read books communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held journalism social sciences, journalism and information
- already held types of literature genres arts and humanities
All 48 carried skills, including the 39 the literary scholar role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 21 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn literary theory required
- still to learn grammar required
- still to learn literary criticism required
- still to learn spelling required
- still to learn writing techniques required
- optional, not held comparative literature optional
- optional, not held philology optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held linguistics optional
- optional, not held phonetics optional
- optional, not held theoretical lexicography optional
- still to learn academic English required
- optional, not held critically reflect on artistic production processes optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held teach writing optional
- optional, not held apply grammar and spelling rules optional
- optional, not held read manuscripts optional
- optional, not held read scripts optional
- optional, not held study cultures optional
- optional, not held rhetoric optional
- optional, not held use word processing software optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a literary scholar role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 48 skills that carry over
- already held apply for research funding skill
- already held apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
- already held apply scientific methods skill
- already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
- already held conduct research across disciplines skill
- already held consult information sources skill
- already held copyright legislation knowledge
- already held demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
- already held develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
- already held disseminate results to the scientific community skill
- already held draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
- already held evaluate research activities skill
- already held history of literature knowledge
- already held increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
- already held integrate gender dimension in research skill
- already held interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
- already held literary techniques knowledge
- already held literature knowledge
- already held manage findable accessible interoperable and reusable data skill
- already held manage intellectual property rights skill
- already held manage open publications skill
- already held manage personal professional development skill
- already held manage research data skill
- already held mentor individuals skill
- already held operate open source software skill
- already held perform background research on writing subject skill
- already held perform project management skill
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held promote open innovation in research skill
- already held promote the participation of citizens in scientific and research activities skill
- already held promote the transfer of knowledge skill
- already held publish academic research skill
- already held read books skill
- already held scientific research methodology knowledge
- already held speak different languages skill
- already held synthesise information skill
- already held think abstractly skill
- already held types of literature genres knowledge
- already held write scientific publications skill
- already held apply blended learning skill
- already held apply teaching strategies skill
- already held conduct qualitative research skill
- already held conduct quantitative research skill
- already held develop scientific theories skill
- already held do historical research skill
- already held journalism knowledge
- already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
- already held write research proposals skill
15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held comparative literature optional
- optional, not held philology optional
- optional, not held critically reflect on artistic production processes optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held promote one's writings optional
- optional, not held read manuscripts optional
- optional, not held read scripts optional
- optional, not held teach writing optional
- optional, not held apply grammar and spelling rules optional
- optional, not held linguistics optional
- optional, not held phonetics optional
- optional, not held rhetoric optional
- optional, not held study cultures optional
- optional, not held theoretical lexicography optional
- optional, not held use word processing software optional
28 held skills the literary scholar role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role advise on public relations skill
- not needed by the target role anthropology knowledge
- not needed by the target role apply desktop publishing techniques skill
- not needed by the target role assist scientific research skill
- not needed by the target role communication studies knowledge
- not needed by the target role conduct public surveys skill
- not needed by the target role content marketing strategy knowledge
- not needed by the target role digital media knowledge
- not needed by the target role editorial standards knowledge
- not needed by the target role ethical code of conduct of journalists knowledge
- not needed by the target role film studies knowledge
- not needed by the target role history knowledge
- not needed by the target role interview focus groups skill
- not needed by the target role interview techniques knowledge
- not needed by the target role media law knowledge
- not needed by the target role media studies knowledge
- not needed by the target role monitor sociological trends skill
- not needed by the target role music literature knowledge
- not needed by the target role musical genres knowledge
- not needed by the target role perform public relations skill
- not needed by the target role press law knowledge
- not needed by the target role project management knowledge
- not needed by the target role research design knowledge
- not needed by the target role scientific literature knowledge
- not needed by the target role sociology knowledge
- not needed by the target role types of media knowledge
- not needed by the target role use presentation software skill
- not needed by the target role watch video and motion picture production products skill
13 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn literary theory required
- still to learn academic English required
- still to learn grammar required
- still to learn literary criticism required
- still to learn spelling required
- still to learn writing techniques required
- optional, not held comparative literature optional
- optional, not held philology optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held linguistics optional
- optional, not held phonetics optional
- optional, not held rhetoric optional
- optional, not held theoretical lexicography optional
Common questions about this move
Can a media scientist become a literary scholar?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A media scientist already covers 79% of what a literary scholar is expected to do: 48 skills carry over, 39 of which the literary scholar role treats as required.
What skills does a media scientist need to become a literary scholar?
6 required skills are missing, plus 15 optional ones. They fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by arts and humanities. The single most important is literary theory.
How hard is the move from media scientist to literary scholar?
Its learning distance is 34.2 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.