Political scientist to sociologist
A political scientist already meets 77% of what the sociologist role asks for. The move turns on 6 required skills not yet in the profile.
37.1/ 100
1 How much of what a sociologist is expected to do is already part of a political 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 sociologist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A sociologist role treats 38 of its required skills as things a political 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
- apply statistical analysis techniques
- communicate with a non-scientific audience
- conduct qualitative research
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 54 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A sociologist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a political scientist background worth leading with.
- already held African studies social sciences, journalism and information
- already held social network analysis social sciences, journalism and information
- already held European integration social sciences, journalism and information
- already held political economy social sciences, journalism and information
- already held advise legislators communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held politics social sciences, journalism and information
All 54 carried skills, including the 38 the sociologist role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 27 missing skills fall into 9 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 monitor sociological trends required
- still to learn gather data required
- still to learn interpret current data required
- still to learn observe human behaviour required
- still to learn study human societies required
- optional, not held perform market research optional
- optional, not held study cultures optional
- still to learn apply knowledge of human behaviour required
- optional, not held teach sociology optional
- optional, not held advise on organisational culture optional
- optional, not held advise on personnel management optional
- optional, not held interview focus groups optional
- optional, not held anthropology optional
- optional, not held economic anthropology optional
- optional, not held communication studies optional
- optional, not held demography optional
- optional, not held gender studies optional
- optional, not held interview techniques optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held history optional
- optional, not held religious studies optional
- optional, not held legal studies optional
- optional, not held content marketing strategy optional
- optional, not held action research optional
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a sociologist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 monitor sociological trends practise this
- 02 apply knowledge of human behaviour practise this
- 03 gather data practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 54 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 apply statistical analysis techniques skill
- already held communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
- already held conduct qualitative research skill
- already held conduct quantitative research skill
- already held conduct research across disciplines skill
- 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 geography 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 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 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 research design knowledge
- already held scientific research methodology knowledge
- already held sociology knowledge
- already held speak different languages skill
- already held statistics knowledge
- already held synthesise information skill
- already held think abstractly skill
- already held write scientific publications skill
- already held African studies knowledge
- already held European integration knowledge
- already held advise legislators skill
- already held advise on public relations skill
- already held apply blended learning skill
- already held apply teaching strategies skill
- already held conduct public surveys skill
- already held develop scientific theories skill
- already held economics knowledge
- already held perform public relations skill
- already held political economy knowledge
- already held political science knowledge
- already held politics knowledge
- already held social network analysis knowledge
- already held teach in academic or vocational contexts skill
- already held write research proposals skill
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held spatial planning optional
- optional, not held multidisciplinary research optional
- optional, not held manage quantitative data optional
21 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held anthropology optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held economic anthropology optional
- optional, not held legal studies optional
- optional, not held spatial planning optional
- optional, not held teach sociology optional
- optional, not held action research optional
- optional, not held advise on organisational culture optional
- optional, not held advise on personnel management optional
- optional, not held communication studies optional
- optional, not held content marketing strategy optional
- optional, not held demography optional
- optional, not held gender studies optional
- optional, not held history optional
- optional, not held interview focus groups optional
- optional, not held interview techniques optional
- optional, not held manage quantitative data optional
- optional, not held multidisciplinary research optional
- optional, not held perform market research optional
- optional, not held religious studies optional
- optional, not held study cultures optional
22 held skills the sociologist role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role European political studies knowledge
- not needed by the target role advise on foreign affairs policies skill
- not needed by the target role advise on legislative acts skill
- not needed by the target role analyse election procedures skill
- not needed by the target role analyse foreign affairs policies skill
- not needed by the target role assess risk factors skill
- not needed by the target role develop professional network skill
- not needed by the target role election law knowledge
- not needed by the target role foreign affairs knowledge
- not needed by the target role good governance knowledge
- not needed by the target role government policy knowledge
- not needed by the target role government policy implementation knowledge
- not needed by the target role international law knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintain relationships with government agencies skill
- not needed by the target role observe new developments in foreign countries skill
- not needed by the target role political campaigning knowledge
- not needed by the target role political ideologies knowledge
- not needed by the target role political parties knowledge
- not needed by the target role provide technical expertise skill
- not needed by the target role public administration knowledge
- not needed by the target role report analysis results skill
- not needed by the target role teach political science skill
14 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- optional, not held anthropology optional
- optional, not held cultural history optional
- optional, not held economic anthropology optional
- optional, not held legal studies optional
- optional, not held spatial planning optional
- optional, not held action research optional
- optional, not held communication studies optional
- optional, not held content marketing strategy optional
- optional, not held demography optional
- optional, not held gender studies optional
- optional, not held history optional
- optional, not held interview techniques optional
- optional, not held multidisciplinary research optional
- optional, not held religious studies optional
Common questions about this move
Can a political scientist become a sociologist?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A political scientist already covers 77% of what a sociologist is expected to do: 54 skills carry over, 38 of which the sociologist role treats as required.
What skills does a political scientist need to become a sociologist?
6 required skills are missing, plus 21 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is monitor sociological trends.
How hard is the move from political scientist to sociologist?
Its learning distance is 37.1 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.