coursework in cv

How to List Relevant Coursework On Resume [Tips & Examples!]

If you’re a college student, recent graduate, or entry-level professional, chances are you don’t have a lot of professional experience to list on your resume. 

This, in turn, might make you feel insecure about your application, especially considering that the work experience section is among the most important section of a resume. 

Well, listing your relevant coursework might just be the answer!

By listing the courses that are relevant to the job position or internship you’re applying for, you can show recruiters that while you don’t have much work experience, you have the right skills and knowledge for the job.

But what is the right way to list relevant coursework on your resume and is there a time when you shouldn’t list it all? And what exactly is relevant, to begin with?

In this article, we’re going to answer all those questions and more. Read on to learn:

When Is Relevant Coursework Necessary on a Resume?

• How to List Relevant Coursework on Your Resume in 3 Steps

7 Tips on Listing Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

Resume example with relevant coursework.

And more! Let’s dive right in. 

What Makes Coursework Relevant?

Professional experience is one of the most important sections of a successful resume, but you first need to land a job to start building it. 

Which begs the question, how can a recent graduate or entry-level professional prove they’ve got what it takes for an entry-level position with no, or minimal, professional experience ? 

Well, this is where coursework comes in. 

Together with academic projects and achievements, as well as extracurricular activities, listing relevant coursework can help students and entry-level professionals show they’ve got the necessary skills for the job despite not having the relevant professional experience.

The coursework you list on your resume should actually be related to the position you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as a graphic designer, listing your achievements in your World History class won’t really impress recruiters. If, on the other hand, you mention that you were top of your class in Design and Layout , you’ll be effectively showing recruiters that you have great potential as an up-and-coming graphic designer. 

To sum things up, here are the top cases when relevant coursework is necessary on a resume:

• When you’re still a student
• When you’re applying with an entry-level resume
• When you’re applying for an internship
• When the coursework is directly related to the job position 

If, on the other hand, you have 2+ years of work experience in the field, as well as the needed skill-set, coursework on your resume will only take up space and can be skipped entirely.

Checking the job description is another way of determining whether you should add relevant coursework to your resume. If, for example, the job description requires that you list your majors, GPA, diploma, or portfolio, chances are they’ll also be interested in your coursework, especially if it’s relevant to the position. 

How to List Relevant Coursework on Your Resume in 3 Steps 

So you’ve established that you should include relevant coursework on your resume. Now, you may be wondering where exactly to include it. 

As a rule of thumb, coursework is listed under an applicant’s education history. Depending on whether you have any professional experience to list, the education section may come before or after the work experience section. 

Here are the four best ways to add relevant coursework to your resume: 

#1. Add a New Line in Your Education Section

Instead of creating a fresh section called “Relevant Coursework,” you’re better off just adding the courses to your education section.

As a student resume can be one-page max , this helps you to save up the space needed for other essential resume sections.

Here’s a practical example of what this looks like on the resume of a recent graduate applying for a high-school teaching position: 

BA in World Literature 

UC Berkeley

2012 - 2016

Relevant coursework: British Literature, American Literature, Medieval Literature, William Shakespeare, Language and Cognitive Development 

#2. List Your Relevant Coursework in Bullet Points

To make your relevant coursework more visible and reader-friendly, list them in bullet points underneath your diploma title. 

Here’s how the above Literature graduate’s resume would look like following this formatting: 

Relevant Coursework: 

• British Literature
• American Literature 
• Medieval Literature 
• William Shakespeare 
• Language and Cognitive Development

#3. Explain How The Coursework is Relevant to the Position 

Finally, if you want to take your relevant coursework resume section to the next level, add detailed explanations to your courses to support how they’re relevant to the position you’re applying for or how they helped develop your skill-set. 

A recent study found that companies are suspending the use of degree completion as a proxy and instead now favor hiring on the basis of demonstrated skills and competencies . This means that your relevant coursework should aim to show exactly how it has helped you acquire the skills required for the position. 

Here’s an example of how that would play out for a journalism student applying for an entry-level reporting job at a newspaper:

B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication

Northwestern University, IL

2015 - 2018

• Writing and Reporting: Learned the ins and outs of news reporting through several practical assignments and exams.
• Media Ethics: Got introduced to the most essential ethical theories and decision-making strategies in journalism and wrote a paper on Ethical Journalism and Human Rights that got published in the Political Communication Journal.
• Gathering and Developing the News: Gained first-hand experience in interviewing, researching, newsgathering, and communicating with sources.

To make sure your coursework is as relevant as possible, check out the required skills in the job description. If you have taken classes that have helped you master those skills, then make sure to mention how by adding all the necessary details, as shown above. 

Here are seven tips you should always keep in mind when listing coursework on your resume: 

• Take advantage of keywords . When evaluating your resume, recruiters scan it to look for the keywords that were mentioned in the job description (e.g. skills, experiences, etc.). You can re-read the job ad and, where relevant, include these keywords in your coursework section.
• Tailor your resume to the job offer.  In order for your coursework to add value to your resume, it really needs to be relevant. So, if you’re applying for a job that doesn’t take academic background into consideration or that’s completely unrelated to your major, you’re better off omitting coursework altogether and focusing on other important sections, such as your hard and soft skills. 
• List online courses. If you’ve completed some online courses that are relevant to the position you’re applying for, feel free to also include them under relevant coursework. 
• Add value through other academic achievements. Relevant coursework can say a lot about your potential, but recruiters will be even more easily convinced if you support it with other academic achievements, including your GPA, extracurricular activities, etc. 
• Show how you’ve grown. When you’re explaining your relevant coursework in detail, you can include how you’ve grown by listing all the skills you acquired in the process. Those can be both soft skills, like communication and interpersonal skills, and hard skills like programming or doing extensive research. 
• Change the relevant coursework as you progress. Many college students start working in their freshman year. If that’s the case with you, make sure to update your resume from year to year to reflect your academic journey and most recently acquired skills. 
• Check for errors. A well-written, error-free resume shows that you’re attentive to detail and that you care to make a good impression. 

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! You now have all the necessary information to add relevant coursework to your resume effectively. 

Before you start working on your resume, though, here’s a brief summary of the key points covered in this article:

• Listing relevant coursework on your resume is not mandatory but can be very helpful if you’re a student or an entry-level professional.
• If you have at least a year of professional experience, drop your relevant coursework and focus on tailoring your work experience and skills sections to the position. 
• Relevant coursework typically goes under the education section. You can either give a general or a detailed summary of your coursework. 
• You can make a separate relevant coursework section only if the job you’re applying for requires a strong academic record. 
• Your coursework needs to be relevant to the position. This means you should leave them out of your resume if they have nothing to do with the role.

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How to Include Courses in a CV?

If you're new to the job market, filling up the experience section in your resume with relevant content can seem like rocket science.

But fret not.

Although employers value work experience, it's not the only thing they look for when considering you for a job application. Including relevant coursework in your resume can offer the hiring manager a peek into the type of skills you possess as an applicant – and convince them you're the individual they've been searching for.

But, one question remains, how do you include relevant courses in your CV? Is there a set criterion, or should you add everything you've done?

Below, a detailed guide on how to effectively include courses in your resume.

What Are Relevant Courses?

Relevant courses are a list of subjects you took in school pertinent to the position you're applying for. You can add relevant coursework to your CV in the education section. Any projects or subjects you input should be related to the job opening. Therefore, rather than populating your CV with fillers, focus on placing your relevant skills in the spotlight.

So, how do you know what to include and what not to? More on that below.

Choose Trustworthy Courses Only

At times, hiring managers are skeptical of online courses, so you need to be careful when you input yours on a resume. If placed inappropriately or worded incorrectly, recruiters might render your skills unreliable and put your resume in the 'not it' pile. Moreover, while online courses help build on your professional growth as an applicant, hiring managers sometimes see no value in small classes.

Therefore, ensure you're mindful of your input and only include courses from trustworthy institutions. For instance, a Digital Marketing Certificate from Google would be highly accepted if you're a digital marketer.

Strategically Place Courses on Your CV

Relevant coursework strengthens applicants' resumes with little to no experience in the industry they're looking forward to joining. For experienced candidates, courses are a vital link between formal education and work experience. It doesn't matter which job seeker you are, don't make your coursework the center of your CV.

Instead, keep your list short and strategically place your subjects and projects in a small area on the resume. For instance, you might create a specific section entitled 'Professional Development' for the coursework in your CV. You can place this section below your 'Work Experience.' The objective is to ensure your coursework offers value but don't make it the primary focus of your resume.

You can also place it in the 'Education' section (this is especially ideal for applicants with no experience). Your cover letter will form a personal connection with the hiring manager and open a platform to discuss your skills. Additionally, it's considered good practice to only input completed courses and relevant takeaways. Don't start rambling on about your entire coursework history.

Use Keywords in Your CV

You should make sure to look for keywords in the job listing and input them in your resume. For example, if the job requires on-hand experience, you can mention your '40+ hours of on-hand experience' in the description of your school project. If they need field research experience, you can include 'Field Research Methods' as one of the subjects you took in school.

Don't Include Intro Courses

Again, only list completed coursework in your resume. When you start listing intro courses, you appear less qualified. But that doesn't mean you should ignore them completely. You can add intro courses on your CV if they're only a part of an entire curriculum program that you completed. Otherwise, include your intro courses as a part of your professional journey during your interview.

For example, Google Ads Certification is an ideal addition to your CV if you're a digital marketer. However, Introduction to Content Marketing might be too basic to add.

Showcase Your Skillset

Go beyond basic certifications and courses if you want your CV to stand out from the pile. Give your resume a boost and make it valuable to hiring managers by figuring all the relevant subjects to the job, highlighting your achievements, and listing vital information you've learned from every course.

Hiring managers can see your commitment when you display what you've learned. It also highlights your knowledge of the current market and E-learning trends. Include any extra projects linked to mentioned subjects to provide context.

Prepare to Be Questioned

Now that you know how to include your coursework on your CV, you should prepare for the interview. Since online courses stand out, they capture the attention of hiring managers – an excellent resume with relevant coursework sparks conversation.

Therefore, prepare to be asked questions such as:

• Why did you choose this course?
• What information did you learn from this course?
• How did you upgrade your skills?
• How was your experience?

Additionally, the recruiter might ask specific technical questions if your coursework includes particular technical expertise. Therefore, ensure you're prepared for a thorough Q&A session regarding your certifications and courses.

Proofread, Proofread, and Then Proofread

Ensure you take time to edit your CV. You don't want to send a resume full of grammatical errors to the recruiter – remember, you're competing against thousands of applicants, so you need to be thorough.

Also, be sure to check the font and style consistency – if you format a section title in bold, all other section titles should be in bold. It would be best to ask your mentor, friend, or career coach to read through the resume to ensure it's perfect.

• Posted by Mohammad Omara - ‏02/01/2022
• Last updated: 04/11/2022