how to list relevant course work on a resume

by Dr. Amira Fahey 10 min read

Here’s how to write relevant coursework on resumes:

  • Decide first if adding coursework on a resume is ideal for you; include related classes if relevant to the job and you...
  • Create a subsection under the education entry on your resume with a clearly-labeled subheading, such as “Related...
  • Add a few of the most relevant courses, classes, and lectures which make sense for...

Add Relevant Coursework
When creating a resume, you can add a section titled “Relevant Coursework." In it, include the courses directly related to the position you are applying for. For example, if you're applying for work as a paralegal, list any classes you took related to law or politics.
Apr 22, 2021

Full Answer

Should I include courses on resume?

  • Technical Writing
  • Research Internship
  • Oral Communications

Should current coursework be included on resume?

What to include on a resume

  1. Name and contact information. At a minimum, your contact information section should include your name, phone number and email address.
  2. Resume summary or objective. Your resume summary or objective should be a short, one to two sentence section that briefly explains who you are and why you’re qualified.
  3. Education. ...
  4. Professional history. ...

More items...

How to list practicum experience on resume?

What are the benefits of a practicum?

  • Acquire Public Health Experience. Getting a master’s degree is the first step toward a rewarding career. …
  • Networking. …
  • Gain New Knowledge. …
  • Develop New Skills. …
  • An Ideal Resume Booster.

What are key skills to put on a resume?

In this case, the best skills to put on a resume might include the following:

  • Electronic medical records systems
  • Patient scheduling software
  • Team leadership
  • Interpersonal communication
  • Customer service

Do you put relevant coursework on resume?

Key Takeaways Listing relevant coursework on a resume is optional. It makes sense to put relevant coursework on student and entry-level resumes. If you have at least one year of experience, drop relevant coursework from your resume entirely, and focus on tailoring the job description and key skills sections.

Where does relevant coursework go on a resume?

“Relevant coursework” is an optional entry-level resume section that includes coursework you've completed related to the job you're applying to. Additionally, this section can include projects, academic achievements, extracurriculars and volunteer opportunities.

When should I take relevant coursework off my resume?

The first thing you need to know is that relevant coursework should only be on your resume when it's both relevant and recent. Unlike your degree--which almost always belongs on your resume--your coursework is optional on a resume.

Should relevant coursework go on grad school resume?

But they're different, too: Grad school resumés should emphasize your education, work and volunteer experience, and specific skills relevant to the particular program you're applying to.

Should you put Coursera courses on resume?

Unless there is a specific reason not to, you should list Coursera credentials in your Education section. One reason why you might want to make an exception is if your previously earned academic credentials are in a field unrelated to the role you're pursuing.

Is it OK to leave education off your resume?

If you have more than 10 to 15 years of experience, put your education at the bottom of your resume without a graduation date. If you have five to seven years of experience, put your education at the bottom of the resume with your graduation date.

Can a resume be 2 pages?

A resume can be two pages, but most should be one page. That's true for entry-level candidates and those with less than 5 years' experience. If the job requires Elon-Musk-level accomplishments, or you can't cram your achievements on one page, write a two page resume.

What looks good on a resume for grad school?

Follow these tips to help you create an effective graduate school resume:Focus on education. Your graduate school resume should focus on highlighting your education. ... Highlight your achievements. ... Design and format. ... Personal contact details. ... Education. ... Experience. ... Awards/achievements. ... Professional or academic affiliations.

How do you put ongoing certification on a resume?

Answer: When listing ongoing certifications on your resume, add the words “in progress” after the name of the certification, and include an expected date of completion.

How to add coursework to resume?

Decide first if adding coursework on a resume is ideal for you; include related classes if relevant to the job and you have little professional experience. Create a subsection under the education entry on your resume with a clearly-labeled subheading, such as “Related Coursework.”.

What is relevant coursework?

Relevant coursework is a term for courses you took at school or college that are related to the position you are applying for. This kind of coursework can be listed on a resume under the education heading. The purpose of this information is to highlight knowledge pertinent to the job.

Should I Include Relevant Coursework on My Resume?

Yes, you can and often should include coursework that directly relates to the position you’re applying for on your resume. Doing so highlights your relevant expertise, and helps you include resume keywords that can ensure your resume gets past applicant tracking system software.

How and Where to Put Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

How much coursework you fit into your resume depends on the following three factors:

Takeaways

Highlighting job-relevant coursework on your resume is a fantastic way to demonstrate your knowledge in any given field, and improve your resume if it’s lacking in substance.

How to list coursework on resume?

How to list coursework on a resume. There are a few steps to follow to include coursework on your resume: 1. First, list relevant courses that show experience. For example, if you are applying for a job in education, you can list courses in child development, child psychology and any other classes that will show experience working with children. 2. ...

When writing a resume, do you need to include coursework?

The best place to include these classes is after listing the high school, college or technical school you attended.

Do you have to include every class on your transcript?

You do not need to include every class on your transcript. Instead, choose relevant classes for the position you are applying for. If you are applying for a variety of jobs, you might need to change the courses on your resume for different applications.

Do you need to list coursework instead of experience?

Recent graduates or people changing careers may not have enough related experience. This is the perfect opportunity to list coursework instead of experience. Before you can impress a hiring manager with your skills and talents, you first need to get an interview.

Where should coursework be placed on a resume?

If you feel this would simply be a helpful supplement to the rest of your resume for an employer, it might be best placed below the education section of your resume.

How to organize coursework on resume?

Here are three common ways to organize your coursework. 1. Use a single-column format. The single-column format looks similar to the education section on your resume, simply displaying your relevant coursework in list form. ...

What is a single column resume?

The single-column format looks similar to the education section on your resume, simply displaying your relevant coursework in list form. For example, a candidate applying for a journalism job might include the following:

Do you have to include work experience on your resume?

If you are a student, you might not have a large volume of work experience to list on your resume. This is common, and employers will take your student status into account when reviewing your resume. However, adding coursework that’s relevant to the job or internship you’re applying for can help employers understand the skills you’re developing ...

How to include coursework in resume?

Consider the following steps while including relevant coursework on your resume: 1. Firstly, make sure your placement is accurate. The placement of your coursework information can create a big difference in the effectiveness of your resume. If your resume is meant to highlight your educational ...

Where should coursework be placed on a resume?

However, coursework showing your experience or skills could be placed in the skills section. If your coursework is related to a specific type of job, you may include it in the education section. 2.

Why do you put a subsection in your resume?

You may create a subsection in the education section of your resume to make your coursework look more relevant to the job. You may use detailed bullet points mentioning crucial information about the coursework.

What is important to add to a resume?

Different jobs have varying levels of educational requirements. Usually, relevant coursework details are important to add to a resume for an entry-level position that’s relevant to your desired career.

Why is coursework important on a resume?

The coursework positioning improves the look and style of your resume. Your coursework details should improve the appearance and content of your resume. In addition, make sure your coursework details only add as much to your resume as is necessary. You can add the most relevant classes to help save room and keep.

How to remove redundancies from a resume?

Make sure to thoroughly edit your resume to remove out any redundancies from the coursework section. Consider the employer’s perspective. Ask yourself how your potential employer would view the courses and projects you’ve mentioned in your resume. Include them only if you believe it would impress the hiring manager.

How to list coursework on resume?

How to list relevant coursework on a resume. Follow these steps when adding relevant coursework to your resume: 1. Be thoughtful about your courses. When deciding which courses to include on your resume, only choose ones that are directly related to the job you’re applying to. For instance, if you’re looking for an entry-level social media ...

What is relevant coursework?

Relevant coursework are the classes or academic experiences you have that make you a good fit for a particular role. On your resume, you can make a section called ‘Relevant Coursework’ and list any specific classes that are useful for the job you’re applying to. For instance, if you are applying for a finance internship, ...

How to stand out to hiring managers?

By including them in your resume, you can stand out to hiring managers as a qualified candidate. Reflect on experiences: Only include courses that are genuinely helpful for the role you’re applying to. Choose ones that you could talk about in detail during an interview.

What is detailed format?

The detailed format is especially helpful if you have little experience elsewhere. When you use this format, include a few bullet points that include relevant information about each course, such as achievements or key learnings. Here is an example an aspiring interior designer might use:

Can you showcase your education in a single column?

Similar to how you’d list your education, you can showcase your relevant courses in a single-column list. For instance, someone applying to an animal research position may include these courses:

Is molecular biology relevant to a job?

For instance, if you’re getting a serving or cashier job, your molecular biology courses won’t be relevant. Overall, be mindful of the jobs you’re applying to ...

What is Relevant Coursework on a Resume?

A resume featuring relevant coursework consists of various courses you took at school, alongside the academic experiences that actually apply to the job position. The education section is the best place in a resume for coursework as it highlights your most hirable achievements concerning the role.

How to Write a Resume: The Ins and Outs

If you are wondering how to add relevant classes/courses on a resume, there are a couple of principles to follow for the best results.

When to Exclude Coursework from Your Resume

With all this being said, there are also occurrences when it’s wiser to exclude coursework on your resume:

How to List Relevant Coursework

Depending on the structure of your resume and the information you provide, there are several ways you can add relevant coursework to your resume. Remember, the entry-level candidate resume should not be longer than one page. Also, don’t forget to mention online courses you’ve completed and to place the relevant coursework in the right order.

Coursework on a Resume: Conclusion

If you include relevant coursework on resumes, you make it easier to communicate the value you can bring to a business. Keep the job description in focus when choosing what information to incorporate when listing courses on resumes, and where you position it on the page.

When to include and exclude relevant coursework

The relevant coursework section is an optional entry-level resume section that includes coursework you've completed related to the job you're applying for. It can include projects, academic achievements, extracurriculars, and volunteer experience.

Relevant coursework on resume templates

Here are four different templates, which you can mix and match, that show how you can format relevant coursework on your resume:

Relevant coursework on a resume examples

Using the above templates, here are four examples of relevant coursework on a resume:

How to List Relevant Coursework on Resumes?

Recruiters and hiring managers look for people who can add value to organizations. Your objective as an applicant is to demonstrate to recruiters that you can add this value. You accomplish this through your resume, which highlights your education, experience, and training that distinguishes you from the competition.

What is a resume?

A resume is a formal document that job applicants use to itemize their qualifications for a position. It is typically accompanied by a personalized cover letter in which the applicant expresses interest in a specific job or company.

What is coursework?

As per the Oxford dictionary, coursework is defined as “written or practical work done by a student during a course of study, usually assessed to count towards a final mark or grade.”

What constitutes relevant coursework on a resume?

Any classes, projects, or academic experiences relevant to the job you’re applying for are considered apt coursework on your resume. You can offset your lack of formal work experience by including relevant courses in the education section of your resume.

When to include relevant coursework on resume (and when to avoid it)?

The following are the three main scenarios in which you should include relevant coursework on your resume:

What coursework to add to a resume?

If you’ve taken any online classes, you can include them on your resume even if they weren’t part of your degree. List any research projects you have completed that are related to your future career. If you’re applying for a job that requires extensive research, include any large research projects you’ve worked on.

How to add relevant coursework on resume?

Depending on how much information is already on your resume and how relevant the details of your coursework are for the position, you may need to change how you list coursework information. You must carefully consider the placement of relevant coursework on your resume.

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Use A Single-Column Format

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The single-column format looks similar to the education sectionon your resume, simply displaying your relevant coursework in list form. For example, a candidate applying for a journalism job might include the following: Relevant Editorial Coursework 1. Ethical Journalism 2. Global Journalism 3. Fuller Times Student P…
See more on indeed.com

Use A Multi-Column Format

  • You can also group the columns into sections if the job you’re applying to requires expertise in multiple fields. For example: Relevant Editorial Coursework Journalism 1. Ethical Journalism 2. Global Journalism 3. Fuller Times Student Paper, Editor English 1. Technical Writing 2. Research Internship 3. Oral Communications Related: 7 College Resume Tips (With Examples)
See more on indeed.com

Use A Detailed Format

  • Alternatively, the detailed format provides more information on the courses you choose to include. This format will look more like what you would typically see under a professional experience section, noting the course and school name, dates you took the course and two to four bullet points highlighting relevant learnings or achievements from the course. Here’s an example: Rele…
See more on indeed.com