How to List Relevant Coursework on a Resume (Guide + Examples)

As seen in 1

Table of contents

When Should You List Relevant Coursework on a Resume?
How to Add Relevant Coursework on a Resume
How to Make Your Relevant Coursework Stand Out on a Resume
Sample Resume Featuring Relevant Coursework
4 Tips for Creating a Strong Resume as a Student or Entry-Level Candidate
Key Takeaways
FAQ About Relevant Coursework on a Resume
Resources to Help With Your Job Search

Writing a persuasive resume means different things for professionals in different career stages. For entry-level candidates, demonstrating that you have the necessary skills often means going beyond the experience and skills sections and creating a unique resume that plays to your strengths.

If your on-the-job experience is lacking, you can make your resume shine using the experience you've earned through your education. Our guide will teach you how to list coursework on your resume so that your expertise can shine regardless of your experience level.

Our guide covers:

When to list relevant coursework on a resume.
How to include relevant coursework on a resume.
A sample resume featuring relevant coursework.

Looking for help building a resume that showcases your education and experience? Our Resume Builder offers content suggestions based on your career level, automatically formats your sections, and provides a selection of stylish templates to choose from.

When Should You List Relevant Coursework on a Resume?

Most resumes' education section simply lists the name of a degree, diploma, or certification. So when is it a good idea to go beyond the norm and include relevant coursework on your resume?

Consider including relevant coursework in the following situations:

If you're a current student or recent graduate

Creating a resume as an entry-level candidate can feel challenging, especially when you're creating a resume for your first job. But don't worry! You have lots of options to show employers that you have what it takes. Adding relevant coursework to your resume can help you demonstrate your expertise and prove that you're dedicated to advancing your career.

If your coursework is more relevant to your role than your experience

Work history is usually the star of a resume, but when you're pursuing a role that doesn't line up with your experience, it's appropriate to look for other ways to target your resume to the role. If you've completed coursework that demonstrates key skills for the role, then add it to your resume to play to your strengths.

If you're struggling to fill a whole page with your resume

Generally, a resume should be between one page long for most professionals and two pages maximum for seasoned pros. If, due to inexperience or any other reason, filling a whole page is a challenge for you, including relevant coursework can help fill out your resume. Just make sure it's actually contributing to your resume's success. You should never pad your resume's length with details that aren't relevant to the role.

If your degree is incomplete or in progress

When listing an incomplete degree, it's helpful to show what you've learned and how the experience of pursuing your degree, whether or not you finished it, has helped prepare you for the role you're seeking.

Pro tip

There is no situation where you must include relevant coursework on your resume. If your skills and experience sections are robust enough on their own, then leave relevant coursework off your resume. On the other hand, if there's a good reason why you think that your coursework will help the employer understand your qualifications even if you do have a lot of experience, then you may choose to include it.

How to Add Relevant Coursework on a Resume

Listing coursework on a resume is easy. All you need to do is add bullet points to your education section with the details you wish to include. Here's how:

Sample education section featuring relevant coursework:

Bachelor of Business Administration
New York University, Stern School of Business | May 2024

• Business Strategy & Competitive Analysis: Developed strategic frameworks to assess market positioning and competitive advantage.
• Financial Modeling & Valuation: Built discounted cash flow (DCF) and comparable company analysis (CCA) models for investment decisions.

Pro tip

Numerical data will help make your coursework stand out. If you led a group project or received accolades for your work, quantifying the impact of your efforts will help employers understand your active role. Just don't force it! No recruiter wants to see "aced 20+ homework assignments" on a resume. Stick with concrete achievements that demonstrate your worth, such as "Developed a data visualization tool for a course project, demonstrating a 50% reduction in data processing time for large datasets when compared to other students' tools."

How to Make Your Relevant Coursework Stand Out on a Resume

Now that you know how to list relevant coursework on your resume, let's discuss a few strategies you can use to make your relevant coursework pop!

Tip 1

Use keywords from the job description

When you choose to include coursework on your resume, it should align with the job description for the role you're seeking. Take this idea to the next level by scanning the job description for keywords and looking for opportunities to integrate them into your education section. Weaving keywords into your resume will also help it pass any applicant tracking systems (ATS) that the employer might use to filter out unqualified candidates.

Tip 2

Focus on areas of academic achievement

Did you know that you can include academic awards, honors, or even your GPA under your education section? As you gain real-world experience, these academic details will become less relevant for your resume, but as an entry-level candidate or a college student, choosing to emphasize areas of high achievement will help your resume stand out.

Pro tip

A GPA is only a good addition to a resume if it's impressive. Include your GPA if it's 3.5 or higher (out of a 4.00 scale). Anything below that can be omitted. You should also keep in mind that employers will care less and less about your GPA as you gain years of experience. Include it for your first few years after college and then phase it out and replace it with numerical data from your jobs.

Tip 3

Use active language to describe your work

Passive language gets dull and repetitive on a resume. Make your coursework and academic extracurriculars pop off the page by using action-oriented verbs to describe your achievements. Active language makes you sound more engaged while also demonstrating the active role that you played in each of your achievements.

Tip 4

Include extracurriculars alongside academic achievements

Your education section doesn't need to be limited to your classroom activities. Include school-related extracurriculars, activities, and achievements as well. For example, an extracurricular experience like the following can help show your leadership potential:

President of Student Entrepreneurs Association: Led a 50+ member organization, driving initiatives to support student founders through mentorship, funding opportunities, and networking.

Sample Resume Featuring Relevant Coursework

Need help visualizing relevant coursework on your resume? Check out this sample for inspiration.

Resume entry level example marketing intern

Use this template

4 Tips for Creating a Strong Resume as a Student or Entry-Level Candidate

If you're considering including relevant coursework on your resume, you're likely a student, a career changer, or an early career professional. While relevant coursework is a great way to help your resume stand out without much experience in your field, there are more strategies you can use to boost your resume's impact. Here are other strategies you can consider to make your resume stronger:

Tip 1

Choose the right resume format

Your resume's structure has a big impact on how employers read it. Instead of struggling filling out the traditional chronological format, give some thought to what your resume's strengths and weaknesses are. If you have lots of relevant technical skills but no experience, a functional resume format that focuses on skills might be a better fit.

Tip 2

Don't be afraid to include personal experiences

Communicate to employers that you're knowledgeable about your field and capable of achieving results with optional sections that show the depth of your experience outside of work. Adding a section for volunteer experience, relevant hobbies, and projects to your resume can show how you've applied your skills to achieve results in relevant activities.

Pro tip

Unsure if your hobby is relevant enough to belong on your resume? Consider phrasing it in terms of accomplishments. Has your hobby allowed you to overcome a unique challenge, create something that you're proud of, or develop a professional skill? If so, then it probably has a place on your resume. Once you have more professional experience, you can reduce its presence and focus on on-the-job accomplishments instead.

Tip 3

Make transferable skills the star of your resume

If you have no experience in the field of the role you're targeting, listing transferable skills on your resume can give you a boost. You can show employers how the skills you've developed through your previous education, experience, or extracurriculars will allow you to thrive in your new role.

Tip 4

Upgrade your education

Without significant experience, the other sections of your resume become even more important. Go beyond listing relevant coursework and consider obtaining professional certifications, attending seminars, or taking vocational courses. Furthering your education will allow you to make the most of your education section while proving that you're dedicated to developing as a professional.

Pro tip

Not sure if you're ready to commit to a long-term certification program or vocational training regiment? Start off small with a shorter digital course from Udemy or Coursera. Or, try attending a professional webinar. You can add these to your resume, but more importantly, they can help steer you in the right direction as you pursue other ways to make your resume stronger.

Key Takeaways

Use relevant coursework to make up for missing experience
An entry-level resume is bound to be sparse in the experience department. Relevant coursework can empower you to display your expertise without on-the-job examples to show what you can do.
Target your relevant coursework for the role
Even experienced candidates can benefit from relevant coursework when it provides an opportunity to align your resume with the role you're pursuing. Use keywords from the job description to help your academic experience match what the employer is looking for.
Highlight areas of achievement
Include your GPA (if it's at least a 3.5 out of 4.00), academic awards or honors, and extracurriculars to show the employer the value you can bring to the job.
Use action verbs
Active language conveys energy and motivation. Use strong verbs to capture the employer's attention and demonstrate your enthusiasm.
Build a strong entry-level resume
Whether you're a recent graduate, a student, or a career changer, creating a strong resume when you lack experience is all about bolstering your other sections. Stand out from the competition by choosing a format that plays to your strengths, emphasizing extracurriculars and transferable skills.

FAQ About Relevant Coursework on a Resume

Can I include my GPA on my resume?

Yes. Include your GPA on your resume if it is a 3.5 or higher (out of a 4.00 scale). Once you have a few years of on-the-job experience, evaluate whether your GPA still belongs on your resume. It will eventually be better to use that space for your career achievements.

Can I include school projects on my resume?

Yes. School projects can help beef up your resume if you lack experience. But don't just throw every essay you've ever written onto your resume. Employers will be more interested in bigger projects, like a senior thesis, scholarly presentation, or research assignment. And, most importantly, any projects on your resume should be relevant to the role. If you're applying for a job as a math tutor, your English term paper doesn't belong on your resume.

Can I include coursework from an unfinished degree on my resume?

Definitely. If you have an incomplete degree on your resume, whether you're still pursuing it or you've moved on, you can include relevant coursework to show how your unfinished degree has contributed to your career. As always, the coursework you include should be specific and targeted to show how you've developed skills that match the role you're seeking.

Resources to Help With Your Job Search

Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.