Contents
Discover how to list your education on your resume, including the best way to list college, university, and online degrees, as well as tips for listing relevant coursework.
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Introduction
You’ve just graduated, or are about to graduate, and you’re looking for your first job. The only problem is that you have no idea how to list your education on your resume.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about listing your education on your resume, from deciding whether or not to include it in the first place, to listing it in the most effective way possible. By the end of this guide, you will have all the tools you need to confidently list your education on your resume and land the job of your dreams.
How to List Education on Your Resume
Whether you just graduated from college or you’re a few years out, you might be wondering how to list your education on your resume. Do you put your GPA? List your degree first? We’re here to help. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to list education on your resume.
High School
Including your high school education on your resume is generally not necessary or recommended. There are a few exceptions, however, depending on your level of experience and the relevancy of your educational background to the job for which you are applying. For most people, high school education should not be included on a resume.
There are three general scenarios in which it may be appropriate to include high school information on your resume:
– You have no post-secondary education. In this case, listing your high school diploma or GED would be helpful in showing that you have at least completed some level of formal education.
– You have attended some college but did not complete a degree. In this case, you can include the name and location of the college you attended, as well as any relevant coursework or training.
– You are a recent high school graduate with little or no job experience. In this case, including information about your high school education can help fill in gaps in your employment history.
If you do choose to include information about your high school education on your resume, follow these tips:
– Use the proper format – list the name and location of the school, as well as the type of diploma or degree received and the year it was awarded;
– Be consistent – if you also list other types of educational experiences (for example, college coursework), use the same format;
– Don’t exaggerate – don’t list minor courses or insignificant achievements; and
– Keep it brief – one or two lines should suffice.
College
If you’re a college student or recent graduate, your college education is typically listed at the top of your resume. Even if you have little or no professional experience, your education can be one of your greatest strengths.
Here’s how to list education on a resume:
-If you’re a recent graduate, put your education section below your objective, summary, or professional profile.
-If you have some professional experience, put your education above your experience section.
-If you have significant professional experience, put your education towards the bottom of your resume after other sections like Skills or Awards & Recognition.
-Place the name of the school you attended, the degree you earned, and any relevant minors or certifications below that. For example:
Babb University B.A. in Creative Writing
Moosup Valley High School Diploma
Include the city and state for each school as well as graduation dates. If you attended but did not graduate from college, include the dates you attended as well as how many credits you earned before withdrawing.
University
Assuming you have completed your degree, there are generally two ways to list university-level education on your resume.
The first and most common way is to list the institution, location, degree type and major, and graduation date all in one line. For example:
B.A. in English, Washington University in St. Louis
This is a very concise way to present your information and is favored by many people because it takes up less space on the page. The potential downside to this method is that it doesn’t allow you to highlight any relevant coursework or extracurricular experiences.
The second way to list your university information is to create a separate “Education” section near the top of your resume (before your experience). In this section, you can include all of the same information as above, but you can also add additional detail about your coursework, relevant extracurriculars, study abroad experiences, etc. For example:
Washington University in St. Louis, B.A. in English
-Relevant coursework: American Literature, British Literature, Creative Writing
-Study abroad experience: Semester at Oxford University
-Extracurricular involvement: Campus newspaper (contributing writer), Literary Society (executive board member)
This method allows you to showcase not only what you’ve studied but also what you’ve accomplished within your field of study—which may be of interest to employers. The potential downside of this method is that it takes up more space on the page and can seem like “overkill” if you only have a degree or two to list.
Continuing Education and Professional Development
List any job-related continuing education, professional development courses, or certifications after your degree information. If it’s particularly relevant to the job you’re applying for or if you just completed it, you can also list this information under your professional experience section.
Formatting your continuing education and professional development information is similar to listing your degree information. Again, use reverse chronological order and include the following:
-The title of the course or program
-The name of the institution
-The location of the institution
-The date you completed the course or program
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is no one right way to list your education on your resume. The most important thing is to be honest and accurate about your educational history, and to choose the format that will work best to highlight your skills and qualifications.
