Relevant coursework can be a great way to give a hiring manager a better idea of what you learned in school. How can you add it to your resume most effectively?
Tips for Listing Relevant Coursework on Your Resume
Relevant Coursework Resume
If you’re a recent graduate writing a resume, a lack of professional experience can be challenging when you’re trying to apply to new jobs. That’s why a relevant coursework section can be very helpful. Here’s what you need to know about adding related coursework as relevant experience to your resume.
What Is Relevant Coursework?
This is any courses you’ve completed in your education that relate to the specific job you’re applying to. When you add relevant coursework to your student resume, you’re showing that you’ve gained training and skills that can enhance your ability to do the job.
When Should You Include Relevant Coursework on Your Resume?
You should consider adding relevant coursework to a resume when you’re a recent graduate or student, and lack professional experience. You may have volunteer experience or academic achievements but in a student resume, you’ll often have little to no experience in the field that you’re planning to go into. That means instead of having descriptions of previous jobs, you can list relevant courses to show a hiring manager that you have the right knowledge to perform a specific job.
The Layout of Relevant Coursework on a Resume
Understanding relevant coursework on a professional resume requires a few steps. First of all, you need to know which coursework to include. Read the job posting, and highlight core competencies and skills that you need to use to excel at this job. If you’re planning to move into the healthcare field, for example, you’ll need to have the actual skills necessary to be a healthcare worker, but you’ll also need strong teamwork skills and the ability to listen to patients.
From there, you can decide how you want to put relevant coursework on your perfect resume. There are typically two options. The first is to create a relevant coursework section on your resume. The second is to include your coursework in your resume education section. Here are three ways that you can include relevant coursework on a resume.
Simple
The simplest method is simply to list your coursework where appropriate. This will typically work best in the resume education section, like this:
Bachelor of Arts in Ceramics
OCAD University – Toronto, Canada
Relevant Coursework:
- General Ceramics
- Pottery Design
- Art Design
- Extracurricular activities in pottery and glassware
However, you can also extract the relevant coursework section and create a separate section.
Categorized
The categorized format breaks down the coursework into individual areas of expertise, then lists coursework for both. You might see it like this in the education section:
Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
University of Arizona – Tempe, Arizona
Mathematics
Calculus
Differential equations
Mathematical analysis
Medical
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Biomedical Statistics
If you want to put this relevant coursework in a separate section, you would exclusively include the coursework rather than the degree itself.
Detailed
Lastly is the detailed layout. This looks almost exactly like a job description, but it’s attached to specific relevant coursework. It may look like this:
Relevant Coursework: Public Relations
New York College | 2019-2021
- Researching what impacts different people’s opinions of public figures
- Discussing the impact of social media on public relations
- Showing how companies are adapting to the modern discussion of public figures
This detailed layout is best if you need to draw direct connections between your coursework and what your potential employer wants to see from you.
FAQ: Relevant Coursework Resume
It’s not mandatory if you don’t think that relevant coursework will benefit your resume. This is especially true if you have lots of work experience and your work experience section is going to be much more extensive than your education section. However, if you don’t have much work experience and you want to show exactly how your education makes you the right person for the job, relevant coursework can be incredibly helpful.
If you’re applying for a job where a portfolio can be helpful, there are many options. First, you can attach it to your resume. This is best if you’re applying via email or another format where you can attach multiple files. You can also include it as a link on your resume, in your resume header. If you have a personal website, you can include (and link to) your portfolio there as well.
If you’re looking for examples of relevant coursework resumes, ResumeNerd has you covered. You can use the resume builder to make it easier for you to list relevant coursework on a resume. Additionally, if you’re looking for examples that you can use to build your relevant coursework section, check out these resume examples for options.
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