How to list relevant coursework on your resume: A guide with examples

Many recruiters go straight to the work experience section when reviewing a resume. That can pose a problem for students and recent grads trying to get a foothold in the workforce. Bolstering your application by including relevant coursework could be the answer, especially if it aligns with the demands of the job.

What is relevant coursework?

Relevant coursework refers to the classes and subjects that you studied in school which are useful for the position that you are applying for. For example, if you are applying to a marketing position and you have taken classes in psychology that focus on language, emotion, and motivation, that class would be considered relevant since the goal of marketing is to use language and emotion to motivate people to purchase goods and services.

Relevant coursework as a resume section can sometimes include things outside of formal education. For example, you can also include academic projects like a thesis or dissertation, as well as research that you have done. Online courses are also acceptable to list if they pertain to the job.

When to include relevant coursework on your resume

Now that we've defined relevant coursework, let's talk about when to add it. There are times when featuring coursework will strengthen your application and other moments when it would be best left off.

If you're a student, recent graduate, or an entry-level worker, this detail showcases what you learned during school or college. Additionally, if the employer requests your GPA, a copy of your diploma, or a portfolio of relevant projects, learning how to list coursework on a resume can provide further evidence of your hard work.

However, as you gain more professional experience, employers will likely value that over any coursework you completed. In that case, it's better to highlight your hard and soft skills and your current certifications.

Here's a quick breakdown:

How to put coursework on your resume

When crafting your job application, you don’t need a special relevant coursework resume section. Instead, you can incorporate this information into standard resume sections. Here’s how to do so.

1. Add courses to your education section

For those who aren’t sure where to put coursework on a resume, it makes the most sense to add relevant coursework to the education section of your resume. You can add a subsection under each degree that you earned or school that you attended, or you can place your coursework at the bottom underneath all of your school details.

If you have little or no professional experience, place your education section first on your resume, just below your header and your resume objective. You may also wish to use a functional or skill-based resume format to highlight your skills. If you do have some relevant professional experience to list, place that at the top and your education section underneath.

Use either a comma-separated list, a simple bulleted list, or a bulleted list with some additional details for each course.

Here’s how to list coursework on a resume in a comma-separated list:

A comma-separated list will take up the least amount of precious space on your resume, but if your relevant coursework is the highlight of your resume and/or you have blank space to fill, you may wish to provide more detail about each course. In that case, we recommend using a bulleted list, and you may wish to include a short description of each course that reinforces its relevance to the job.

For high school students or those with extremely limited professional experience, it may make sense to include a separate section called "Relevant Cousework." You can add this to the bottom of your resume or immediately following your Education section if you don't have much else to show. Here's an example of how to format a coursework section:

2. Tailor your relevant coursework to each position

For every job you apply to, ensure that your resume lists only relevant coursework and projects that showcase job-related skills. Tailoring your entire resume to each position can help your application pass automated applicant tracking system (ATS) scans and get your resume into the hands of a human hiring manager. This can be achieved by using keywords and phrases from the job description as well as pertinent industry keywords throughout your resume to demonstrate that you have the qualifications, skills, and experience necessary for the job.

Good to know: Our professionally designed resume templates are built to pass ATS screenings, and our AI-powered suggestions make it easy to tailor your resume in a few clicks.

3. Start with the most relevant courses

Again, all the coursework that you include on your resume should be directly relevant to the position you are applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a job in the arts, you don’t need to give details about the math classes you took because they don’t represent relevant coursework. Resumes should always be customized for the position you want, and including unnecessary information prevents you from achieving that goal.

When listing courses, always start with the most relevant coursework first within your list. Most hiring managers will only spend a few seconds scanning your resume, so it’s crucial to put your most impressive and important details first.

4. Consider adding other education details

Once you know where to put coursework on a resume, you may wish to add other educational details and achievements as well to round out your academic background. For example, you might include your GPA (if it’s above a 3.5) and awards like honor roll, scholarships, dean’s list, being valedictorian/salutatorian, Latin honors (magna cum laude, etc.), and so forth. You can also include membership in school, national, or international honor societies, business or professional fraternities, and other groups or organizations.

Coursework resume examples

Listing relevant coursework doesn’t have to be confusing when you have the right resources. Jobseeker offers a resume builder to help you easily add the details of your education and certifications in a way that wows hiring managers. Below you'll find some resume examples that contain coursework. You can easily modify them for your own experience!

How to choose the right courses to feature

There’s no getting around the fact that employers care about your coursework. Though they value practical skills for immediate application, they also prioritize foundational knowledge and theoretical understanding for critical thinking, problem-solving, and long-term growth.

If you’re at the beginning (or even in the middle) of your college journey, you still have time to choose courses that will be most advantageous to you when you graduate. We recommend considering your career goals and researching open roles in your desired field. This can help you get a sense of what employers care about most so you can learn these skills while you have the chance.

Don't forget to use the campus resources available to you, such as academic and career counselors. These professionals have extensive experience helping people choose relevant classes that align with their career goals, and they can likely design an academic track to help you get where you want to be.

Ask your professors for their advice and recommendations. They may be current or former professionals in the field who can tell you which courses will best prepare you for the career track you have chosen.  In some cases, they may be able to connect you with other experienced professionals who can share their experiences.

7 tips for listing courses on your resume 

The way you present your coursework can have a significant impact on hiring managers’ assessment of your qualifications for the role. Keeping these best practices in mind can help you highlight your deep knowledge and ability to turn theoretical understanding into tangible success. Use them to help you find success as you pursue a role in your target industry.

Key takeaways for adding coursework to your resume

Learning how to describe relevant coursework on a resume is more than just a way for students, recent graduates, and entry-level job applicants to beef up their resumes. It’s also an excellent way to connect the dots for a hiring manager, showing how your educational background translates into practical skills for the role.

When adding coursework, make sure it’s relevant and useful to the role, add it into your existing education section, and include any supporting details like your academic projects, certifications, honors, and GPA. Check out Jobseeker’s resume builder tool, which allows you to add your details and easily swap between resume templates, styles, colors, and more with just a few clicks. For more expert advice on writing a great resume, check out our collection of resources.