How To Add Relevant Coursework on Resume with Examples

Listing relevant coursework from your bachelor’s degree program on your resume can be advantageous for entry-level job seekers starting out within their industry. There are two ways to accomplish this.

One approach is to include the relevant coursework as bullet points within your education section. The other option is to create a whole new section that allows you to list your relevant coursework separately and provide more insights into what you learned during your program. Explore these resume examples for inspiration.

Throughout this guide, we’ll provide you with examples to help you showcase your coursework and land your first entry-level position.

1. List Only Relevant Coursework That Matches the Job Description

Ideally, only list coursework relevant to the position you are applying for on your resume. For instance, if you’re seeking an accounting position, it wouldn’t make much sense to include an elective you completed in continental philosophy. As your job search begins, carefully analyze each posting before incorporating your relevant coursework.

The more relevant courses and skills you incorporate into your resume, the more likely you’ll be to generate interviews during your search. Relevant coursework can be beneficial for entry-level professionals, as it can sometimes be challenging to fill out your document with strong qualifications due to a lack of work history. Below, we’ll review an example of a job seeker looking for a mental health counseling role:

In this first example, the job seeker includes both psychology and art courses in their education section. This might seem like a poor choice, but in this situation, they’re actually demonstrating why they’re uniquely qualified for the position.

Art therapy is a unique field within the mental health counseling space that utilizes a range of modalities and therapeutic approaches to help patients overcome trauma and cognitive disabilities. Showcasing their understanding of both art and psychology will show organizations their dynamic skill set can help them succeed within this niche clinical environment.

2. Adjust the Name of the Course as Necessary

It’s important to understand that the names of courses vary significantly among universities. If the official name of the course fails to convey what you were learning, you could rename it to highlight relevant courses aligned with the job description. For instance, instead of “Intro Accounting 101,” you may want to use a title such as “Financial Accounting” instead.

This will also help you maintain compliance with applicant tracking system (ATS) requirements, as shown in this guide on how to list your education on a resume. Here’s an example based on this list of original coursework:

• Introduction to Developing Software 101
• Intro to Programming 102
• Advanced Computer Science 103
• Coding in the Modern Tech Landscape 103
• App Dev Capstone Course 104

Notice how the job seeker uses the exact names of the courses in the first list. Although “Coding in the Modern Tech Landscape” sounds like a good title, it doesn’t tell the hiring manager anything about what the student learned during the course.

In the formatted example, the candidate has changed the titles of the courses to better reflect the subject matter. They also provide fewer courses and highlight more relevant details that match the position they’re applying for. This is a much more effective strategy for making a positive impression on the hiring manager and will greatly increase your chances of landing the interview.

3. Feature Academic Projects to Further Highlight Your Coursework

If you’re listing coursework on your resume, strongly consider building an academic projects section to provide deeper insights into your education experience and qualifications. It’s one thing to mention a Python class on your resume, but it’s another to showcase a project where you utilized this programming language to build a mobile application.

Providing unique and compelling details about your coursework on a resume will help you grab the hiring manager’s attention, especially when applying for entry-level positions where the documents run the risk of appearing vague and generic. One way to do this is by highlighting academic projects from relevant courses. Below, you’ll find two resume examples to help you feature academic projects on your resume.

4. Include Academic Awards and Your GPA

Another way to further enhance the impact of your coursework is by providing academic awards and recognitions on your resume. This will show hiring managers that you completed your coursework and excelled academically within your program.

If your GPA is 3.6 or higher, you can also feel free to include it in your education section alongside any relevant academic awards or online courses completed. If the number is lower, it may be better to omit it, as it won’t significantly impact your job application. Here are some resume outline examples to guide your formatting:

5. Align Your Coursework With the Job Description

The most important aspect of the resume-building process is tailoring your document toward individual job descriptions. Breaking into your target industry following graduation can often be challenging for entry-level job seekers. Other candidates may have hands-on experience that you lack, and to make a case for your candidacy, show hiring managers that you have the ideal qualifications to succeed in the role.

As you build out your resume, start by determining how your skill sets, education experience, and relevant coursework match the needs of the organization you’re applying to. It’s okay to alter the name of a course to convey key skill sets more clearly for the hiring manager, provided it’s an accurate representation of what you learned during the course.

For instance, if a company is seeking a candidate who excels in financial planning and analysis (FP&A), review resume examples to guide your tailoring.

By tailoring your coursework toward the job description, you’ll maximize your chances of generating interviews over the course of your job hunt.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Add Relevant Coursework to Your Resume

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).