5 Tips on How to Include Courses and Classes on Your Resume

When You Shouldn’t Include Relevant Courses or Classes

If you’re a senior applicant, you can leave this section off your resume unless you’re writing a CV. CVs are more detailed and typically expect applicants to include a relevant courses or classes section. In either case, don’t add this section if it doesn’t aid you in the hiring process.

For example, if you’re applying for a job in healthcare, then don’t include courses that discuss classical literature. It’s irrelevant to the position you’re applying for. If you’re not sure what to place in this section, prioritize technical skills and your work history, or leave it off altogether. 

Always read job descriptions carefully before including or discluding a section. If the description asks for a certification, diploma, or portfolio, including a relevant coursework section is helpful.

How to Include Courses and Classes on Your Resume or CV

Writing a resume or CV can be intimidating, especially when it comes to listing your coursework or classes, but it doesn’t have to be. 

Follow these seven steps to include these details correctly. 

1. Collect Your Records

The first step is to review your academic records to make sure you have a complete picture of your education. This includes any relevant courses you may have taken that relate to the job you’re applying for. Doing so ensures you don’t miss any key information you’ll need later.

2. Identify Relevant Courses

A typical resume or CV is one page long, so you’re limited to the number of courses or classes you can include. Make sure you highlight relevant courses and focus on classes you feel you excelled in. Also, add courses that match keywords mentioned in the job description.

3. Include Extracurriculars

Don’t forget to include any extracurricular activities, such as research projects or internships, that you feel might be worth mentioning. Mentioning academic achievements isn’t usually necessary, but they can improve your standing as a candidate. It’s okay to brag a little.

4. Choose The Right Format

Once you have a list of the relevant courses you want to include, you need to decide on the best format for listing them. You can either include them in a dedicated section or as part of a larger section, such as education or relevant experience. We’ll expand on this point in the next section.

5. Create The List

Next, you can create the list itself. Start by listing the course name and the institution that it was taken from. In addition, if there’s room, you can also add any other information, such as the grades you received or the type of credit you earned. You can even include volunteer work.

6. Summarize Your Skills

In each entry, you can include a brief description of any skills or knowledge you gained. This can help inform recruiters what you took away from each course or class. Tailor this section to the job you’re applying for, as employers are interested in how you’ll contribute to their organization. 

7. Proofread & Finalize

According to a CareerBuilder survey, 77% of employers immediately screen out a resume with typos or bad grammar. For this reason, double-check everything you’ve written before summiting. Make sure that the formatting is consistent and that everything is spelled correctly.

5 Examples of Courses and Classes on Resumes and CVs

Applicants can add courses and classes to multiple sections of their resumes or CVs, which can make it hard for them to decide where to put this information. 

Here are a few examples.

1. Relevant Coursework on a Resume Example—School Teacher

It makes the most sense to put relevant coursework (or classes) in the education section on the resume. This makes it easier for recruiters to connect this information and find it easily. 

If you recently graduated from college and you’re applying to become a school teacher, you would include your degree, university or college, school address, and completion date. Right under that information, you’ll include relevant coursework (or classes) in a detailed list.

On a resume, it would look like this:

Bachelor Of Education Studies

University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

Graduation: 2015

Relevant Coursework: Curriculum Development, Classroom and Behavior Management, Child Development Psychology, Special Education 

This example doesn’t include any descriptions, as a recruiter would instantly understand that these courses are relevant to the job title. This is only necessary if the association is unclear.

2. Relevant Classes on a CV Example—Tenured Professor

On a CV, there’s an expectation that you’ll go into great detail. It’s preferred that professionals go in-depth about their experience and that they separate this information into detailed sections.

As another positive, CVs always include a “relevant coursework” section. This is placed below or included in the education section. Similar to a resume, the applicant would include their degree, university or college, school address, and completion date, but also their GPA.

On a CV, it would look like this:

EDUCATION

New York University, New York, NY

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, May 2011

Minor: Philosophy

Concentration: Classical Literature

Major GPA: 3.91/4.0, Overall GPA: 3.83/4.0

RELEVANT COURSEWORK

While the applicant has the choice to add explanations in their CVs, it’s pretty rare that this happens. However, you can add a small description, like in our next resume example.

3. Relevant Classes on a Resume Example—Content Writer

Content writers don’t necessarily have to be journalists or marketers. In fact, many copywriters make a decent living without degrees, especially if they’re considered niche topic experts.

However, if you have a degree in an unrelated field, such as kinesiology, you have to prove you have the writing and marketing chops to put your thoughts on the page. Since your degree doesn’t have anything to do with the position, you need to show off your writing courses.

On a resume, it would look like this:

Relevant Classes:

An explanation is needed for this writing job, and this content writer explains well through coursework that they’re ready for the job. They also prove their knowledge of diet.

You can also read about copywriting in our latest blog, 5 Must-Know Copywriting Hacks for Content Writers.

4. Relevant Coursework on a CV Example—Web3 Senior Software Engineer

While educational establishments have rules for how to structure their CVs, institutions outside academia often don’t. For this reason, you can experiment more with the format and your info.

A good way to do this is by making your CV easier to read. A person applying for a senior software engineer position likely has thousands of hours of experience under their belt. A recruiter would appreciate it if these applicants separated their relevant coursework smartly.

On a CV, it would look like this:

Relevant Coursework:

Solidity Bootcamp

Cybersecurity

Going into detail for a Web3 senior developer job is really important, as most schools don’t teach blockchain topics. You prove your suitability in this industry via extra coursework.

5. Relevant Coursework on a Resume Example—High School Diploma

It’s difficult to get a job right out of high school, especially in a world with applicant tracking software (ATS). To stand out from the rest, you’ll need to include as many keywords as possible.

The relevant coursework section gives people with a high school diploma a chance to stand out and bypass ATS systems at the same time. If an employer is looking for a set of skills, and you took a class in a subject that teaches said skills, you should put them on your resume.

On a resume, it would look like this:

High School Diploma

Bear Valley High School, Bear Valley, CA 

Graduation: 2022

Relevant Coursework: AP English Language, Modern Communication Skills, AP Spanish Language, Finance, Accounting, Introduction to Business, Fundamentals of Marketing

This resume is perfect for someone looking for a customer service or retail position, as it proves they have the skills to work the cash register, perform simple math, and talk to customers.