How Do You Write University Degree On Your CV?

The easiest part of a resume for many applicants is the education section. It is a general trend to just mention the alma mater’s name, the degree course, and the date. It is not that simple. So what might be the best way of writing a university degree on a CV? The answer depends upon what kind of job you’re seeking. So your Associate’s degree might have some relevance or importance with certain kinds of work vs others. And depending upon the level of responsibility, amount of competition, etc, you might even use it and hide one or more of your grad degrees. So it’s not a one-answer-fits-all. What if you have switched multiple schools before graduating or let’s say you are still completing your graduation.? What if you dropped out of your MBA course? Lets check “How Do You Write University Degree On Your CV?”

How Do You Write University Degree On Your CV?

These Basic Things Must Be Taken Care Of When Listing Education On A CV.

  • Make sure you include these three things: the degree, your major, name of the college, location, and the graduation year
  • It is always better, to begin with, your highest educational qualification
  • Then start listing all other degrees in a reverse chronological order
  • If you have already graduated from college then it is better to remove the high-school education
  • In case you have received your graduation degree let’s say, 6 years ago then just remove it.

If You’re In High School

If you are a high school student then you can show your education at the top one-third of your CV, right below where you have mentioned your skills.

When You Are In A College Or Recently Graduated

If you are a college student then you have more credentials for your target job as a student. If you are not doing any job, not engaged in a project, or not associated with any volunteer work related to the job then put your education before work experience on the CV.

This will convince the employers that you are eligible for the post for which you are applying.

If You’re Already A Working Professional

Employers tend to pay less attention to things like GPA and college coursework, especially to applicants who have experience compared to fresh graduates. So, it is better to list your education after your work history, usually at the bottom of the CV, right after the skills.

Formatting education On A CV

1. High School

If you have just completed your high school then you can show it like this:

    “Eastern High School, Baltimore, MD

    Graduated in 2010”

But if are still studying in a high school, modify the second line to look something like this:

    “Eastern High School, Baltimore, MD

    Expected to graduate in 2010”

In case you could not complete your high school then just mention the name of your school along with its location, followed by the number of years you attended.

    “Riverside High School, Baltimore, MD

    Attended school from 2005 to 2008”

If You Have Done A GED

Many students are not able to attend a high school but take a General Education Development (GED) test instead. If this is the case for you, list the name of the institution from where you completed along with the school information.

“GED High School Equivalency Diploma

Auckland One Adult Education Center, 2012

Bloomsberry High School, Columbia, SC

Attended 2007 – 2009”

Trade School

In case you have studied in a trade school after high school, you can mention it on top of your higher secondary education if you think it has some relation with your desired job.

This is an example:

“SkyHigh School, Canton Heights, MI

HVAC Electrician, 2008

Hammond Central High School, Portage, MI

Graduated 2006”

2. Undergraduate Degree

You can show college education in the following way:

College Graduate

“BS in Mechanical Engineering, 2011

 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA”

Instead of the abbreviated form, you can mention the degree in full form:
“Bachelor of Arts in Geography, 2011

UCLA, Los Angeles, CA”

Unfinished Degree

Many students attend college but cannot complete their degrees for various reasons. You should not be ashamed because of this and do not exclude it from your resume.

List the name of your school, followed by the start and end dates. Mention the number of credits earned towards that degree.

“Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

 2008-2009: Completed 32 credits towards BA in Education”

 J.S Harriton High School, 2007

 Edison, New Jersey”

3. Graduate Studies

If you hold a graduate degree in your field then this is going to increase your eligibility as an applicant. Hence, it should be mentioned on top of your undergraduate degree. Here is an example of an applicant from the IT sector.

“MS in Computer Science, 2016

 UCLA

 BS in Computer Science,

Michigan University, 2009”

If you have an advanced degree that is not related to the job, it might be better to show it below your undergraduate degree.

For instance, if you are working in an IT sector, a master’s degree in English is not at all relevant except for the skills you have acquired while doing research for your thesis. So, you can include any coursework that may be fit for the job.

“BS in Computer Science,

Michigan State University, 2010”

MS in English, 2015

    Coursework: Models and Methods, Security Studies”

If you still have a lot of coursework pending then you need to list the expected completion date.

“Master of Arts in English, to be completed 2015

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA”

In case you have completed everything but not the dissertation, you can mention “all but dissertation”. It can also be abbreviated as “ABD”.

 “MS in Zoology

All but dissertation (ABD), 2013”

 City College of Brooklyn”

You need to list your undergraduate degree below your graduate degree.

Discontinued Graduate Study

Even if you have dropped out from your master’s or doctorate you can still mention it in the CV. But, to avoid confusion, what you can do is create a separate section and name it “Research WOrk” or “Professional Development” rather than listing it along with other educational degrees. Just write the total number of units of the subject, the name of the college, and the dates you attended.

“15 credits in Applied Mathematics

The University of Los Angeles, 2006-2007”

Conclusion

One of the biggest achievements in a student’s life is completing a university successfully and being awarded a degree. The successful completion of a degree is an asset for a student and it is a precious thing for one’s career development. Unfortunately, many students do not give proper attention while listing their degrees on their CVs. Your CV should show how many sleepless nights and long-revision days you have spent just for the sake of earning that degree. It is just not a degree but a trophy for which you have worked hard. So, you need to ensure that your CV gets the proper attention from the recruiters that it deserves.