How to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume (with Examples)
Get a Free Expert Review6 min read. Updated on November 02, 2022
Adding relevant coursework to your resume can help you stand out when you don’t have much work experience.
One thing that many recent college graduates have in common with one another is a general lack of work experience. That lack of experience can sometimes make it difficult to construct a compelling resume that lands interviews.
If you're applying for jobs with little to no work experience, use your education to your advantage! Add relevant coursework to your resume to show employers you’ve built the right skills for the job.
What is relevant coursework?
Relevant coursework you can add to your resume includes classes, academic projects, and educational activities that have direct relevance to the position you are seeking. The idea is to fill the gap between the experience you haven’t gained yet and the qualifications the employer wants.
Think about courses that taught you skills listed in the job description, including writing, coding, research, or data analysis. You don’t want to list all the courses you took. But adding relevant coursework on a resume helps show you’re prepared to do the job, even if you haven’t done it in the real world yet.
When should you include relevant courses on your resume?
Before you add your job-related classes to your resume, you should decide whether it is necessary. For example, you can almost certainly benefit from including your relevant coursework on your resume if:
You’re a current student or recent grad: Students and recent graduates typically have little or no real job experience to highlight skills. Your studies and project assignments have allowed you to develop important skills you can highlight in your resume.
You’re changing careers: Your educational achievements are necessary to qualify for the position you are seeking. In those instances, your prospective employer will be interested in knowing that you have fulfilled those requirements and have the basic knowledge needed for the position.
The job description calls for specifics: Adding relevant coursework is especially useful when the job description lists specific knowledge or training. You can also use it to show that you’re prepared for entry-level roles where experience isn’t required but skills still matter.
If you’ve already worked in the field and your resume is full of work experience, there’s no need to include coursework. But when you’re early in your career, a relevant coursework resume can help you stand out.
Including coursework related to your minor
As you select relevant coursework for your resume, don't forget to consider courses of study related to your minor too, especially if your minor connects to the job you’re applying for.
Look through the job description to see what skills the employer wants. Then decide if any courses from your minor show those skills. If they do, group them with your other relevant classes or add a short line in your education section to highlight them.
How to list relevant coursework on your resume
It goes without saying that the most common place to include coursework is in your education section. Add a line labeled “Relevant Coursework” under your degree, and list the courses that apply to the job.
There’s a couple of different ways you can format it:
Inline list:
Keep it simple by listing the courses next to each other, separated by commas.
Example:
Relevant Coursework: Business Writing, Data Analysis, Project Management, Market Research, Public Speaking
Bulleted list:
If your resume needs more content or white space, list each course on its own line.
Example:
Relevant Coursework:
Business Writing
Data Analysis
Project Management
Market Research
Public Speaking
Expanded format:
If you have no work experience, you can go a step further by adding short descriptions under each course. This helps show what you learned and how it connects to the job. You should only use this technique when coursework is your main qualification.
Example:
Bachelor of Science in Marketing | University of State | May 2025
Relevant coursework –
Digital Marketing Fundamentals: Studied SEO, content strategy, and paid media campaigns. Final project focused on building a complete digital plan for a local business.
Consumer Behavior: Learned how to research and predict buying patterns. Completed a case study analyzing customer feedback and market data.
Marketing Analytics: Worked with tools like Excel and Google Analytics to track performance and spot trends. Used data to build reports and guide strategy.
Business Communication: Focused on writing emails, reports, and proposals for business settings. Practiced public speaking and giving team presentations.
Social Media Strategy: Created mock campaigns for different platforms. Developed skills in scheduling, engagement tracking, and platform-specific content planning.
If you use this expanded format, stick to listing only the courses that allow you to tailor your resume specifically to what the company wants. This isn’t the time to include a laundry list of every class you’ve taken.
Relevant coursework resume examples by job type
Here are three relevant coursework resume examples based on different job types. Choose the format that fits your experience level and the role you’re targeting.
Example #1: Entry-level marketing job
Bachelor of Arts in Communications | State College, Anytown 05/2025
Relevant Coursework: Digital Marketing Strategy, Consumer Psychology, Content Writing, Public Relations, Marketing Analytics
This simple listing would be a good option for anyone who has at least some relevant work experience but who still needs an additional boost to meet the job requirements. In this case, the job seeker's coursework listing is presented in a minimalist format, documenting the specific courses and areas of focus – but without any other information about those studies.
Example #2: IT support role – no work experience
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science | My College, Anytown 12/2025
Relevant Coursework:
Cyber Security 101
Business Intelligence
Application Development
Networking and Telecom
Artificial Intelligence
This option is similar to the first example but presents the classes and areas of focus as separate bullet points. This provides additional emphasis for each area of study, while also taking up a bit more space in the resume. This can be a great option if your resume is a little short and you need to expand the content.
Example #3: Cybersecurity role – career change
Bachelor's in Information Technology | My College, Anytown | Completed in 2022
Relevant Coursework:
Cyber Security 101
Certified Cyber Security Expert, skilled in protecting data, information, and infrastructure.
Coursework included training on risk analysis, threat mitigation, compliance assurance, and cloud security.
Completed multiple projects and research assignments designed to test knowledge and adaptability to various types of cyber threats.
Business Intelligence
Business analytics certificate, training focused on data interpretation and communication to resolve business problems with a data mindset.
Course included 3 projects testing analytical skills using hypothetical business challenges based on real-world business scenarios.
Application Development
Courses focused on the development of software coding skills used for web application creation, troubleshooting, and debugging.
Final course project involved the creation of an independent web app to streamline online sales processes for a test company.
Networking and Telecom
Training focused on routing, packet switching, and cybersecurity needs.
Spent eight weeks as a volunteer networking intern for a local ISP, receiving hands-on training from experienced networking professionals.
Artificial Intelligence
AI and machine learning studies, emphasizing tech integration into business processes, impact on sales and marketing, and ethical concerns.
Conducted study for the course final, evaluating potential AI benefits for enhanced marketing in the digital age and impact on online sales.
This more detailed example is a superior option for those who have no work experience in a particular field and need educational credentials to highlight skills.
Each area of interest is sectioned out to emphasize skills that mirror what prospective employers are searching for
Bullet points are added to highlight specific achievements, describe studies and real-world application of skills, and demonstrate competency in the subject matter
This type of format can enable your coursework section to serve as a replacement for relevant work experience
Tips for adding relevant coursework to your resume
Use relevant coursework to fill in the gaps when you don’t have much work experience but only if the classes support the job you're applying for. Here are some key tips to help you get it right:
Only include coursework that’s actually relevant. Read the job posting carefully. Match the skills mentioned with classes or academic projects you’ve completed. That’s how to add relevant coursework on a resume that gets noticed.
Focus on both hard and soft skills. If the job calls for writing, analysis, or teamwork, include courses that prove you’ve developed those abilities—even if the course title doesn’t make it obvious.
Use keywords from the job description. When you describe your coursework, echo language from the posting. That’s how to put relevant coursework on a resume that can get through applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Be concise if you have experience. If you already have job history, just list your relevant courses under your degree. Keep it short and focus on newer or advanced classes that relate to your current goals.
Use more detail if you’re just starting out. If your coursework is doing the heavy lifting, go beyond a simple list. Include a few bullet points that explain what each class covered or what you built, presented, or achieved.
Keep your resume up to date. If you're still in school, update your coursework section as you take new classes. When your work experience starts to grow, you can remove older or less relevant courses.
Don’t list everything. A resume with too much detail can backfire. Make sure each course adds value and shows the employer you’re a good fit.
Customize for every job. You’ll likely need to tweak your resume for different roles. Choose the coursework that best supports each specific position.
These small adjustments can make your relevant coursework resume more targeted and more effective.
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When to remove relevant coursework from your resume
Obviously, there will be times when you should forgo any mention of relevant coursework in your resume. A relevant coursework resume is most useful when your education covers skills you haven’t yet shown in a job.
Examples of when you might not need to list your specific coursework include:
Irrelevant: When your coursework is not really relevant to the position you seek. Including irrelevant coursework could actually distract from your important skills and experiences.
Outdated: If coursework was completed so long ago that the information is no longer useful. For instance, many technology-related courses can lose their value over time. Other examples include old marketing courses and other educational achievements that involve skills that have evolved rapidly in recent years.
You have the right work experience: If your resume is already filled with enough work experience and skills that there is no need or room for specific course details. Remember, you want to add your courses to enhance your value as an employee. If adding a particular course does nothing more than add length to the resume, skip it.
Resume length: Your resume should never go over 2 pages. Keep it focused and clean by only adding relevant coursework when it won’t make your resume look cluttered.
Summary
For recent graduates and job seekers moving to entirely new careers, a lack of relevant work experience can be a major impediment to landing job interviews and employment offers. One way to overcome this obstacle is to learn how to use relevant educational coursework on your resume to highlight your qualifications and skills.
Listing key classes, academic projects, or training that matches the job shows employers you’ve built real skills
Want to know if your relevant coursework is helping or just taking up space? Upload your resume for a free expert review and find out what’s working and what needs to go.
This article was originally written by Ken Chase. It’s been updated by Marsha Hebert.
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