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How to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume (with Examples)

13 min read · Updated on September 11, 2023

If you are a recent graduate struggling with a lack of work experience, knowing how to include relevant coursework on a resume can be one of the best ways to create a more compelling resume narrative.

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 for them to construct a resume that sells their potential to be the best candidate for a job. Fortunately, there are ways to still create a strong and compelling resume, even without experience. For example, did you take classes that might be relevant to the position? If so, including relevant coursework on your resume may be the perfect solution to your resume challenges.

In this post, we will explain how you can identify relevant coursework and where it should be listed in your resume. We will also include several examples of relevant coursework on a resume so that you can see the best options for using these details to strengthen your job search efforts.

What is relevant coursework?

Of course, when we talk about relevant coursework, we are talking about those classes and educational activities that have direct relevance to the position you are seeking. The first thing you need to recognize is that many of the classes you took during your college career will not need to be included in your resume. After all, most degrees require that students complete any number of basic foundational courses that will have little if any relation to their chosen job — at least from a resume standpoint. 

So, what types of classes, achievements, and activities should you focus on as you identify suitable courses to add to your resume? While this sounds like a simple question, it actually requires some serious thought and evaluation. Fortunately, there are some basic rules that you can follow as you make that determination. Below are just some of the potentially relevant things that you might want to include in your resume: 

Coursework that demonstrates that you have a foundation of knowledge in a required aspect of the job you are seeking. For example, if communication skills are needed for the position, you should include courses that focused on business communications, writing, etc.

Projects that are related to particular job skills. For a marketing position, you should include any marketing-related projects you completed during your studies. Or you could include research projects you engaged in if you are seeking a job where research skills are essential.

Academic achievements can also be included, including notably high GPA scores or awards you received. Also, be sure to include any related extracurricular activities. That could include everything from clubs to sporting activities if they helped you develop skills that would be useful for the job.

Again, do not include coursework that has no bearing on the job at hand. This will require you to carefully consider each course to determine its relevance. One way to do that is to read the job posting and select keywords and phrases of import that seem to be describing the skills or educational qualifications needed for the job. Then go through your coursework and try to match courses to those skills. As you do so, remember that some basic courses like those involving communication—both written and verbal—may be included, since communication is one of those soft skills that every company values .

You can learn more about the difference between hard and soft skills by reading our excellent article, Key Differences Between Hard Skills and Soft Skills . A better understanding of those critical soft skills can help to ensure that you don't underestimate the value of any of your classes. There's a great chance that you have more marketable soft skills than you realize! 

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 recently graduated from school or are beginning the process of looking for a job because you are close to graduation. Students and recent graduates typically have little or no real job experience to highlight skills. Fortunately, their studies and project assignments will likely have helped them to develop important skills that they can highlight in their resumes.

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.

There may also be times when you need to include coursework even after you have been in the workforce for some time. For example, if you are switching careers and your current work experience does not include the skills needed for your new job, that may not matter as much if you can show that your studies prepared you for the role. 

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. Hopefully, you will have selected a minor that is at least tangentially related to your desired career path. If so, then chances are that some of the courses you completed may have some relevance that can translate to a useful resume listing. For more information about minors and when they can be added to your resume, read How to Include a Minor on Your Resume .

When should I take coursework off my resume?

Obviously, there will be times when you should forgo any mention of your courses in your resume. Some examples of situations where you might not need to list your specific coursework include:

When your coursework is not really relevant to the position you seek. Including irrelevant coursework could actually distract from your important skills and experiences.

Situations in which 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.

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. 

Where should relevant coursework be listed in your resume?

In most resumes, the coursework should be placed in the education section, with a subheading titled “Relevant Coursework.” When creating this part of the education section, you should insert the subheading under the name of your degree, with a list of the courses you studied. For example:

Bachelor's in [Name of Degree]

[College Name, City, Graduation Date]

Relevant Coursework: [Course 1], [Course 2], [Course 3], [Course 4], [Course 5]

Alternatively, you can also opt to show your courses in a bullet-point list if your resume is short and you need to fill more space. You can even elaborate on each course with a few words to describe the skills you learned in class. For example:

Relevant Coursework:

If you have no actual work experience, you may even want to consider using your education section as a substitute for that experience section. If you choose that option, you may want to place the education section closer to the top of your resume and flesh out each course in the same way you would detail a job listing in your work experience section. That means using detailed descriptions that include quantifiable results highlighting your achievements.

Key tips to remember when listing relevant coursework

Before we show you some examples of how to list relevant coursework on your resume, there are a few tips that can help to ensure that your final product is as compelling as possible. By incorporating these ideas into your resume creation process, you can more effectively make that all-important great first impression on any hiring manager.

Only list relevant coursework if you lack sufficient work experience to meet the job requirements.

Always make sure that the courses you list highlight skills and knowledge needed for the position. If a course has nothing to do with your chosen line of work, it has no place in your resume.

Relevant courses may be related to hard and soft skills.

If you choose to use descriptions for each course, use that as an opportunity to insert relevant keywords from the job description. This can be a great way to ensure that your resume can get past any applicant tracking system .

Always proofread your entire resume to eliminate spelling mistakes, punctuation and grammar errors, and style or formatting discrepancies.

Make sure that you tailor your resume to fit the job you want. Since you will likely be applying for different jobs during your job search, you may need to modify your educational coursework details to align with the needs of each position.

Do not forget to include important skill information in your coursework descriptions. Again, try to use those job description keywords.

If you are maintaining an updated resume throughout your educational career, be sure to continually edit your resume as your coursework evolves over time. This can make it easier to keep it updated and can save you some time when your job search begins.

3 Examples of relevant coursework on a resume

In this final section, we will explore some different examples to show you how you can successfully incorporate relevant coursework into your resume. We have included a couple of examples of the most basic listing options, as well as an expanded sample that enables you to provide more details and skills. You can refer to these samples and use them as guides as you create your own relevant coursework section.

Example #1: The Basics

Bachelor's in Information Technology

My College, Anytown 2022

Relevant Coursework: Cyber Security 101, Business Intelligence, Application Development, Networking and Telecom, Artificial Intelligence

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: Bulletpoint List of Courses

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: Detailed Format

My College, Anytown

Completed in 2022

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.

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.

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 and need their educational credentials to highlight their skills. In this sample, each area of interest is accompanied by bullet point details describing the types of courses studied and the lessons or skills developed during those classes. In addition, 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 work experience if you have never been employed. When used for that purpose, you can expand on each course listing to include additional skills and keywords from the job post. Simply add new bullet points where needed to flesh out each area of emphasis.

Again, if you choose to replace your work experience section with this relevant coursework section, make sure that you move this section closer to the top of your resume so that it receives more prominence. Basically, if your strongest selling point is your education, then make sure that your important courses are one of the first things that a prospective employer sees. Also, you may want to highlight your educational qualifications in your resume summary so that the reader expects to see those coursework details.

Don't underestimate the power of a well-crafted and compelling resume

Finally, it is important to reiterate just how vital it is that your resume makes the best possible impression. When you approach the labor market with little or no work experience, you are usually already at a competitive disadvantage. There will almost always be someone else who has a similar level of skill and educational background, as well as real-world experience. To compete against a qualified rival, you need a resume that can effectively sell you as the best candidate for the job.

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. Hopefully, this post and its resume examples can provide you with the inspiration and help you need to translate your educational experience into a compelling resume narrative. Fortunately, there are ways to ensure that your resume effectively positions you to have the best chance at landing any interview and job. To make sure that your resume is up to par, get a  free resume review  today. And if you really want to be sure that your resume is ready for prime time, take a few moments to discover just how easy it is to get professional resume assistance from our team of experts!

Recommended Reading:

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Ask Amanda: What's the Best Way to List Education on a Resume?

14 Reasons This is a Perfect Recent College Grad Resume Example

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How to List Relevant Coursework On Resume [Tips & Examples!]

If you’re a college student, recent graduate, or entry-level professional, chances are you don’t have a lot of professional experience to list on your resume. 

This, in turn, might make you feel insecure about your application, especially considering that the work experience section is among the most important section of a resume. 

Well, listing your relevant coursework might just be the answer!

By listing the courses that are relevant to the job position or internship you’re applying for, you can show recruiters that while you don’t have much work experience, you have the right skills and knowledge for the job.

But what is the right way to list relevant coursework on your resume and is there a time when you shouldn’t list it all? And what exactly is relevant, to begin with?

In this article, we’re going to answer all those questions and more. Read on to learn:

When Is Relevant Coursework Necessary on a Resume?

• How to List Relevant Coursework on Your Resume in 3 Steps

7 Tips on Listing Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

Resume example with relevant coursework.

And more! Let’s dive right in. 

What Makes Coursework Relevant?

Professional experience is one of the most important sections of a successful resume, but you first need to land a job to start building it. 

Which begs the question, how can a recent graduate or entry-level professional prove they’ve got what it takes for an entry-level position with no, or minimal, professional experience ? 

Well, this is where coursework comes in. 

Together with academic projects and achievements, as well as extracurricular activities, listing relevant coursework can help students and entry-level professionals show they’ve got the necessary skills for the job despite not having the relevant professional experience.

The coursework you list on your resume should actually be related to the position you’re applying for.

For example, if you’re applying for a job as a graphic designer, listing your achievements in your World History class won’t really impress recruiters. If, on the other hand, you mention that you were top of your class in Design and Layout , you’ll be effectively showing recruiters that you have great potential as an up-and-coming graphic designer. 

To sum things up, here are the top cases when relevant coursework is necessary on a resume:

• When you’re still a student
• When you’re applying with an entry-level resume
• When you’re applying for an internship
• When the coursework is directly related to the job position 

If, on the other hand, you have 2+ years of work experience in the field, as well as the needed skill-set, coursework on your resume will only take up space and can be skipped entirely.

Checking the job description is another way of determining whether you should add relevant coursework to your resume. If, for example, the job description requires that you list your majors, GPA, diploma, or portfolio, chances are they’ll also be interested in your coursework, especially if it’s relevant to the position. 

How to List Relevant Coursework on Your Resume in 3 Steps 

So you’ve established that you should include relevant coursework on your resume. Now, you may be wondering where exactly to include it. 

As a rule of thumb, coursework is listed under an applicant’s education history. Depending on whether you have any professional experience to list, the education section may come before or after the work experience section. 

Here are the four best ways to add relevant coursework to your resume: 

#1. Add a New Line in Your Education Section

Instead of creating a fresh section called “Relevant Coursework,” you’re better off just adding the courses to your education section.

As a student resume can be one-page max , this helps you to save up the space needed for other essential resume sections.

Here’s a practical example of what this looks like on the resume of a recent graduate applying for a high-school teaching position: 

BA in World Literature 

UC Berkeley

2012 - 2016

Relevant coursework: British Literature, American Literature, Medieval Literature, William Shakespeare, Language and Cognitive Development 

#2. List Your Relevant Coursework in Bullet Points

To make your relevant coursework more visible and reader-friendly, list them in bullet points underneath your diploma title. 

Here’s how the above Literature graduate’s resume would look like following this formatting: 

Relevant Coursework: 

• British Literature
• American Literature 
• Medieval Literature 
• William Shakespeare 
• Language and Cognitive Development

#3. Explain How The Coursework is Relevant to the Position 

Finally, if you want to take your relevant coursework resume section to the next level, add detailed explanations to your courses to support how they’re relevant to the position you’re applying for or how they helped develop your skill-set. 

A recent study found that companies are suspending the use of degree completion as a proxy and instead now favor hiring on the basis of demonstrated skills and competencies . This means that your relevant coursework should aim to show exactly how it has helped you acquire the skills required for the position. 

Here’s an example of how that would play out for a journalism student applying for an entry-level reporting job at a newspaper:

B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication

Northwestern University, IL

2015 - 2018

• Writing and Reporting: Learned the ins and outs of news reporting through several practical assignments and exams.
• Media Ethics: Got introduced to the most essential ethical theories and decision-making strategies in journalism and wrote a paper on Ethical Journalism and Human Rights that got published in the Political Communication Journal.
• Gathering and Developing the News: Gained first-hand experience in interviewing, researching, newsgathering, and communicating with sources.

To make sure your coursework is as relevant as possible, check out the required skills in the job description. If you have taken classes that have helped you master those skills, then make sure to mention how by adding all the necessary details, as shown above. 

Here are seven tips you should always keep in mind when listing coursework on your resume: 

• Take advantage of keywords . When evaluating your resume, recruiters scan it to look for the keywords that were mentioned in the job description (e.g. skills, experiences, etc.). You can re-read the job ad and, where relevant, include these keywords in your coursework section.
• Tailor your resume to the job offer.  In order for your coursework to add value to your resume, it really needs to be relevant. So, if you’re applying for a job that doesn’t take academic background into consideration or that’s completely unrelated to your major, you’re better off omitting coursework altogether and focusing on other important sections, such as your hard and soft skills. 
• List online courses. If you’ve completed some online courses that are relevant to the position you’re applying for, feel free to also include them under relevant coursework. 
• Add value through other academic achievements. Relevant coursework can say a lot about your potential, but recruiters will be even more easily convinced if you support it with other academic achievements, including your GPA, extracurricular activities, etc. 
• Show how you’ve grown. When you’re explaining your relevant coursework in detail, you can include how you’ve grown by listing all the skills you acquired in the process. Those can be both soft skills, like communication and interpersonal skills, and hard skills like programming or doing extensive research. 
• Change the relevant coursework as you progress. Many college students start working in their freshman year. If that’s the case with you, make sure to update your resume from year to year to reflect your academic journey and most recently acquired skills. 
• Check for errors. A well-written, error-free resume shows that you’re attentive to detail and that you care to make a good impression. 

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! You now have all the necessary information to add relevant coursework to your resume effectively. 

Before you start working on your resume, though, here’s a brief summary of the key points covered in this article:

• Listing relevant coursework on your resume is not mandatory but can be very helpful if you’re a student or an entry-level professional.
• If you have at least a year of professional experience, drop your relevant coursework and focus on tailoring your work experience and skills sections to the position. 
• Relevant coursework typically goes under the education section. You can either give a general or a detailed summary of your coursework. 
• You can make a separate relevant coursework section only if the job you’re applying for requires a strong academic record. 
• Your coursework needs to be relevant to the position. This means you should leave them out of your resume if they have nothing to do with the role.

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How To Include Your Relevant Coursework On A Resume

In This Guide:

How important is it to list relevant coursework on a resume as a college student, how can i include relevant coursework on a student resume, when to avoid coursework on resume, what other sections can you add that can have more impact than coursework, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, passions/strengths/interests, relevant coursework on resume – takeaways.

In today’s hiring landscape, your resume needs to quickly communicate all of your potential value to an employer. If you’re a student or recently graduated, your practical job experience may still be poor – but your coursework is probably rich.

So should you include the relevant classes you took on your resume? You can!

However, there are some factors you should consider before listing your coursework. You need to think about where you are in your career, what is the position you are applying for, and how relevant your education is to the job description.

Don’t get scared, it is not so much. Stay with us. This article will help you decide whether you need to include your relevant coursework.

You can also browse through our Resume Examples where you can see a perfect one for your dreamed position.

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If you are a student or have just graduated, it is possible that you don’t have enough professional experience to show. So a good way to demonstrate your expertise is by including your relevant coursework.

However, if you already have a year or more work experience, this section won’t be much of a help.

Then you should focus on the professional experience and achievements you’ve accomplished.

Even if you are a student or freshly graduated, there are jobs, for which relevant coursework won’t be helpful. For example a cashier or a waiter. If you are looking for these jobs, better emphasize on your technical skills and past experience.

If you’re applying for a job that emphasizes the importance of academic experience, like an internship or other education-focused position, it would be best to include a relevant coursework section on your resume.

Whether they are needed or not, look through the job description. This could help you understand what to write. If they’re looking for a certain diploma, certification, portfolio or GPA, these are indicators that you should include.

How much coursework you fit into your resume and where you include it depends on three factors:

• The number of relevant courses you’ve taken
• The detail you want to include
• The space you have

Most people include relevant coursework in the education section of their resumes.

To do this, just write “Relevant Coursework” beneath the degree name, and then use commas to separate the titles of the courses.

If you have enough space, you could also make a bullet list. This way it would be easier for the Recruiter to read.

Another way to write it is a separate section.

We, from Enhancv, have made that easy. Just go to our resume builder and make the most of it.

Write your relevant courses as a separate section if you want to include more than just the names of the classes. A perfect way to tell the Recruiter what you have learned through your studies when they are related to the job you are applying to.

Couple with academic achievements / GPA

If you don’t want to use a separate section, or you don’t have enough space for it, you can always couple them with your academic achievements or with your GPA.

Decide which to use in your resume, after you read the job description and see which is going to be more helpful to you to get that job.

If you have created a separate section for your coursework, just write the most important courses, depending on the job description.

Don’t put in all of your classes. It is going to take a lot of space and it would only distract the Recruiter.

If your coursework is crucial to the position consider putting it closer to the top of your resume.

If the class is necessary for the Hiring Managers don’t put it in the education section, because it could get lost along with all of the information.

Only list the names of your classes on your resume. Your university probably uses an internal system to number your courses, however, the employers wouldn’t know or care what the numbers mean.

If you have created a separate section for your coursework write just the most important courses, depending on the job description.

Don’t put all of your courses. It is going to take a lot of space and it would only distract the Recruiter.

Only list the name of your classes on your resume. Your university probably uses an internal system to number your courses, however, the employers won’t know or care what the numbers mean.

As we said earlier, coursework is a good way to show your educational achievements. However, there are times when it’s better not to include them.

If it’s been some time since you have been in school and the coursework is outdated, it might be best to leave the specifics off your resume.

What is more, keep an eye on the length of your resume. If you have just graduated or still a student, better make it no longer than one page. If there is no space for the related coursework, don’t include them if they are not specifically asked for in the job description.

Don’t include courses that are in no way relevant for the position.

If you have successfully finished a course in “Art History”, but you are applying to a position in a call center, don’t include it in your resume.

It will not help you to get the job you want and it will distract the Hiring Manager from your skills related to the position.

There are many other sections, which you can include if you have no experience. And sometimes, they could be much more important than the coursework.

According to Deloitte, 82% of hiring managers prefer applicants with volunteer experience.

They believe volunteer work makes you a good leader and strengthens your communication skills.

You should include your volunteer work when it is relevant to your professional development.

It can put you in good light and make you stand out among other applicants..

Check the great example from Avery Leclerq:

If you don’t have volunteer experience or it is not related to the position you are applying to, choose one of the sections below.

Focus the Hiring Manager’s attention on your experience outside of the university. It could be any extracurricular activity related to the position you are applying to.

For example, you could have been part of your local AIESEC team and participated in their initiatives.

Or you could have been part of a student organization or a club and made your university a better place to study in.

Adding this experience in your cover letter tells the Recruiter that you have developed yourself, your organizational skills, and you are motivated to help others.

Another way to make your resume look good without work experience is by adding activities and projects that are related somehow to the position you are applying for.

Even if they were university or academy projects, you have gained a lot while finishing them.

Recruiters will see that you’re a person who is dedicated to their career path and gains better skills and experience with side projects!

These can help you in identifying yourself and your own personality with the company’s culture fit profile.

Be sure to highlight your personality and unique qualities.

See this example:

As it’s clear, the candidate is an outgoing, extroverted person who enjoys nature, tech and education.

It is a creative way to show your hobbies and interest. What is more, the Recruiter could make a conclusion just by seeing the pie chart and the distribution of time.

There is another section you can use – Passion. It can be used to enhance the effect of the hobbies and interests section.

Adding them is not mandatory, but might be valuable when your life passions are relevant to the job.

Whatever you choose to include, always make sure you present it in a way that sounds and looks professional.

When both are included, they give a complete picture of who you are – not only in your work time.

That will significantly improve your chances of landing an interview, especially if you have a resume without job experience.

Here’s all you need to know about putting relevant coursework on a resume:

• It is not absolutely necessary to list relevant coursework in a resume;
• If you are a student or just graduated they could help you.
• If you have the experience, drop relevant coursework from your resume, and focus on your practical experience and skills.
• Use the education section to present the relevant coursework, you can separate them with commas or make a bullet-pointed list.
• Make a section only for your relevant coursework if the position you’re applying for requires a strong academic background;
• If it is not wanted by the job description, better drop it and focus on volunteer and extracurricular activities, hobbies, and interests relevant to the position.

Still not sure whether or not you should put relevant coursework on a resume? Or maybe it has helped you get your dream job? Write to us in the comments below!

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How to List Work Experience on Your Resume – A Guide with Examples

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How to Include Relevant Coursework On Your Resume

Craft a Resume That Focuses on Student Coursework

What Courses and Projects to Include

Other experience to include.

• How to Add Relevant Coursework

Use Keywords in Your Descriptions

Proofread and edit.

• Where to Put the Education Section
• Example of a Coursework-Focused Resume

As a current student or recent graduate, you may not have very much work experience to include on your resume. However, you can potentially strengthen your resume by emphasizing related coursework and other academic projects. 

Employers understand that entry-level employees may not have a whole lot of career experience. They will often look at your coursework and academic experiences to help determine whether you have the knowledge to fill the open position.

Add Relevant Coursework

When  creating a resume , you can add a section titled “Relevant Coursework." In it, include the courses directly related to the position you are applying for. For example, if you're applying for work as a paralegal, list any classes you took related to law or politics.

List Projects

Similarly, if you have completed any research projects related to your future career, list these too. If you're applying for a job that involves conducting research, list any extensive research projects you worked on.

Having a section listing relevant coursework makes sense if you're applying for an internship or entry-level position. Once you can no longer be termed a recent graduate, and have some on-the-job experience, you can remove this section from your resume. 

Emphasize Your Achievements

Beyond related coursework, you should also emphasize any academic successes, such as a high GPA or an award from an academic department. It's a good idea to include this information in the education section.

Although these successes may not appear to be directly related to the job for which you are applying, they demonstrate your hard work and responsibility.

Extracurricular Activities

If you participated in any sports or clubs where you developed skills relevant to the job you’re applying for, include these too. You could, for example, include a section in your resume titled “Extracurricular Activities,” or you might highlight activities in a broader section titled “Relevant Experience.”

Volunteering

Volunteer work is a relevant experience. Even if you didn't get paid for this work,  volunteer experiences  can make terrific additions to your resume. For example, if you're applying for a job as a teacher’s assistant, describe your volunteer tutor experience.

How to Add Relevant Coursework to Your Resume

You'll likely want to add this information below your college or graduate information.

Relevant Coursework Section

You can format it as a single section—for example, if you're applying for a role as a journalist:

Relevant coursework:  Ethics in Journalism, Modern Media Communications, and Forensic Accounting for Journalists

Relevant Coursework List

Or, you may opt to format the information as a bullet-point list. For instance, if you're applying for a role in marketing, you could present your coursework like this: 

Relevant Coursework

• Developing a Brand 
• Communications 
• Public Speaking 

More Options

Finally, you may want to share several types of experience, using more detailed bullet points. Or, you may want to share some descriptive details about the courses you've listed if it's not clear from the course titles. 

If you include coursework on your resume, be prepared to talk about the classes and what you learned in them during interviews. 

Including relevant coursework on your resume is a good way to incorporate keywords. Look for keywords in the job listing, and try to include them in this section. 

For instance, if the job requires field research experience, you can mention your “30+ hours of field research” in the description of your senior project. Or, you can add "Field Research Methods" as one of the courses you've taken. 

Take the time to thoroughly edit your resume for spelling and grammar errors. Also, make sure that your font and style choices are consistent—for example, if you format one section title in bold, all section titles should be bold.

You might set up a meeting with a counselor at your college career services office to have someone else read through your resume too.

Where to List the Education Section of Your Resume

The education section of your resume—which generally includes relevant coursework—can be placed at the top or bottom of the document. If it's your best experience, or if you think your educational background will be relevant to hiring managers, include whatever is most appropriate at the top of the document.

Example of a Coursework-Focused Resume

This resume focuses on relevant coursework and leadership experiences.

Student Resume Focusing on Coursework

Hailey Applicant 456 Oakwood Terrace Anytown, PA 99999 (555) 555-555 haileyapplicant@XYZcollege.edu

RESEARCH ASSISTANT

Advancing science and law through dedicated legal and scientific research

A respected research assistant who has worked with tenured professors, practicing lawyers, school administrators, and company executives to produce research reports on scientific study and Supreme Court case law.

Key skills include:

• Computer-Assisted Research
• Organizing Research Data for Comprehensive Reports
• Analyzing Case Law
• Working with Research Teams
• Presenting Research Data

RELEVANT LEGAL COURSEWORK AND RESEARCH

XYZ LABS, White Plains, NY RESEARCH ASSISTANT (Fall 2020 – Present) Collaborate with an adviser, research team, and Smith School of Medicine to conduct research regarding the effects of steroids on the activity level of rats.

Notable accomplishments:

• Use a computer to gather and analyze data for distribution to the research team.
• Present new findings in bimonthly discussion with the department.

SOCIOLOGY OF LAW COURSE, SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT, XYZ COLLEGE, White Plains, NY RESEARCH INTERN (Spring 2020) Researched case law dealing with social policy and the Supreme Court.

Notable Accomplishments:

• Analyzed cases and produced final paper regarding social policy in court cases.
• Explained results and conclusions in a final presentation to practicing lawyers.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

XYZ COLLEGE , White Plains, NY Bachelor of Arts in Government (Cumulative GPA: 3.9) Awarded Outstanding Government Student, May 2020

Computer Skills

Microsoft Word • Excel • PowerPoint • LexisNexis • Adobe

How to List Coursework on a Resume

Quick Navigation:

Who should include coursework on a resume?

How to list coursework on a resume, tips for including relevant coursework, templates for listing coursework on a resume.

Listing coursework on your resume is most effective when you are applying for a job and you don’t have a lot of experience, or if you are applying for a job that requires specific course completion. If you recently graduated from high school, college or a trade school, you may not have a lot of work-related experience. This article will show you how to include coursework on your resume to highlight your knowledge as a primary qualification. 

Recent graduates or people changing careers may not have enough related experience. This is the perfect opportunity to list coursework instead of experience. Before you can impress a hiring manager with your skills and talents, you first need to get an interview. Without showing experience on a resume, it might be difficult to reach that first step.

Be sure to include only the courses relevant to the position you are applying to, such as electives in business marketing, child psychology or medical terminology. If you completed a practicum or job shadowing as part of your coursework, be sure to include that also. 

By showing competence in specific areas with a coursework resume, you could potentially interview and impress the hiring manager with your qualifications and personality.

There are a few steps to follow to include coursework on your resume:

1. First, list relevant courses that show experience

For example, if you are applying for a job in education, you can list courses in child development, child psychology and any other classes that will show experience working with children.

2. Second, add internships to your resume

Many courses require you to complete summer internships that might not pay but offer experience in your field. For example, if you are applying for a law firm job, include your internship working as a file clerk or transcriptionist. During these internships, you probably learned to answer phones, talk with clients and specific legal terminology. Listing this on your resume shows you have a knowledgeable background working with attorneys, even if you might not have paid employment experience. 

3. Third, include relevant class projects on your resume or in your portfolio

While attending school, you probably completed several class projects. For example, if you are looking for a business marketing job, include project information where you learned marketing techniques. If you have pictures or examples of brochures and data analysis charts, you might want to include these as an attachment with your resume or take them in your portfolio when you go for an interview. 

4. Fourth, incorporate extracurricular activities and volunteer work

Even if you have never worked as a paid employee in the field you are applying for, you might have completed extracurricular activities or volunteer work. For example, if you are applying for a job with a newspaper, include your experience working on the yearbook for both high school and college. If you wrote articles for your school newspaper, include this experience and even some writing samples.

When including relevant coursework on a resume, you need to think about the best placement and how to prioritize highlighted courses. You should also include your GPA if it portrays your hard work, and incorporate online classes and extracurricular activities like volunteer work if it’s in the field you are applying for. 

Here are a few tips to consider when you are writing your resume:

List the school followed by the relevant coursework

When writing your resume, you need to determine where to include relevant coursework. The best place to include these classes is after listing the high school, college or technical school you attended.

Prioritize important classes 

You do not need to include every class on your transcript. Instead, choose relevant classes for the position you are applying for. If you are applying for a variety of jobs, you might need to change the courses on your resume for different applications.

Include your GPA 

If you have a 3.0 or higher GPA in your major area of study, include this as part of your resume. If you graduated with honors, you might want to include those details as well.

List relevant online courses

Many classes are taken online, and you should include the courses that are relevant on your resume. Just because you didn’t learn the material in a classroom setting doesn’t mean it’s not important. Including online courses also shows competency with computer skills. 

Show extracurricular activities

If you completed volunteer work as part of a class or with an organization, include these details on your resume to portray team experience and successfully working to reach a specific goal. 

Since you are probably listing coursework because you don’t have much experience, try to place this information near the top of your resume. If you are changing careers, you might want to list some job experience and highlight the relevant coursework near the middle with your education. There are several different ways to list coursework on your resume, but you need to make sure this content is organized and easy to read. 

You can use these templates when you are writing your own resume:

No relevant job experience:

College, University, or Tech School     

Anytown, State

Dates of attendance

GPA (if it’s above a 3.0)

Relevant coursework

Limited job experience:

Degree, Name of College, University or Tech School

Relevant coursework: (list 3 to 5 classes)

Although it may seem strange to list coursework on a resume, when you are trying to highlight your credentials and you don’t have relevant job experience, you need the extra help to secure an interview. Once you meet with the hiring manager, you can offer examples of how your coursework and experiences in school make you the right person for the job. 

How to Make Relevant Coursework on a Resume Look Good (Examples and Free Templates)

Including relevant coursework on your resume can demonstrate subject-matter knowledge, transferable skills, and qualifications for a role, particularly for students, recent graduates, or those with little to no experience.

Relevant coursework on a resume shows that: 

• You have subject-matter knowledge
• You have a transferable skill set to offer

And this helps with showing that you’re qualified for the role. 

Now, putting coursework on a resume isn’t just for students and graduates. It’s applicable to those with experience and even managers as long as it’s directly linked to the job responsibilities. 

Having a lack of experience shouldn’t stop you from applying. In this guide, you’ll learn when and when not to include coursework and how to list it on your resume.

When to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume 

Here are 5 times when you should consider including relevant coursework on your resume. For the most part though, this is effective for student resumes .

You Have Little to No Experience

Having no professional experience means employers will turn to other areas to get insight into your technical skills and knowledge. Some of these other areas include:

• Academic achievements
• Relevant courses
• Communication skills

Therefore, use your coursework to demonstrate that you’re still qualified for the role.

You’re Applying for Internship or Entry-Level Jobs

College students and recent graduates alike will benefit from including relevant coursework to showcase subject-matter expertise. This is especially useful for internship resume applications .

Similar to those making a career change with little to no experience in the field, employers and applicant tracking systems will refer to academic experience. In other words, they’ll look at your resume for the following:

• Qualifications
• Certifications

Transferable Hard Skills and Knowledge

The job posting might mention a few online courses, skills, and knowledge that’s required or desirable. And if this is the case, then it can be worth including certain coursework because it’s part of what makes the company's ideal candidate.

A common example of this is having a degree that’s not directly related to the entry-level job you’re applying for. But, one of the courses or modules you studied was directly related to the role. So in this instance, it would be worth mentioning those modules and courses on your resume. 

It Involves Real-World Experience

Let’s look at some marketing courses as an example. 

To be acknowledged as someone that’s completed the course, one of the requirements could be to develop and implement a digital marketing strategy for a real business. 

Now, this coursework would be valuable to put on a resume . Not only does it show that you’re knowledgeable about marketing as a subject. But it also demonstrates workforce experience since you’re using what you know in the real world and not just writing it down on a school paper. 

Advanced Coursework From a Reputable Organization

Including specialized coursework highlights your knowledge. And because the course was from a reputable organization, it’ll look good for both your resume and your overall academic background. 

Not all other candidates may have managed to secure the opportunity to study with that same institution. So, mentioning this on your resume will help you stand out. 

When Not to Include Relevant Coursework on a Resume

Here are 3 times when you should reconsider including relevant coursework on your resume.

You Have More Than 2 Years of Work Experience

Above all resume sections, your work experience matters the most.

Coursework isn’t necessary when you already have several years of experience. Your professional experience is usually more important than coursework because practicality is more useful than theory. 

But when you have extra space, then you could consider mentioning relevant courses. If not and space is limited, prioritize your work experience instead of coursework. 

The Coursework Is Outdated

You’re better off leaving your coursework out of your resume when it’s outdated because it may no longer be relevant in today’s landscape. 

However, similar to the resume education section , you could still include it but by removing details related to the dates – this is assuming that it meets one of the 5 points mentioned earlier. 

No Transferable Skills

When there are no transferable skills, it clutters your application instead of adding value. In other words, it's pretty much irrelevant and unnecessary when there are no transferable skills that have been developed. 

Even so, an alternative if you'd still like to mention your coursework is to frame it as an achievement. Omit the bullet points and only include the following details:

• Course title
• Course summary

How to List Relevant Coursework and Make Them Look Good

We’ll show you step-by-step how to create a separate resume section for your coursework and how to list them correctly. Afterwards, we'll show you other sections on a resume where you can list your courses.

1. Use an Optimized Resume Format

A well-formatted resume section will get your reader’s attention. It also makes it easier for the reader to find key information quickly. 

Here’s what makes a good resume section format:

• All caps text
• Professional resume font

Unless you’re using a resume platform like Rezi , you'll likely have to optimize for each of these manually. 

2. Enter the Resume Section Header

The header of your coursework section could either be “coursework” or “relevant coursework.” Make this nice and clear and easy to read for the hiring manager. Use bold text for the headers and lining to make the resume section stand out. 

3. Enter the Subheaders 

The subheaders include the following details:

• Course name
• Date of completion 
• Course skills/objective (optional)

Here’s an example of how this looks when building a resume with Rezi (but forget about the last field for now because that’s not going to be a subheader, which is what we’ll be going over in the next step).

4. Describe the Skills That You Applied 

As shown above from the Rezi dashboard, the last field requires you to describe the skills that you applied. Use bullet points to showcase your abilities and responsibilities. The skills mentioned should be relevant to the job description and each bullet point should be outcome-focused. 

On that note, see below for the best practices on how to write about your coursework and make them look good.

Start Each Bullet Point With an Action Verb 

Begin your sentences using an action verb to get straight to the point. This is effective because it engages the reader by immediately bringing them into the action. However, be specific and creative – and avoid the overused words. 

Aside from grabbing your hiring manager’s attention, it conveys initiative as well as accountability. It also emphasizes the impact that you've made.

Highlight Achievements and Results

Make your sentences outcome-focused. This is a more compelling way to show that you’re a results-driven person as opposed to just saying you’re all about the results. 

That said, here’s a few tips to keep in mind:

• Be specific: mention exactly what you worked on and what skills, knowledge, or frameworks you had to apply.
• Quantify the results: use numbers if possible when writing about achievements and responsibilities.  
• Use the active voice: put emphasis on the actions you took and the difference that your efforts made.
• Be concise: keep each bullet point brief and ensure it’s only 1-2 lines long.

Use Resume Keywords 

Refer to the job ad. See what type of words related to job skills and knowledge keeps on being brought up.

Tailor your bullet points based on the job description. For instance, focus your descriptions of an assignment on a particular skill or ability that the hiring manager would expect from the ideal candidate. 

Other Sections to Put Relevant Coursework on a Resume 

There are 3 places where you can mention coursework on a resume:

• Education section
• Additional resume section
• Individual resume section

How you write about your coursework depends on which resume section you’re mentioning it in. 

Coursework in Resume Education Section 

Aside from including your degree in the education section, you can include what you minored in. You may also mention a relevant coursework piece. This can either be listed as a bullet point or as a subheader next to the main qualification listed. 

Whether you want to add the title of your coursework or what you minored in, this information is secondary. The primary information in the education section is the main academic qualification. 

Here’s an example below.

Coursework in Additional Resume Section

The additional resume section could be one of the following:

• Extracurricular activities
• Involvement

You write about your coursework depending on the nature of the additional resume section. 

If it’s similar to the education section where you’re listing qualifications or awards, include the title of the coursework you completed as a subheader after listing the main achievement. Or, bring it up as a bullet point underneath.

But if it’s similar to the work experience section where you want to include details about your responsibilities, list the title of the coursework as the main subheader. Then, add bullet points underneath describing what you learned. 

Coursework in Individual Resume Section 

Use a separate resume section dedicated to relevant coursework as shown in our step-by-step guide earlier.

5 Mistakes Job Seekers Make When Listing Coursework on a Resume

Here are 5 common mistakes to avoid: 

• The coursework listed isn’t relevant to the job position
• The coursework description shows no application of skills and knowledge
• Overloading your resume with coursework. (If you want to focus on quantity, then forget about the bullet points and just fill in the subheaders.)
• Listing coursework without a concise summary of what it’s about. 
• Prioritizing coursework over work experience. 

4 Resume Examples With a Good Coursework Section 

Feel free to also check out our library of 300+ free resume templates here . 

First Year Student Resume

Data Science Intern Resume

Portfolio Manager Resume

Student Technical Assistant Resume

Generate a Powerful Coursework Resume Section in Less Than 60 Seconds

Firstly, you need a Rezi account – sign up here to get started for free . 

Next, all you need to do is simply fill in the following fields:

• Enter the coursework title. 
• Include the organization/institution name where you completed the coursework.
• Mention the dates.
• Include the location. 
• Press “Generate Bullet”. 

• Either press “AI writer generate” to rewrite the bullet point or if you’re happy with it, use the suggestion for your coursework resume section. 

Use Coursework to Prove You’re Qualified 

Work experience and skills are important for hiring managers… but so is your academic background.  

Include only relevant coursework on a resume. Not the irrelevant modules. Then, either use it to do one of the following:

• Frame your coursework as an accomplishment
• Use your coursework to showcase your skills and knowledge by describing what you’ve learned

And if you’re struggling to write your resume in general, try using Rezi’s AI resume builder . You’re guided step-by-step and you can rely on our AI writer to give you a hand!

Astley Cervania

Astley Cervania is a career writer and editor who has helped hundreds of thousands of job seekers build resumes and cover letters that land interviews. He is a Rezi-acknowledged expert in the field of career advice and has been delivering job success insights for 4+ years, helping readers translate their work background into a compelling job application.

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How To Include Relevant Coursework On A Student Resume

• Resume Templates
• General Resume Examples
• Resume Format
• Resume Margins
• Resume Header
• Work Experience On Resume
• Irrelevant Work Experience
• Listing Languages On Resume
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• Resume Title
• Summary Of Qualifications
• Resume Picture
• Python Project On Resume
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• Multiple Positions At Same Company
• Relevant Coursework Resume
• Where And How To Put Internships On Your Resume
• Professional Resume Formats

If you are a student who is looking for and applying to jobs, you may not have enough work experience to fill up your resume. If you look online at resume templates or examples, most will have sections for work experience, skills, and education.

Adding a relevant coursework sections gives a potential employer a decent understanding of the skills you’re developing and if you’d make a good fit for the position they’re advertising.

However, including your coursework on your resume should be handled delicately. Below, we discuss how to include coursework on your resume as a student or recent graduate.

Key Takeaways:

Including relevant coursework on your resume can increase your chances of landing a job or internship , especially when you lack formal work experience.

As a student or recent graduate, most of your impressive accomplishments happened during your time in school through clubs, activities, and your coursework.

When including your relevant coursework you should put it in a single-column format, multi-column format, or detailed format.

Relevant coursework should be put under the education section of your resume.

What Is Relevant Coursework on a Resume and Where to Put It

How to include your coursework on a resume, example of coursework focused resume, when to include and not include relevant coursework on your resume, tips for including relevant coursework on your resume.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

Relevant coursework includes any classes, projects, or academic experiences that relate to the job you’re applying for. You can include relevant course in the education section of your resume as a way of making up for your lack of formal work experience.

Not all of your college classes are particularly relevant for many entry-level positions . For example, someone applying for an accounting role shouldn’t bother including their philosophy class.

Relevant coursework should usually follow the basic information about the school (university name, anticipated graduation date , major) and any other optional academic topics you feel will improve your candidacy (Dean’s List, awards, honors, etc.)

Relevant coursework beneath the education heading . Remember, highlight only the information that is relevant to the position you’re applying for. In some cases, especially when you highlight relevant skills or abilities, your information might make sense in a different place on your resume.

It’s important to remember that all resumes will look different based on your experience level and what kind of job you’re applying for. Be sure to tailor your resume in a way that’s right for you and your future career goals.

Depending on the amount of coursework you have, you’ll have a few different ways to include this coursework on your resume. This can include a column format or a detailed format.

Depending on the amount of information already on your resume and how relevant the details of your coursework are for the position, you’ll need to alter how you list this information. Unless you have a very bare resume, it’s a good idea to consider the single-column format or the multi-column format.

Below are the different ways to include relevant coursework on your resume:

Single-column format. The single-column format displays your relevant coursework in a list form with bullet points. Here, you’ll list the relevant class title you’re looking to highlight and no additional information.

Multi-column format. If you have multiple skills you’re looking to highlight that fit into different categories, you can consider the multi-column format. Each column should have a different header (such as; Marketing or English) with the relevant courses listed beneath.

Detailed format. The detailed format is more in-depth than just using the title of the course. It provides more specifics on the skills you may have learned in each specific course. This format will look more like the format you’re used to seeing under the work experience section of a resume .

In this format, you’ll give the course, school, dates, and a few bullet points beneath that help to highlight the learnings you’ve gleaned from your time in this course. If you decide to use this kind of format, take extra care to only include skills that are relevant to the job at hand.

As you work through what coursework to include and how to format it appropriately, you’ll also need to decide on the appropriate place to put it. If it’s a supplement to the rest of your resume, you can consider adding it at the end.

However, if it’s the most impressive part of your resume, you can consider placing it more towards the top so that the employer sees it at first glance. In certain circumstances, it’s appropriate for your relevant coursework to replace the work experience section.

So how exactly should this look on your resume? As mentioned above, it will differ depending on the individual, the amount of existing information on your resume, and the relevant coursework you’re able to share. Below are a few examples of ways to include your relevant coursework on your resume.

Single-column format:

Master of Science in Learning Technologies Pennsylvania State University Completion: 2014 Related Classwork: Cloud Computing in the Digital Age Integrating Social Media in Online Learning Environments Learning Technologies Foundations and Applications

Multi-column format:

Bachelor’s in Information Technology Saint Joseph’s University Completion: 2015 Related Coursework: Information Technology Application Development: Developed coding skills for web development. Networking and Telecommunications: Studied transmission media, packet switching and routing, and cybersecurity. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: Researched the relationship between AI and machine learning, its impact on business processes, and sales and marketing teams. Artificial Intelligence Implications for Business Strategy: Gained knowledge to support AI integrations into existing organizations to make strategic business decisions.

Detailed Format:

Bachelor’s in Marketing Rowan University Completion: 2017 Related Coursework: Business to Business Marketing Deep comprehension B2B marketing tactics, including digital campaigning, paid advertising, public relations , and content creation. Studied the relationships and nuances between businesses and how receptiveness to marketing is altered in comparison to B2C. Public Relations Fostered relationships with editors, create pitch emails and articles, and how to best process a press release over the wire. Execute a public relations campaign from editorial relationships, press releases, by-line articles, and event promotion. Principles of Marketing Practiced the fundamentals of marketing, including data analysis, copywriting, buyer personas, and more. Developed and execute a full marketing plan.

Relevant coursework refers to the list of subjects and classes you have taken or are currently taken at a school that is related to the job you’re applying for. So, when should you include this type of information on a resume?

When to include relevant course work:

The following situations are appropriate instances to include relevant coursework on your resume:

You are a recent graduate or will be graduating soon. When you’re getting ready to enter the workforce or are preparing a resume for graduate school, including relevant coursework is a must.

You lack professional experience. If you’re writing a resume without work experience or related work experience, putting in related coursework will help your credibility and opportunity to snag the job.

You want to change careers, and your coursework is relevant. A career change is a big move for any professional, and depending on where you’re moving, you may have minimal experience or skills from your work experience to highlight. In this case, it’s relevant to mention your coursework.

When not to include relevant coursework:

If you’re uncertain about when to include or exclude coursework on your resume, there are a few things you might want to keep in mind. The following instances may be applicable when considering leaving your coursework off your resume:

Your resume is already a page long . If you have enough work experience, skills, and education to fill up an entire page of your resume, it’s probably best to leave coursework off, even if it is relevant

The coursework is outdated. If it’s been some time since you have been in school and the coursework is outdated, it might be best to leave the specifics off your resume.

Your coursework is not relevant to the position. Of course, if the coursework isn’t immediately relevant to the job you’re applying for, it’s better to leave it off . If it comes up as an opportunity during your interview, feel free to bring it up there.

Tailor your resume for the job . Regardless of where you are in your career, this is the golden rule of resume-writing. The definition of “relevant” changes depending on what the job description looks like.

Give more educational details. If you’re opting to include coursework, you should also include brief mentions of other educational achievements.

Be explicit about skills. Your resume will also have a skills section that’s ripe for hitting keywords that applicant tracking systems (ATS) love to see. But an advantage of including relevant coursework is that you can also include even more skills.

Edit continually. Everyone should update their resume often, but nobody should do it more often than students and recent graduates. As a freshman, it’s fine to include some basic courses, but each year brings more difficult (and therefore more impressive courses) that should take precedence over your earlier studies.

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Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research. Caitlin holds a degree in English from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA.

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.

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Last Updated: May 25, 2023 References

This article was co-authored by Amber Leima and by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD . Amber Leima is a Resumé Consultant and the Founding Editor of Best Words Editing. She has two decades of experience helping people and companies express their unique value. Amber is a master at drawing out what matters from your personal story and promoting it to optimal effect, crafting beautifully clear resumés and on-point personal branding supported by thoughtfully-structured interview coaching. She holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in English Literature from the University of Sussex, England. Her clients have been hired by their employers of choice, including Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and PayPal. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 354,506 times.

Crafting a great resume isn’t easy! One of the many tricky parts is choosing what to add and what to leave out—for instance, should you list some relevant coursework? Adding coursework can be particularly important if you are a recent graduate and have little relevant work experience. If you determine that you should indeed add relevant coursework to your resume, it’s critical to ensure it is truly relevant to the position for which you are applying—and is listed in the right place with sensible formatting!

Selecting Coursework for Inclusion

• The general cut-off point is typically 5 years of relevant work experience: if you have less than this, add relevant coursework to your resume; if you have more than this, only add relevant coursework if it’s hyper-specific to the job or internship.
• Still not sure if you should add coursework to your resume? Ask yourself if you’ll rely on talking about coursework during an interview. In other words, do you have enough relevant work experience that you won’t need to mention your coursework during an interview? If the answer is “yes,” then you typically don’t need to add coursework to your resume.

• Remember: just because you’re not done with a course or degree doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant! Always list any in-progress coursework and note the planned completion date of the course or degree.
• List the courses by their actual title, not their course number or some nickname: for example, “United States History to 1877,” not “U.S. History 101” or “American History I.” This isn’t absolutely essential while brainstorming, but it makes things easier once it’s time to transfer coursework to your resume. [3] X Research source

• If, for example, you’re a communications major and are applying for a social media internship, any social media communication classes you’ve taken should be considered relevant. Or, if you’re applying for an HR job and have taken courses on finance and payroll as part of your human resources major, definitely include these if the position involves areas like compensation and benefits.

• For example, if you are applying for a position at an aerospace engineering firm, you should list your internship at an aerospace research facility. Or, if you are applying for a social media position at a marketing company, you might list volunteer experience as the social media director at a local festival.

Adding Coursework to Your Resume

• Suggested section title: Relevant Education and Coursework.
• For example, you may have earned a degree in English, but are now studying graphic design at your local college. If you are applying for a position at a graphic design firm, list this educational experience first, before your English degree.

Bachelor of Science in Genetic Engineering Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island Expected completion date: 05/2017

Bachelor of Science in Genetic Engineering Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island Expected completion date: 05/2017 Relevant coursework: Lab Testing & Reporting, Genetic Manipulation, Social Implications of Genetic Engineering.

Advanced Studies in Marketing and Advertising Hudson Community College, Hudson, New York Expected completion date: 05/2015

• It’s also not necessary to list your final GPA for a degree or course, as most employers will not notice the score. But if you graduated with high honors, such as summa cum laude or with honors , make a note of this in your resume.

Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, Graduated with Honors Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec Relevant Coursework: Advanced Topics in Social Anthropology, Research and Investigation, Advanced Studies in Ancient Cities.

Expert Q&A

• Even if your education and coursework listing feels a bit thin for the position, it’s important not to fabricate coursework on your resume. Your employer may ask you about this made-up coursework, putting you in a position where you must either come clean or be dishonest in your interview. [10] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://publichealth.gwu.edu/blogs/careers/2014/04/15/weekly-career-tip-including-relevant-coursework-on-a-resume/
• ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-and-how-not-to-list-education-on-your-resume
• ↑ Amber Leima. Resumé Consultant. Expert Interview. 18 March 2022.
• ↑ Alyson Garrido, PCC. Career Coach. Expert Interview. 24 January 2019.
• ↑ https://career.virginia.edu/blog/how-create-stem-resume-basics
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/dailymuse/2017/06/07/your-handy-answer-to-how-long-do-i-keep-my-graduation-year-on-my-resume/#3789e7ee6d2e
• ↑ https://www.payscale.com/career-news/2019/01/why-you-should-never-lie-on-a-resume-7-stories-of-people-who-got-caught

About this article

Referencing your coursework is a great way to show an employer the knowledge and experience you have in a particular field. If you've completed any coursework relevant to the job you're applying for, include it in your resume to show off your skills. To do this, list your coursework in your education section, underneath your degree. Write your degree or course first, then your university or college, followed by your graduation date or anticipated completion date. Then, underneath that, add the subheading “Relevant coursework,” and list 1-3 examples of relevant coursework. For more tips, including how to work out which coursework is most relevant to the job you’re applying for, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How To List Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

Most students and recent graduates do not have a wealth of professional experience to list on a resume, so including relevant coursework can help potential employers get an idea of the skills and qualifications that you are currently developing.

This article will cover what relevant coursework is as well as how and when to include it on your resume.

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 doesn’t only have to be strictly classes. 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.

The courses and projects that you include must actually be relevant to the position that you are applying for. Don’t list your entire transcript - instead, choose the top 3-5 courses, projects, or subjects that are the most relevant.

If it’s not immediately clear why you are listing a course on your resume, consider including a brief description of the subject materials, projects you completed for the class, and/or how the class will help you perform in the position that you are applying for.

When To Include Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

Consider including relevant coursework on your resume if you are currently a student, you’ve recently graduated, you are applying to an internship , or you are applying to entry-level positions. Additionally, if you are applying to academic or other education-focused positions, it may be appropriate to include relevant courses and details about your studies.

Especially if you have taken AP, IB, or honors classes, listing relevant courses on your resume can show potential employers that you are intelligent, dedicated, and studious.

Finally, if the employer asks for details like a certain degree or diploma, your GPA, or a portfolio of past projects that you have completed, that can be a cue that they will be pleased to see your relevant coursework on your resume as well.

When Not To Include Relevant Coursework

If you have more than a year of professional work experience , you likely don’t need to include relevant coursework on your resume. If you have more than five years of work experience, you almost definitely do not need to include high school or college coursework. Employers will be focused more on your recent work experience than classes that you took many years ago.

Additionally, if you are applying for entry-level positions where school coursework isn’t particularly relevant at all (such as waitstaff jobs, outdoor recreation positions, etc.) then you may be better off focusing on hard and soft skills and certifications over schoolwork.

How To List Your Relevant Coursework

If you’ve decided that it makes sense for you to include your relevant coursework on your resume, here’s how to do so:

Add Courses to Your Education Section

Naturally, 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.

For example, here’s how to list coursework in a comma-separated list:

BA in Journalism

UC Davis, Davis, CA

Relevant Coursework: Ethical Journalism, Global Journalism, Technical Writing

You can also use a bulleted list, which can be helpful if you want to demonstrate proficiency in multiple fields:

Relevant Coursework: Journalism

• Ethical Journalism
• Global Journalism
• Editor of the weekly student newspaper
• Completed Research Internship with LA Times

Relevant Coursework: English

• Technical Writing
• Creative Writing
• Expository Writing

Finally, you may wish to include a short description of each course that reinforces its relevance to the job:

Relevant Coursework:

• Ethical Journalism - Learned principles and practices to ensure the accurate, complete, and fair exchange of information
• Global Journalism - Learned how to present news items with a global outlook and report on issues that affect the entire world
• Completed Research Internship with LA Times - Learned the basics of journalistic research and the processes involved in operating the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country

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.

Tailor Your Relevant Coursework to Each Position

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.

You can even tailor your education section and your relevant coursework to the job posting. Especially if you opt to use a detailed, bulleted list of relevant coursework, you can use the description of each course as an opportunity to include more keywords.

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. However, 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.

Consider Adding Other Education Details

If you decide to include relevant coursework, 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.

Key Takeaways

Adding relevant coursework is a great way to beef up your resume if you do not have professional work experience to list, such as if you are currently a student, you’ve recently graduated, or you are applying to entry-level jobs. It can also be appropriate to include your coursework if you are applying for an academic-based position. If you do include your relevant coursework, ensure that it is, in fact, relevant - only include courses if they directly boost your ability to perform the job you are applying for.

Need help creating a resume to highlight your relevant coursework? 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. Then, download your polished, professional resume instantly and get started applying for jobs!

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10 Best Resume Tips To Help You Get Hired

• How to List Relevant Coursework on Resume (with examples)

You have probably heard the importance of the job experience section in a resume on numerous occasions. What you may not know, however, is that it’s not the only thing that hiring managers are interested in when looking for the ideal candidate to fill a job opening. Even though related experience does matter, you should also pay attention to other sections, like relevant coursework, to come up with a well-balanced resume that persuades the potential employer to hire you.

In this piece, we will expound on:

• When it is right to add a coursework section and when it isn’t necessary;
• Where your coursework should appear and how to include it;
• Samples of coursework listed on resumes.

Listing Relevant Coursework on Resume and When to Leave It Out

In essence, listing related coursework on resume is optional. It is usually an essential section for your first resume with no work experience , i.e., student and entry-level resumes. The purpose of this part is to highlight any completed coursework that relates to the position you are targeting. It strengthens other components, such as academic accomplishments, volunteer experience, projects, and extra-curricular activities.

Adding relevant coursework can also be a great idea when you are crafting your resume for an internship. In this case, it can help you show why you are fit for the organization. So, when is listing related coursework not necessary?  

If you have a year or more of working experience that you can list on your resume, then adding a section for your coursework isn’t essential. Instead, pay attention to making your resume resound with the job description and add any other parts that you think could improve your candidacy.

Don’t also list coursework if you are forcing it. That is to say that any coursework you highlight in your resume should be relevant. If it does not relate to the job you are applying for, it will not make sense to the recruiting manager. Instead, work on drawing attention to your skillset.

How to Put Relevant Coursework on Resume Correctly

Now that you know when to include coursework, it’s time to figure out where to put relevant coursework on a resume. Relevant coursework on a resume should be included as a sub-section within the education part. Now, both the education or experience part can come first, depending on how much working history you have. For an entry-level candidate whose job experience is limited, the education section should precede experience.

Here are some ways of adding coursework to resume: 

List Coursework as an Extra Line Within Your Education Part

One easy way to talk about relevant coursework is to include an additional sentence below your degree. This method allows you to highlight other educational accomplishments too. For example:

University of Illinois

Bachelor of Science in Accountancy, May 2018

Relevant coursework : enterprise accounting systems, advanced financial accounting, income taxation, valuation and analysis, cost accounting, business law.

Use Bulleted Points to Emphasize on Your Coursework

Bullet points play a huge role when it comes to emphasizing the statements you put on your application. The same is true when it comes to showing your relevant coursework. Below is an excellent relevant coursework resume example.

2019 BA in Geography with Transport Studies

University of Leeds, Woodhouse, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

Coursework:

• Digital Geographies
• The Urban Age
• Global Geopolitics, Migration and Uneven Development
• Transport Policy in Action
• Population, Society, and Space
• Planet Under Threat

Show the Relevance of the Coursework to the Role with Detailed Bullets

Describe the relevance of the coursework to the role you want to take up using more comprehensive bullet points. This way, you will provide the talent acquisition executive with a better perspective regarding the suitability of your coursework to the vacancy you want to fill. Below is an example showing how to write detailed bullet points for relevant coursework on resume.

• Digital Geographies - submitted a term paper on how digital devices, logic, forth are transforming geography.
• The Urban Age - covered the details on how the modern age has impacted existence on the universe.
• Global Geopolitics, Migration, and Uneven Development - learned how migration and disparity in economic development are impacting worldwide geopolitics.
• Transport Policy in Action - examined the impact and efficacy of transport policies by analyzing different case studies.
• Population, Society, and Space - understood the relationship between people, communities, and land.
• Planet Under Threat - examined the different threats to earth in the 21 st century and beyond.

An essential thing to keep in mind is that if the role demands an excellent educational background and accomplishments, it would be sensible if you dedicated a whole CV section to your coursework. Then, you will have to provide bulleted-lists with more detailed descriptions of your resume related coursework.

Are you struggling with creating bullets for your coursework? Use our free resume building service to overcome this predicament and be on course to landing your dream job!

What to Remember When Including Relevant Coursework on Resume

All told, when putting coursework on resume, there are essential things to have in mind. These include the following:

• Ensure that your CV matches the role you want to fill.
• If your coursework is vital to the position, include it in the upper section of your document.
• Coursework info should be accompanied by other academic details, case in point, GPA, honors, recognitions, etc.
• Include keywords from the vacancy description in your coursework info to make ATS find your CV quickly.
• Provide information other than your coursework, for instance, school projects, publications, etc.
• List online certifications, if any.
• Go through to ensure all the info you have provided is relevant.

To conclude, these are the tips for crafting the perfect resume with relevant coursework. By following this guide, you will write an application that stands out in a pile, boosting your chances of getting accepted for the occupation of your dream.

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• Career Blog

Listing Relevant Coursework on Your Resume in 2024

Your resume is often the first impression that an employer will have of you as a job candidate. It serves as a marketing tool to showcase your skills, experience, and qualifications. However, have you ever considered including your relevant coursework on your resume? In this article, we will explore why listing relevant coursework on your resume is important and how it can enhance your chances of getting hired.

The Purpose of a Resume

A resume is a document that outlines your professional experience, education, and skills. Its main purpose is to market you as a potential candidate for a job that you are applying for. The goal of a resume is to grab the attention of the employer and convince them that you have the necessary skills and qualifications to perform the job duties.

Why Listing Relevant Coursework on Your Resume is Important

Listing relevant coursework on your resume is important because it showcases your academic achievements and expertise in a particular field. Including relevant coursework on your resume can help you stand out from other candidates who may not have the same level of education or specialized knowledge.

Furthermore, if you are a recent graduate or have little work experience in your desired field, highlighting relevant coursework on your resume can demonstrate to employers that you have a solid foundation and understanding of the subject matter. It can also show that you have taken the initiative to learn and specialize in your field of interest.

Listing relevant coursework on your resume can enhance your overall candidacy and give you a competitive edge in the job market. In the next section of this article, we will discuss how to effectively incorporate relevant coursework into your resume.

Identifying Relevant Coursework

When it comes to listing coursework on your resume, it’s important to identify what is relevant to the job you’re applying for. This means recognizing the keywords and skills that employers are searching for and tailoring your coursework accordingly.

How to determine what coursework is relevant for your resume

First and foremost, look at the job description and identify the required or preferred qualifications. This will give you an idea of what the employer is looking for and what coursework you should focus on.

Next, consider the industry and position you’re applying for. Certain industries may place more importance on specific coursework. For example, a computer science degree would be more relevant for a software developer job than it would be for a marketing position.

Additionally, think about the skills and knowledge that are necessary for the job. If you have taken coursework that directly relates to these skills or pertains to the industry, then that coursework would be considered relevant.

Identifying the key keywords and skills employers are searching for

To effectively identify the relevant coursework to list on your resume, it’s crucial to understand the keywords and skills that employers are looking for. This requires some research and analysis of the job posting and industry trends.

Start by reviewing the job description for keywords and phrases that are repeated throughout the post. For example, the terms “analytical skills”, “project management”, or “communication skills” may be used frequently in a job posting. These are the skills that employers are looking for, and you should tailor your coursework to reflect these skills.

Another strategy is to research trends and skills pertaining to the industry or profession. Check out industry websites, blogs, or social media pages to keep up with the latest trends and skills. This information can help you identify relevant coursework and skills to include on your resume.

Identifying relevant coursework for your resume requires a combination of understanding the job requirements, the industry, and the specific skills employers are seeking. By tailoring your coursework and highlighting the relevant skills, you can increase your chances of landing the job.

Where to List Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

When it comes to listing relevant coursework on your resume, there are different locations where you can include this information. Each location has its pros and cons, and choosing the right one depends on your individual circumstances and goals.

Here are some of the places where you can list relevant coursework on your resume:

1. Education Section

The most common place to list relevant coursework is in the education section of your resume. This section typically comes after your work experience section and includes your academic achievements such as your degree(s) and the name of your institution.

• It’s the most traditional and expected location for listing education-related information.
• It provides a clear and organized overview of your academic background.
• Employers can easily see what courses you’ve taken that are relevant to the position.
• It might make your resume too lengthy if you have a long list of relevant coursework.
• It could highlight the fact that you don’t have a lot of professional experience.

2. Skills Section

Another option is to list your relevant coursework under the skills section of your resume. This section highlights your skills and abilities that match the requirements of the job.

• It allows you to emphasize your relevant coursework as a skill.
• It can complement your work experience and strengthen your candidacy for the role.
• It creates a differentiator for you against other applicants.
• It might not be as straightforward for employers to see where you obtained the coursework.
• It could make your skills section look cluttered and unorganized.

3. Additional Information Section

You can also use the additional information section to list your relevant coursework. This section is a catch-all for information that doesn’t fit other sections of your resume.

• It can provide context for other qualifications you may have.
• Employers may appreciate the added detail.
• It doesn’t take away from other sections of your resume.
• It may not be as visible as the other sections.
• It could look like an afterthought if not presented well.

How to Highlight Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

When it comes to highlighting relevant coursework on your resume, it’s important to use effective strategies that showcase your skills and knowledge. Here are a few strategies to consider:

Strategies for Effectively Showcasing Your Relevant Coursework

Create a separate section:  Consider adding a “Relevant Coursework” section to your resume. This section can come after your education section and can list relevant courses and their descriptions. Be sure to use relevant keywords to grab employers’ attention.

Include relevant coursework in your education section:  You can also include relevant coursework in your education section. This can give employers a quick snapshot of your relevant skills and coursework. Be sure to include the name of the course, the institution, and the grade earned.

List relevant coursework under each job experience:  If you have taken courses relevant to a particular job, consider listing them under the job experience section. This can highlight your skills and knowledge, and show how you can apply coursework to real-life situations.

The Importance of Targeting the Job Description

Another important strategy is to target the job description. Employers often use specific keywords in job descriptions to communicate what skills and experience they are looking for. By using these keywords in your resume, you can demonstrate that you have the skills and knowledge needed for the job.

When listing relevant coursework on your resume, be sure to read the job description carefully and list courses that are directly related to the job. Use the same terminology and keywords that the employer uses in their job description.

Highlighting relevant coursework on your resume can help you stand out from other applicants. By using effective strategies and targeting the job description, you can showcase your skills and knowledge, and demonstrate that you are the right candidate for the job.

Using Keywords in Your Relevant Coursework

When it comes to listing relevant coursework on your resume, it’s important to realize the significance of industry-specific keywords. These keywords are the industry terms, jargon, and buzzwords that are commonly used in your field. Using the appropriate keywords can help you stand out in the applicant pool and demonstrate your proficiency in the subject matter.

Understanding industry-specific keywords and why they matter in your resume

Most hiring managers and recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes before they’re passed on to human reviewers. ATS software scans resumes for specific keywords based on the position requirements. For example, if you’re applying for a job as a graphic designer, the ATS may be looking for keywords like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.

Therefore, including industry-specific keywords in your relevant coursework section can increase your chances of passing the ATS screening process. Additionally, keywords can help give context to the reader about the courses you’ve taken and demonstrate your fluency in the language of the industry.

How to incorporate keywords into your relevant coursework

Here are some tips for incorporating industry-specific keywords into your relevant coursework:

Research relevant job postings : Look at job postings for positions you’re interested in and note the common keywords used in the qualifications section.

Choose courses that align with your target job : Identify courses that directly relate to the positions you’re applying for and include them in your relevant coursework section. Be sure to include the course title, institution, and the skills or concepts you learned in each course.

Use industry jargon and technical terms : Incorporate industry-specific language and technical terms used in your field to demonstrate your familiarity with the industry.

Include relevant tools and software : If a job posting lists specific software or tools as requirements or preferred skills, be sure to include any courses that directly relate to those tools or software.

Including industry-specific keywords in your course listing can help you make a strong impression on hiring managers and improve your chances of landing an interview. It’s important to research the industry terms and language associated with the job you’re applying for and incorporate them into your relevant coursework section in a meaningful way.

Formatting Tips for Listing Relevant Coursework

When it comes to listing relevant coursework on your resume, proper formatting is key. Here are some tips to ensure your resume is visually appealing and easy to read:

Font, Size, and Spacing

Choose a professional font such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri, and use a font size no smaller than 10 points. It’s important to have enough spacing between lines to give your resume a clean look. A standard spacing of 1.15 or 1.5 is recommended.

Consistency

Consistency is important in order to make your resume look polished and well-organized. Use the same font and size throughout your entire resume, including your relevant coursework section. Consistency also applies to the formatting of your coursework section. Use a bullet point format with clear headings for each course.

Readability

Be mindful of readability as you format your relevant coursework section. Use bullet points and short, concise descriptions of each course to make it easy for the reader to quickly scan and understand the content. Avoid lengthy paragraphs or complicated language.

By following these formatting tips, you can ensure that your relevant coursework section is visually appealing and easy to read. Remember, your resume is often the first impression a potential employer has of you, so it’s important to make sure it looks professional and well-organized.

Example of Listing Relevant Coursework for New Graduates

As a new graduate, your coursework is an essential component of your resume, especially if it pertains to the job you are applying for. Here are some strategies you can use to highlight your relevant coursework on your resume:

Create a dedicated coursework section: This section should come after your education section and can be called “Relevant Coursework” or “Course Highlights.” List the courses that are most relevant to the job you are applying for, and include the course title, the semester you took it, and the grade you received.

Incorporate coursework into your experience section: If you have completed any projects or internships that are relevant to the job, you can include relevant coursework in the description. For example, if you were part of a team that designed a new marketing campaign, you could include the marketing coursework you completed that helped you contribute to the project.

Use bullet points to highlight coursework: Use bullet points to describe the skills and knowledge you gained from each course. Focus on skills that are relevant to the job, such as research skills, data analysis skills, or communication skills.

Customize your coursework section for each job application: When applying for different jobs, adjust your coursework section to highlight the coursework that is most relevant for the job. Look for keywords in the job description and include coursework that is related to those keywords.

Here is an example of how a new graduate applying for a marketing position could list their relevant coursework on their resume:

Relevant Coursework

• Essentials of Marketing
• Consumer Behavior
• Marketing Research and Analysis
• Social Media Marketing
• Advertising and Promotions
• Marketing Communications

By highlighting your relevant coursework, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you have the skills and knowledge needed for the job. So, take the time to review your coursework and tailor your resume accordingly.

Example of Listing Relevant Coursework for Experienced Professionals

As an experienced professional, it can be challenging to showcase your relevant coursework on your resume. However, it is essential to highlight your education and training, especially if it aligns with the job you’re applying for. Here are a few examples of how you can list your relevant coursework effectively:

1. Create a separate section for education

If you have accumulated a significant amount of coursework throughout your career, it’s best to create a separate section for education. This section should be placed after your work experience section and before your skills or certifications. List your education in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent degree or certificate program. You can use the following format:

• Degree Name  – Institution Name, Location, Graduation Date
• Relevant Coursework: Course Name, Course Name, Course Name

For instance, suppose you achieved an executive MBA degree and completed coursework relevant to your target job such as strategic management, financial analysis, and leadership. In that case, you could list your education section in the following way:

• Executive MBA  – XYZ University, Chicago IL, May 2021
• Relevant Coursework: Strategic Management, Financial Analysis, Leadership, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution

2. Incorporate coursework into your bullet points

If you don’t want to create a separate education section, you can still highlight your relevant coursework in your work experience section. Specifically, you can integrate your coursework into your bullet points to show how your education and training have informed your work experience. Here’s an example:

Marketing Manager

• Developed and executed digital marketing campaigns that increased website traffic by 30%, including email marketing and social media advertising.
• Conducted market research to identify target audiences, analyze customer behaviors and preferences and develop data-driven marketing strategies. (Relevant Coursework: Marketing Research, Consumer Behavior)
• Collaborated with sales team to develop sales collateral (e.g., brochures, presentations) that highlight benefits of products and improve team productivity.

3. Emphasize relevant coursework in your cover letter

If you’ve completed coursework that is highly relevant to the job you’re applying for but doesn’t fit neatly into your resume, consider mentioning it in your cover letter. A cover letter is an opportunity to elaborate on your qualifications and expand on your resume. You can explain how your coursework has prepared you for the position and how you plan to apply that coursework to the role.

Listing relevant coursework is an excellent way to showcase your skills and knowledge, especially when transitioning careers or industries. By highlighting your education and training, you demonstrate your commitment to professional development and show that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in the position. With the above examples, you can create an effective resume that highlights your relevant coursework and improves your chances of landing an interview.

What if You Don’t Have Relevant Coursework to List?

If you don’t have relevant coursework to list, don’t worry. There are still several ways you can demonstrate your skills and knowledge:

Alternative ways to demonstrate your skills and knowledge

Certifications: Obtaining relevant certifications can be a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and commitment to a particular field. Look for certifications that are recognized in your industry and relevant to your desired position.

Projects: If you have completed any projects that are relevant to the position you’re applying for, list them in a separate section on your resume. Use this section to showcase your skills and experience.

Volunteer work: Volunteer work can be a great way to gain experience in a particular field and demonstrate your commitment to a cause. If you have volunteered for any organizations that are relevant to your desired position, list them on your resume.

How to leverage your work experience instead

If you don’t have relevant coursework or certifications, you can still leverage your work experience to demonstrate your skills and knowledge. Here are a few tips:

Focus on transferable skills: Look for skills that you have developed in your previous work experience that are transferable to the position you’re applying for. For example, if the position requires strong communication skills, highlight any roles where you had to communicate effectively with others.

Customize your resume: Tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for. Identify the key skills and requirements for the position and highlight your relevant experience in those areas.

Use action verbs: Use strong action verbs to describe your previous work experience. This will emphasize your skills and achievements and make your resume stand out from the crowd.

Remember, even if you don’t have relevant coursework to list, you can still demonstrate your skills and knowledge in other ways. Use your resume to showcase your experience, skills, and achievements, and don’t be afraid to highlight your transferable skills.

Mistakes to Avoid When Listing Relevant Coursework on Your Resume

When listing relevant coursework on your resume, it’s important to avoid some common mistakes that can hurt your chances of getting hired. Here are some of the most frequent errors candidates make and how to avoid them:

1. Listing Irrelevant Courses

One of the most common mistakes is listing coursework that is irrelevant to the position you’re applying to. For example, mentioning your graphic design class when you’re applying for a software engineering role. This will only confuse the hiring manager and may harm your application.

To avoid this mistake, carefully read the job description and the company’s requirements. Then, customize your resume to only list the coursework that aligns with the job requirements. By doing so, you’ll demonstrate that you have the skills and knowledge the company is looking for.

2. Listing Too Many Courses

Another mistake that can hurt your chances of getting hired is listing too many courses. Hiring managers don’t have time to read a long list of every class you’ve ever taken. They want to see concise, relevant information that shows you’re qualified for the job.

Instead of flooding your resume with a laundry list of coursework, only list the courses that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Also, try to focus on the ones that are recent and that you’ve excelled in. This will help convey your expertise in the subject matter.

3. Failing to Highlight Achievements

When listing relevant coursework on your resume, it’s important to not just list the classes but to also highlight any achievements or notable projects you completed during those courses.

For example, if you completed a project that involved coding a website, you should mention that and highlight any successful results that came from it. By showcasing your achievements and how you tackled challenges during coursework, you’re providing tangible examples of your abilities.

4. Not Proofreading

As with any section of your resume, it’s vital to proofread your listing of relevant coursework for any typos or mistakes. An error like this can make you come across as careless and less qualified.

Take the time to double-check your writing and make any necessary corrections before submitting your application. Having error-free writing can demonstrate a high level of professionalism and attention to detail.

Listing relevant coursework on your resume can be a great way to demonstrate your skills and qualifications. But to do so successfully, it’s essential to avoid the mistakes above. By tailoring your resume to the job requirements, highlighting your achievements, and proofreading your work, you’ll be better placed to succeed in your job search.

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After 23 years in corporate America, I took a career-change course to figure out what's next. Here are 9 tips that actually helped.

• After 23 years in corporate America, I decided I needed a career change and signed up for a course.
• Throughout the program, I learned how important it was to build a network and test out new things. 
• After eight months, I was finally able to confidently start doing more fulfilling work.

Career change, shift, pivot. Whatever you call it, after 23 years in corporate America , I wanted out.

I didn't know what I wanted to do next, but I was sure it wasn't what I was doing now.

Luckily, the US job market is more stable now than it's been since before 2020. But changing careers is more than finding a new boss or moving to a different company.

During one marathon search session, I stumbled upon Careershifters and paid $1,175 for its eight-week Career Change Launch Pad course.

Now that I've successfully pivoted, here are the best tips I took away from the course.

Step back and assess where you're at

We started the course by taking a quiz that was supposed to help us determine what stage of the pivoting process we were in (questioner, browser, explorer, pathfinder, and shifter).

These kinds of assessments can sometimes feel gimmicky, but it was helpful to zoom out a bit and reflect on where I was at.

The categories stretched from questioner (wondering whether you need to make a change) to shifter (successfully finding more fulfilling work), and the assessment told me I was an explorer (ready to change but not sure what to do).

Look for people, not jobs

Building my network was exponentially more helpful than skimming through endless job descriptions.

I recommend talking to everyone about your shift — family, friends, former colleagues, yoga teachers, LinkedIn connections . You never know what or who they know.

I met a McDonald's Happy Meal toy designer through a former boss, and my chiropractor connected me with a lifestyle magazine.

Don't try to do everything alone

Surrounding myself with a community of other people going through a career change made all the difference in my process.

My program included coaches who had changed careers and about 65 fellow participants from around the world — including a programmer in the UK, a writer in Greece, and an accountant in Brooklyn.

They all understood what it was like to feel stuck and overwhelmed, and we shared ideas, work experiences, and networks.

Related stories

Even if you don't want to do a course, there are career-change coaches , podcasts, books, and so many other resources out there to help.

Career shifts don't happen overnight

We're asked what we want to be when we grow up all the time as kids, but I hadn't had the opportunity to explore that question as an adult.

Deciding to pivot allowed me to take the time to discover more about myself, explore my options, and experiment with different possibilities.

Changing careers is a process — don't rush it. I was eight months into my career shift before I felt confident about what I wanted.

Don't start with updating your résumé

A résumé is all about where you've been. But a career shift is about what you want in the future.

Instead of rushing to update résumés or spruce up my portfolio, I tried to trust the process and focus on figuring out what I wanted.

My career experience up to that point had been something like, "You're perfect. You're hired. Now change."

But after a career-shift coach told me she gets paid to be herself, that became my new mission.

Physically try new things that get you out of your head

It's going to be really hard to find fulfilling work if you're just sitting behind your desk all day looking for opportunities online.

Instead of endlessly searching job boards , I did an informational interview with an author, ran promotions for a high-school musical, and went behind the scenes at a local bakery.

Even if I wasn't necessarily interested in those fields, physically getting myself out there and trying new things helped me along in my process.

Expand your reality bubble

Everyone has what I like to call a "reality bubble," and they're full of different ideas, perspectives, people, and experiences.

Simply expanding that bubble a little bit opened my mind to new possibilities for my career shift.

When I pushed myself to have new and different conversations, I met a gift concierge who helped me identify small businesses that needed marketing help and a Disney travel planner who ended up being my first client when I started working as a career-change consultant.

Take your ideas for a low-risk test drive

Attending workshops and testing things out with friends are great, low-risk ways to experiment with different career possibilities.

I did pro-bono marketing for a doggie day care , took an hourlong course on book publishing, and designed a line of 1980s-themed scented markers — along with 25 other short-lived experiments.

Through all these different experiences, I figured out what gives me energy, what I could get good at, and what I might actually be able to get paid for.

Holding one salaried job isn't the only way to work

When I started this process, I knew I didn't want to do one thing in one place with one company anymore.

Just because having a single source of income is the norm doesn't mean that's where you have to wind up. Eventually, I was able to create a hodgepodged career that met my goal of feeling like I was getting paid to be myself.

Now I work with a variety of people and companies as a freelance writer, career-change consultant, and small-business marketing strategist.

Watch: Marketing leaders from Amazon, LinkedIn, Lego Group and more tell Insider what pandemic-fueled business changes are likely to stick around

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PGA Championship weather: Thunderstorms could impact Friday's second round

Inclement weather is in the forecast for the 106th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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Update: Thursday, 6:10 p.m. ET: Thursday's opening round of the 106th PGA Championship featured pleasant skies for the 156-player field, which took advantage with low scores including Xander Schauffele's 9-under 62, a tournament record.

The second round at Valhalla Golf Club could offer a different test, both mental and physical.

Friday's weather forecast calls for a 90% chance of showers and thunderstorms in Louisville, Kentucky, with rainfall of .50 to .75 inches forecasted. Winds are also expected to gust 10-15 mph. Hence monsoon-like conditions could be in store for the field, with weather delays a possibility throughout the second round.

"A low-pressure system will bring showers and thunderstorms to the region throughout the day Friday," wrote the tournament's official weather forecast. "Rainfall could be heavy at times, especially with thunderstorms."

During the most recent PGA Championship contested at Valhalla (2014), severe weather impacted the final round. After start-and-stop conditions, the final round was completed as darkness fell in the Bluegrass State, with Rory McIlroy memorably defeating Phil Mickelson by one stroke; McIlroy (in the final group) essentially played up with the penultimate group in order to beat darkness.

Even if Friday's second round is pushed into Saturday, the field reduction after the 36-hole cut (top 70 and ties) should mean flexibility to complete 72 holes by Sunday evening. Saturday's weather is no sure thing, though (chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms; 40% chance of rain). In the event of delays both Friday and Saturday, the possibility of a Monday finish would be raised.

Update: Thursday, 7:25 a.m. ET: After a 10-minute fog delay, the opening round of the 106th PGA Championship is underway, with a trumpet ceremony leading into Michael Block's opening tee shot at Valhalla.

Thursday's forecast looks pleasant overall, with partly to mostly cloudy skies. Temperatures should reach 80F, with winds W-SW, 5-10 mph, and perhaps a passing light shower between 5 and 7 p.m. Thunderstorms could arrive overnight, making for a potentially soggy Friday.

Here's the weather forecast for the next three days, as of 6 a.m. Thursday:

• Friday : Showers and thunderstorms likely, 90% chance of rain. Low: 62F, High: 72F. Winds: S-SW 10-15 mph. Projected .50 to .75 inches of rainfall.
• Saturday: Chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms, 40% chance of rain. Low: 62F, High: 78F. Winds: E-NE 4-8 mph. Projected .20 to .30 inches of rainfall.
• Sunday: Partly cloudy and warm, 20% chance of rain. Low: 62F, High: 84F. Winds N-NE, 10-15 mph.

Update: Thursday, 7:20 a.m. ET: The start of Thursday's opening round at the 106th PGA Championship has been delayed 10 minutes due to fog. Michael Block will now hit the opening tee shot at 7:25 a.m. ET.

Update: Tuesday, 10:40 a.m. ET: Tuesday's practice round has resumed after a brief suspension due to dangerous weather in the area. The total time of delay was 46 minutes; play was suspended at 9:50 a.m. and resumed at 10:36 a.m.

Update: Tuesday, 9:50 a.m. ET: Tuesday's practice round at the PGA Championship has been suspended due to potentially dangerous weather in the area. "Please seek shelter immediately," said the official tournament announcement. "The leading edge of the system is potentially dangerous."

The current forecast calls for 1/2 to 1 inch of rain across the day, with locally higher amounts. "Storms are not expected to be severe, but could produce gusty winds, small hail and heavy rainfall," wrote the tournament weather forecast issued at 6 a.m. Tuesday. "Showers and storms will decrease in coverage this evening as we lose the heating of the day."

Scroll below to see the overall weather outlook for the week as well as a day-by-day forecast.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The weather played a prominent role at the 2014 PGA Championship, the last time the year’s second major was hosted at Valhalla Golf Club. Rory McIlroy won his fourth major championship while racing against darkness after torrential rain flooded the course and caused delayed tee times in the final round.

The weather may again play a factor at this week’s PGA Championship, with rain forecasted to arrive at Valhalla as early as Monday evening and remain in the area for several days.

A low-pressure system is expected to slowly move across the region Tuesday, bringing scattered showers and thunderstorms through the day. Rainfall could be heavy at times, with up to 3/4 of an inch forecasted. Showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to linger for most of Wednesday before the system finally moves east. Drier weather returns Thursday before another low-pressure system brings showers and thunderstorms back to the region Friday into Saturday morning.

Here's a day-by-day breakdown (through Sunday) of the PGA Championship official weather forecast, as of 6 a.m. Tuesday:

• Tuesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms likely, 80% of rain. Low: 61F, High: 73F. Winds: S 10-15mph.
• Wednesday : Scattered showers and thunderstorms, 60% chance of rain. Low: 60F, High: 73F. Winds: NE to WSW, 4-8 mph.
• Thursday: Partly cloudy, 20% chance of rain. Low: 56F, High: 78F. Winds: SW, 10-15 mph.
• Friday : Showers and thunderstorms likely, 80% chance of rain. Low: 62F, High: 75F. Winds: SW 10-15 mph.
• Saturday: Chance of AM showers, 50% chance of rain. Low: 61F, High: 80F. Winds: NW 10-15 mph.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny and warm, 0% chance of rain. Low: 62F, High: 83F. Winds N 6-12 mph.

Teens take the wheel: Truck driver shortage has public schools preparing the pipeline

A lmost every item you own -- from your toothbrush to your bedframe, to the makings of that daily cup of coffee – gets to you by truck. For needed goods, it is estimated that 80% of Washington communities rely on trucks alone, according to the Washington Trucking Association .

Industry leaders told KING 5 there are not enough new truck drivers. In a matter of years, the shortage could have crisis-level consequences for all of us unless we find a way to pack the pipeline.

Othello School District is working to do just that.

"I’m not sure I ever thought I'd buy a semi," said Amy Parris, a counselor at Othello School District.

The public school district recently bought a semi-truck and a tanker for just over $21,000. Parris said Washington trucking company LTI gave them a discount.

The trucks are now being studied and practiced on by the inaugural class of Othello High School’s new Career and Technical Education course for 12th graders. It is among the first schools in Washington to offer such a course.

"We're growing the pool of potential employees,” Parris said.

The course's curriculum follows federal guidelines so 18-year-old students can learn the safety guidelines associated with driving large trucks. The high school seniors are working toward getting their Commercial Drivers License, or CDL, by graduation.

"That'd be good on my resume," student Nelson Arias said.

Arias, an Othello High 12th grader, just passed his Commercial's Learners Permit, and he has been busy practicing driving the school's newly acquired truck with his teacher, Homer Montemayor, in the passenger's seat.

"He just started, he wasn't missing a gear,” Montemayor said. “He was downshifting, he was upshifting. And he was being cautious about where he was at, his lane travel. So, he did amazing, he did a really good job.”

In agricultural cities like Othello, the need is in plain view. Signs are posted just down the road from the school's transportation center that said "Drivers Needed."

You don't have to tell Bill Mannon of Everett about the need. He has been working steadily as a truck driver for nearly the last three decades.

"Without these trucks, then you’re gonna have cargo ships sitting at docks, trying to get somebody to haul that freight somewhere and they’re just gonna back up,” Mannon said. “There’s a lot at stake, lots, lots at stake.”

In his career, Mannon has hauled nearly everything, including cars, parts, and food.

"Our economy depends on trucks," Mannon said.

But lately, his truck's persistent blinker sounds more and more to him like a ticking time clock -- one that’s counting down the handful of years he has left until retirement.

"The light at the end of the tunnel is like, right here now, and I can feel it," Mannon said.

But for the industry he is leaving behind, Mannon said he is scared.

"You can make really good money,” Manno said. “I just don’t understand why nobody wants to go for it.”

To replace retiring drivers like Mannon, the American Trucking Association reports the industry will need to recruit nearly 1.2 million new drivers over the next decade. That's one-third of today's entire pool of truck drivers in the U.S.

Meanwhile, 200 miles east of Seattle in Othello, students at Othello High School like Trae Deleon are getting excited about the idea of long road trips shipping freight.

"What's better than driving around, listenin' to some jams?" Deleon said.

Maybe, just maybe, it is not so much that young people are not interested in becoming truck drivers. Maybe the shortage is more an issue of opportunity.

"On my bus, I've heard kids say, 'Why should I even try?’” said Dawn Douglas, Othello High School teacher. “I'm just going to end up working in the field in the orchards like my parents do.' This is an industry that kids can start having goals."

Students are educated on the critical role drivers play in society.

"You're helping the back of the bone of the United States, basically," Arias said.

The class is improving their access to opportunities.

"Going to like a like a regular trucking school, costs like up to like $5,000," Arias said. "At the high school, it’s a lot more cheaper and stuff. I was like, I'd be super stoked for that."

It is important to note that in Othello, the poverty rate is roughly twice that of Washington’s as a state. Expensive prerequisites can be a barrier.

"Coming straight out of high school it's only, at most, $500," Deleon said.

KING 5 asked Mannon what he thought of that cost.

“$500? That’s cheap, that’s cheap," Mannon said.

In his decades behind the wheel, Mannon said he has observed financial barriers too often.

"A lot of times they just get that fear of the cost,” Mannon said. “How much it’s gonna cost, ya know? May not have the money to do it.”

Mannon said he believes college isn't for everyone.

"$500 over a college payment, ya know?” Mannon said.

In this career, you can still be successful regardless of a college diploma.

"You can get out there and make money right away," Mannon said.

Othello School District leaders want to encourage that.

"These kids, to be able to go out and get a job with no debt, you know?” Parris said. “That's our goal too.”

And for students like Deleon and Arias, to see themselves riding high is a confidence boost.

"It almost makes me cry like, it's so cool,” Parris said.

The exposure the students are getting in this class have them thinking about their options.

"I think it's a good industry to get into, especially when you're this young," Deleon said.

Parris recognizes that part of the solution is drawing females to the profession. The U.S. Department of Labor said they make up nearly 47% of all American workers, but only 6.6% of American truck drivers.

"You can have an 8-5 job with a CDL," Parris said. "So if if a female chose to still have a family, and be able to do all those things -- if that was the barrier -- there's certainly jobs out there. So we want to expose them to that.”

She said about eight girls at Othello High plan to enroll in the course next school year.

"It's a great start," she said.

Just ask Mannon.

"There’s money to be had,” Mannon said.

Now just about one month away from graduation, students are making plans. Deleon said eventually he would like to buy his own truck and start his own trucking business with trucking.

Arias said he hopes to get a job driving trucks after graduation, possibly in the local orchards.

And as for Mannon, although the clock may be ticking on his time in the driver’s seat, at least he has reason for hope.

"There was a lot of people are interested in doing it, correct?" Mannon said. "That’s hope right there. I hope more schools are that way.”

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Pop Culture

On social media, activists used the met gala to call out stars for gaza silence.

Chloe Veltman

Zendaya at the 2024 Met Gala in New York City. The actress is one of many celebrities whose name has appeared this week on social media "block" lists for not speaking out publicly about the conflict in Gaza. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images hide caption

Zendaya at the 2024 Met Gala in New York City. The actress is one of many celebrities whose name has appeared this week on social media "block" lists for not speaking out publicly about the conflict in Gaza.

A collective effort on TikTok and other social media platforms to push celebrities to speak publicly about the conflict in Gaza went into overdrive this week after The Met Gala.

Creators on TikTok have earned millions of views for videos they've made linked to hashtags like #celebrityblocklist , #letthemeatcake and #blockout .

Many of these posts list the names of actors, musicians and other high-profile figures whom the video creators say had not yet spoken out against Israel's attacks on the region — or hadn't spoken out sufficiently in the creators' view — and therefore should be blocked.

And there's been a special push in recent days to name those who attended the opulent, star-studded annual Met Gala on Monday.

@silentcelebs8 Hoping to finish list soon!Appreciate any help! #metgala #blockout2024 #fyp #blockout #letthemeatcake #celebrityblocklist ♬ original sound-SilentCelebs🍉

"I made a Google Doc of every celebrity that attended the Met Gala, and now I'm going through and writing if they've been silent, or if they've been using their platform to speak up about the genocide in Gaza," said TikTok user silentcelebs8 in a video displaying a long list of celebrity names against a black background with the word "SILENT" in red next to to some, including Zendaya, Nicki Minaj, Keith Urban and Andrew Scott. "Some of these celebrities have not been completely silent," the Tiktoker continued. "Zendaya did make a post back in October on her story supporting Palestine, but has been silent since. So I went ahead and put 'silent.'" (Genocide is a legal term; Israel has not been found to be in violation of the Genocide convention and Israel strongly denies the accusation.)

The Met Gala fans the flames

Calls on social media to boycott celebrity silences have been on a slow burn for months.

@latmpod prolly one of my last rambles on celebrity #fyp #standwith🍉 #ceasefirenow #celebrityculture #beyonce #taylorswift #rhianna ♬ original sound-look at the material podcast

But the fact the New York event, with its unchecked display of privilege and wealth, took place at around the same time as thousands of Palestinians were being forced to flee Rafah at less than 24 hours notice as Israeli troops took control of the Gaza territory's border crossing with Egypt, fanned the glowing embers into full-on flames.

"The Met Gala was a bit of a hyperbolic moment that got a lot of people's attention," said Marcus Collins, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan. "The celebrity boycotts had existed, but they weren't really at the top of the social zeitgeist. But then you have a moment like the Met Gala that wasn't really related to the conflict, but the pieces were all at play. When the attacks [in Gaza] were happening the same day, the juxtaposition just got people talking and moving."

The Picture Show

2024 met gala red carpet: looks we love.

Even relatively minor celebrities like social media influencer Hayley Baylee — who wasn't even a guest at the event, but had been hired as a pre-gala host to interview those invited as they headed to the party — were caught up in the backlash on TikTok.

Many creators posted negative reactions to a video Baylee posted of herself that night (which has since been taken down), saying, "Let them eat cake!" It was a nod, as she later admitted in a video apologizing for her actions, to a current trend on social media for looks inspired by Marie Antoinette, and a line from the 2006 film starring Kirsten Dunst, about the ill-fated French queen.

@haleyybaylee ❤️ ♬ original sound-haleyybaylee

"The world is just not peaceful or stable enough for the average person to accept and enjoy celebrities flaunting their wealth on social media," said user Christopher Claflin on TikTok in response both to Baylee's faux-pas and the overall flaunting of wealth in New York that night. "Flexing on the peasants only works when the peasants aren't watching other peasants be wiped off the face of the planet."

The impact of blocking celebrities on the people of Gaza

The rationale behind the calls on social media to block celebrities, thereby negatively impacting their advertising revenue, is to put pressure on them to use their massive influence to try to stop the violence in Gaza.

"The hope is that it will either bring more visibility to the cause and shift the balance in getting political forces like the U.S. government to do something to mitigate the violence that's happening in the Middle East," said Collins. "But as rational as that logic may seem, I don't think there are very many examples where this has actually worked."

@christopherclaflin Should celebs bother with addressing social issues?Or should they stay in their lane?# #metgala # #metgala2024 # #letthemeatcake ♬ Let Them Eat Cake-vibeyvidz

Collins cited the example of George Clooney's efforts, albeit in an era before the rise of social media, to end the war in Sudan. A 2014 article in The Guardian by the Sudan-based journalist Maeve Shearlaw assessed the impact of the celebrity's dedicated efforts over the years to bring about change: "I don't see that it has halted, or even reduced, the genocide. The killing, displacement, sexual assaults and rape never stopped."

On the other hand, pressure on social media has occasionally impacted the ways celebrities speak out about world events. For example, the backlash against Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for asking the public to donate to a Maui wildfire recovery fund last fall caused the pair to put more of their own significant resources into the effort. However, the amount they contributed was not disclosed.

The impact on everyone else

This latest social media campaign may be intended to help people in Gaza, but some experts say it doesn't directly target the issue; rather, it focuses attention on celebrities, and obscures the desired goal.

Middle East crisis — explained

Israeli forces seize the gaza side of rafah, as hamas truce talks resume in egypt.

"That's not what we're debating on and trending about and talking about and arguing about," said Chris Morse, a communications professor at Bryant University. "It's the fact that Celebrity A won't tell us their stance. Isn't that weird that they won't do that? Let's boycott them until they do do that."

Indeed — while the number of blocks to an account is not visible — some stars have seen a fall-off in followers over the past week. For example, Taylor Swift, who's at the top of many of the block lists, lost around 300,000 followers on TikTok over the past week, according to a comparison between her TikTok follower number at the time of writing and the number obtained from last week via Wayback Machine , and around 50,000 on Instagram . But that's nothing for a star of Swift's magnitude.

"A large celebrity has their touring, has multiple large social channels, is featured on television, is featured in the press," said Eric Dahan, CEO of the social media marketing company Mighty Joy. "If you have north of 100 million followers and you lose three or five million, it sucks. But is that the end of the world for you? No."

Dahan added that blocking celebrities doesn't prevent them from appearing in targeted social media ad campaigns.

When celebrities show up to protest, the media follows — but so does the backlash

"Blocking an account doesn't prevent you from receiving an ad, because the ad is not run through the celebrity's account per se," said Dahan. "And so, for example, you can block Kim Kardashian, but Hulu could run an ad targeting the Kardashians at you."

Meanwhile, controversies involving celebrities very often bring attention to social media platforms.

"TikTok definitely benefits, right? Because the trend is happening on their format," said Bryant University's Morse. "We are constantly mentioning TikTok in all of the stories, and that makes people curious in order to see the trend and see what people are doing. So you got to go to TikTok, and you really got to become a member because you can't really see too many things without actually engaging with the platform."

TikTok did not immediately respond to NPR's request for comment.

And even if the many, much-viewed videos aimed at canceling celebrities don't help to bring about a change for the people of Gaza, there's at least an emotional reward for those doing the canceling.

"It does provide some sense of agency," said the University of Michigan's Collins. "A sense that I've done something to influence other people to do something that perhaps maybe might make a difference. Because in the minds of those folks, it's better than doing nothing."

• haley baylee
• Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson
• Taylor Swift
• george clooney
• social media
• #celebrityblocklist

Golfers at course designed by Tiger Woods capture tornado on video

RIDGEDALE, Mo. ( KY3 /Gray News) - A tornado in Missouri was caught on camera by a group of golfers.

Golfers at Payne’s Valley Golf Course near Branson, Missouri, witnessed the tornado while out on the course Monday afternoon. Videos were recorded as golfers raced away from the storm.

It is reported that golf carts were knocked down and trees were damaged during the storm.

The Payne’s Valley Golf Course is the first public-access gulf course decided by Tiger Woods, according to its website , and is named after World Golf Hall of Fame member Payne Stewart.

The National Weather Service confirmed in a Facebook post that a tornado touched down in the Branson area. The Western Taney County Fire Department said there was minor damage reported in connection to the storms.

Storms rolled through parts of the U.S., including southern Missouri, on Monday, the Associated Press reported. Tornadoes were reported in Louisiana and major flooding was reported in the Alabama Gulf Coast and the Florida Panhandle, which saw the worst of the Monday’s weather.

According to the Associated Press, this is one of the most active periods for tornadoes on record.

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Supreme Court sides with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, spurning a conservative attack

The Associated Press

May 16, 2024, 1:08 PM

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a conservative-led attack that could have undermined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The justices ruled 7-2 that the way the CFPB is funded does not violate the Constitution, reversing a lower court and drawing praises from consumers. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion, splitting with his frequent allies, Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, who dissented.

The CFPB was created after the 2008 financial crisis to regulate mortgages, car loans and other consumer finance. The case was brought by payday lenders who object to a bureau rule that limits their ability to withdraw funds directly from borrowers’ bank accounts. It’s among several major challenges to federal regulatory agencies on the docket this term for a court that has for more than a decade been open to limits on their operations.

The CFPB, the brainchild of Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, has long been opposed by Republicans and their financial backers. The bureau says it has returned $19 billion to consumers since its creation.

Outside the Supreme Court following the decision, Warren said, “The Supreme Court followed the law, and the CFPB is here to stay.”

President Joe Biden, a fellow Democrat who has taken steps to strengthen the bureau, called the ruling “an unmistakable win for American consumers.”

Unlike most federal agencies, the consumer bureau does not rely on the annual budget process in Congress. Instead, it is funded directly by the Federal Reserve, with a current annual limit of around $600 million.

The federal appeals court in New Orleans, in a novel ruling, held that the funding violated the Constitution’s appropriations clause because it improperly shields the CFPB from congressional supervision.

Thomas reached back to the earliest days of the Constitution in his majority opinion to note that “the Bureau’s funding mechanism fits comfortably with the First Congress’ appropriations practice.”

In dissent, Alito wrote, “The Court upholds a novel statutory scheme under which the powerful Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may bankroll its own agenda without any congressional control or oversight.”

The CFPB case was argued more than seven months ago , during the first week of the court’s term. Lopsided decisions like Thursday’s 7-2 vote typically don’t take so long, but Alito’s dissent was longer than the majority opinion, and two other justices, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, wrote separate opinions even though they both were part of the majority.

Consumer groups cheered the decision, as did a bureau spokesman.

“For years, lawbreaking companies and Wall Street lobbyists have been scheming to defund essential consumer protection enforcement,” bureau spokesman Sam Gilford said in a statement. “The Supreme Court has rejected their radical theory that would have devastated the American financial markets. The Court repudiated the arguments of the payday loan lobby and made it clear that the CFPB is here to stay.”

Jesse Van Tol, president and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, said the decision upholding the consumer bureau’s funding structure would have positive effects across the U.S. economy.

“It’s always nice to see the courts get something right — especially in this tawdry circumstance where payday loan predators sought to wriggle out of basic oversight using absurd distortions of law and fact,” Van Tol said in a statement.

While the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and some other business interests backed the payday lenders, mortgage bankers and other sectors regulated by the CFPB cautioned the court to avoid a broad ruling that could unsettle the markets.

In 2020, the court decided another CFPB case , ruling that Congress had improperly insulated the head of the bureau from removal. The justices said the director could be replaced by the president at will but allowed the bureau to continue to operate.

This story has been corrected to show the bureau spokesman’s surname is Gilford, not Goldford or Gifford.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court .

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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