Resumes: Education

(If you have more of this than you have of experience, you should swap their order.)

Just like with experience, this should be a series of logically and consistently laid out entries, including:

  1. For a degree (even in progress), the degree and major; for a single class or series of classes, the subject(s). If you only partially completed it and are not intending to complete it, or completed it elsewhere, precede with "work towards", "undergrad work", "graduate work", etc., as applicable.

  2. For a degree, the graduation date (preceded by "expected" if in progress), or, for a single class or series of classes, the date range. On each date, the year is absolutely necessary; if it was far in the past, you may omit the month.

    (Unlike with experience, the type and major of the degree is definitely more important than the date, unless the date is long ago, in which case you don't want the prospective employer to notice that. So, type and major first.)

  3. Any graduation honors, such as cum laude or with Department Honors.

  4. The school's name and location. Same rules as for experience.

  5. Any relevant or noteworthy achievements. While pursuing a degree, GPA may fall into this category if at least 3.0 (3.5 for grad school), along with other academic honors like Dean's List. Student government participation can be included to show leadership qualities. I wouldn't bother with those particulars after, say, ten years or so, but if they're recent history, sure.

  6. For a degree requiring it, you may mention what you did your thesis on, if it's of particular interest, or relevance to what you want to do.

Examples:

Master of Condiment Application, expected May 2001
Frankfurter University, Silver Triangle IL
(Thesis on contrast in texture between relish and onion.)

Bachelor of Arts in Condiment Application, May 1998
Frankfurter University, Silver Triangle IL
Elected Court Jester of Student Government.

Associate of Arts in Condiment Application, May 1994
Frankfurter University, Silver Triangle IL
GPA: 3.5, 3.9 in major.

However, beware of inconsistencies that stand out. Notice how there is a GPA on the AA degree but not the rest. That raises the question of what was the GPA in the latter half of the BA work and the MA work, and implies that they were not good enough to put on a resume.

The degrees should be in reverse chronological order. Further classes/courses taken since then may be either before that (i.e., the whole thing in reverse chrono), or saved for after all degrees (but still reverse chrono).

Don't bother with high school once you've graduated college.

Include here any academic affiliations, such as honor societies etc.