Writing your resume can be intimidating, but writing a resume under nontraditional circumstances can feel even trickier. If you haven’t finished your degree, don’t worry! Your degree can still help your education section shine.
An unfinished degree on a resume shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of. It’s just a matter of learning to write a resume that correctly highlights your hard-earned education, no matter what stage of completion it’s in.
Our guide will walk you through:
- When to list an unfinished degree.
- Whether an unfinished degree can hurt your resume.
- How to list an in-progress degree.
- How to list an incomplete degree.
- Key takeaways.
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When to list an unfinished degree on a resume
Not sure if you need to list your unfinished degree on your resume? Let’s examine what an unfinished degree is and all the reasons why you should list it.
An unfinished degree can be anything from an in-progress bachelor’s degree on a student’s resume to incomplete coursework on the resume of a worker who dropped out of college. You may even have multiple degrees in different states of completion listed on your resume.
The first step is determining whether your degree is relevant to the role. When listing degrees on your resume, think of how your degree qualifies you for the role. If you have a completed bachelor’s degree, you may not need to list an associate degree. But, what if your associate is for a much more relevant major?
There is no single right answer to what information your resume should include, so be sure to look closely at the role and at your own experience to decide how to proceed with your unfinished degree. Resumes are all about making sure that your qualifications shine as much as possible.
For an unfinished degree, you should generally list it if:
- It’s relevant to the role you’re seeking.
- It’s your highest level of education.
- It meets a requirement of the job.
For example, say you’re pursuing a role as a data entry administrator. The job listing states that the ideal candidate should have a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications. You have an associate degree in business administration, but you also completed about 75% of the coursework for a telecommunications bachelor’s degree before dropping out to take care of family.
Your incomplete degree might not be a perfect match for the requirement, but it’s close and can demonstrate to the employer that you have the expertise they’re looking for. In this scenario, you should absolutely list the degree, but you should also be prepared to answer questions about your unique circumstances.
Can an unfinished degree hurt your resume?
Now that we’ve uncovered a scenario when you should include an incomplete degree, you might be wondering whether it’s ever a bad idea to list your incomplete degree. Knowing how to add an unfinished degree to your resume is great, but will an incomplete degree make you look bad?
The short answer is no. If you’ve determined that the incomplete degree is relevant to the role it shouldn’t hurt your chances. But there are plenty of situations where you’re better off not listing it.
An unfinished degree should not be listed on your resume if you have completed a degree at the same level or higher, unless the unfinished degree is much more relevant to the role. For example, if a job listing requires education in telecommunications and you have an incomplete associate degree in telecommunications and a bachelor’s degree in performing arts,, it may be appropriate to include both of them.
An unfinished degree on a resume can also be harmful if you’re dishonest. An employer who reads your resume will ask questions about your degree and is going to expect you to actually have the credentials you claim. If you started a bachelor’s degree but didn’t finish it, presenting it as a completed degree will hurt your integrity as a candidate and may ruin your chances.
How to list an incomplete degree
Now that we’ve covered when and why you might choose to list an unfinished degree, let’s look at how to list an unfinished degree on your resume.
Example of an unfinished degree on a resume:
September 2020 – March 2023
- Completed 58 units of Journalism coursework toward a B.A. degree.
This is a complete example of an incomplete degree on a resume, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add more information if you want to. If you received honors or awards during the time that you pursued this degree or if your GPA was 3.5 or higher, feel free to include this information as bullet points beneath your degree.
Just keep in mind that resume space is limited and if you have work experience or on-the-job achievements that are more relevant to the role, you might be better off using that space to highlight them instead.
Pro Tip:
Your resume is not the place to explain the circumstances of an incomplete degree. Be honest, but stick with the basic information you need to include only. An unfinished degree on a resume is an example of a special circumstance that you can briefly expand on in your cover letter.
How to list an in-progress degree
We’ve covered how to list an incomplete degree, but as a student, how do you list an in-progress degree on your resume? Fortunately, this one is pretty easy.
An in-progress degree follows the same format as any other degree, except that instead of listing a graduation date, you include an expected graduation date indicating when your degree should be completed.
Example of an in-progress degree on a resume:
University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA
Expected in May 2024
As a student, you probably don’t have a ton of actual work experience. As a result, your education will probably play a bigger role on your resume now than it will in the future when your career history is longer.
Because your education is so important to your resume as a student, you may want to add extra context to your in-progress degree to show off the expertise that you’ve gained so far.
Example of an in-progress degree on a resume that emphasizes academic achievements:
Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR
Expected in May 2024
- 4.0 GPA.
- Participant in student research residency in award-winning microbiology lab.
- Undergraduate science achievement award recipient.
Pro Tip:
We included an award beneath the candidate’s in-progress degree in that last example, but if you really want to showcase awards, it’s an even better idea to give them their own section. This can also help “fill out” a short resume for a student with little work experience.
Key takeaways
-
Celebrate your achievements:
An unfinished degree doesn’t mean that your expertise is incomplete. You don’t need to be ashamed of a degree that hasn’t been finished. Every career path is unique and nothing is stopping you from using the knowledge gained through your education to excel in the workplace. If your unfinished degree is relevant to the role you’re applying for, list it.
-
Be honest:
You shouldn’t shy away from listing an unfinished degree but you shouldn’t be dishonest about it either. Trust us, recruiters know all of the tricks you might use to make an unfinished degree look complete on your resume. A lack of integrity looks way worse on your resume than an unconventional education path.
-
Add context in your cover letter:
Your resume is not the place to explain why your degree is unfinished. Resume real estate is very limited and you need that space to highlight your incredible skills. If you think explaining your situation will help your application succeed, do so on your cover letter. Just be sure to save some space to focus on your accomplishments there too.
-
Highlight academic accomplishments:
As a student with an in-progress degree, your education has probably been at the center of your focus for a long time. You may not have a robust career background, so look for opportunities to highlight your expertise and experience through your education. This can be anything from adding an awards section for academic honors to describing unique coursework or internships that have prepared you for the role.
Was this information about How To List An Unfinished Degree On A Resume (With Examples) helpful? Let us know!
Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.
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