How to List a Major & Minor on Your Resume (with Examples)

You’ve just graduated. Congratulate yourself on the enormous feat you’ve accomplished! We bet you’re eager to apply all that fresh knowledge to your first job. Listing your major and minor on your resume effectively draws attention to your specific training.

Majors and minors aren’t just for beginners, though. Experienced professionals can also benefit from including their majors and minors, especially if they’re still relevant to the specific job they’re targeting. Think of the major and minor as the theoretical foundation that gives you confidence in your practice.

This article will answer some of the most important questions regarding the topic, such as how to list your major and minor, do you even need a minor, how to describe a double major, as well as handy examples to use as templates.

To learn how to make a perfect resume, look through our 1800+ resume examples and then use those tips and tricks with the Enhancv resume builder.

What is a Major and a Minor on a Resume

If you choose your minor to follow your personal interests rather than the focus of your major, it can still give you a competitive edge. Even if it’s unrelated to your major, it might still be worth listing on your resume. Exploring your hobbies or interests via your minor shows individuality.

If you’ve majored in something, that means you took extensive courses in that field and you gained in-depth knowledge on that specific subject. For example, a major in banking gives you a sufficient theoretical base. The major doesn’t automatically make you an investment banker, but gives you something to build upon with practice.

Double major on a resume

It happens — you can’t choose between two great options, or you’re one of those prodigies who are equally good at two things, and now you have a double major. A double major comes with its special benefits, such as:

• Enhanced employability: A double major demonstrates to hiring managers that you’re serious, dedicated, and capable of handling a diverse set of challenges, making you a more attractive candidate.
• Strong work ethic: Successfully completing a double major showcases your ability to manage a heavy workload and maintain high academic standards across multiple disciplines.
• Versatile skill set: Balancing between two distinct fields equips you with a broad and versatile skill set, making you adaptable and capable of contributing to various roles and industries.
• Improved time management: Juggling the demands of a double major hones your time management skills, illustrating your ability to efficiently prioritize and balance multiple tasks.

And now for the practical part. How do you list a double major on your resume?

Put your primary major first, then your secondary major in the same line. If your majors relate to completely different fields, you can list them in two separate lines.

Should You Include a Minor on Your Resume?

Minors are optional, but consider they could open many doors. Obtaining knowledge in a secondary discipline (a minor) makes you more attractive to recruiters. It shows your knowledge is diverse or more specialized and this could distinguish you from other candidates.

Should you always include your minor on your resume? Generally, you want to keep your resume clean and simple, including only information that adds value. So, keep these tips in mind:

• If your minor is not relevant to your major or the field you’re applying for, consider leaving it out.
• Even if your minor isn’t directly related to your major, it still demonstrates a field you’re passionate about and can set you apart.

Ultimately, you should decide whether the specific workplace will appreciate a minor, even if it’s not directly relevant to the job posting.

What about multiple minors?

If you have multiple interests, and are eager to learn, you can end up with several minors in your arsenal. Additional knowledge can never be unwanted, but it’s great if you can strategically incorporate it on your resume. While several minors can make you a more well-rounded candidate, consider where your strenghts lie and what is the focus of the job you’re after.

Generally, include up to two minors on your resume. If you have more, pick the more relevant ones. 

Let’s say you’ve completed a degree in Computer Science and have three minors in Mathematics, Data Science, and Music. However, when applying for jobs in IT, you stick to the minors more relevant to the field, like Mathematics and Data Science. The minor in Music, while valuable, is less directly applicable to his career goals in computer science and data analysis.  However, if you apply for a job at Spotify, for example, you might reconsider and include the Music minor instead. It all depends on the specific requirements of the job you’re applying for, so tailor your resume accordingly.

When is it okay to stop putting major/minor on my resume?

Is there ever a good reason not to list your education on your resume? Probably not. Your degree(s) will always hold some significance and it’s great to see them listed on a resume, even if you obtained them a long time ago.

If your education is irrelevant to your desired position or you lack practical experience in your field of study:

• Do not omit the education section altogether.
• Focus your resume on your experience, additional training and certifications, and skills.

If you have extensive experience:

• Place your education section after your experience section.

As for how detailed your education section should be, well, after a certain point in your career, like your second or third serious position, consider only listing your major, without delving into GPA, coursework or additional activities. As a well established professional, you’ve probably collected much more impressive accomplishments than the ones you had in college.

How to List Degrees and Minors on Resume

Your major and minor go into the education section of your resume. That way, this important info can be easily seen and referenced.

When listing your degree, majors and minors:

• Includе the name and location (city) of the educational institution you attended and the year you got your degree. You can also list the month if you’re a fresh graduate.
• Write the type of degree you earned and your major and minor area of study. Start with the major one.
• List your GPA only if it’s higher than 3.5. Consider adding it only if you have no previous experience. Otherwise, rely on strong work achievements to shine.
• 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.

Now let’s check out some examples.

Listing only your major

Listing your major and minor

Listing a double major

These examples should cover the necessary formats for listing your major/minor and other educational details on a resume.

Adding Extra Information

What you lack in experience, you can make up for in additional relevant information, such as projects, coursework, or extracurricular activities. These can all make you a more attractive candidate.

• Include projects you’ve worked on, detailing your role, the skills you utilized, and the outcomes. For example, "Led a team project on renewable energy solutions, resulting in a 15% increase in energy efficiency for a model home."
• Mention relevant coursework that has equipped you with knowledge and skills directly applicable to the job. For instance, "Completed a course on advanced data analytics, gaining proficiency in Python and R for data analysis."
• Describe your involvement in extracurricular activities, specifying your contributions and their impact. For example, "Planted 400 trees as part of the environmental club, contributing to the local reforestation efforts."

Here’s an example of adding relevant coursework to your education entry:

Industry Expectations for Listing Major/minor on Resume

When listing your major and minor on a resume, it's important to tailor this information to align with industry expectations, as different sectors prioritize varying skill sets and educational backgrounds. For instance, technical fields such as engineering and information technology often value specialized knowledge directly tied to your major, while industries like business and marketing may appreciate a well-rounded academic profile that includes relevant minors. Give your resume the right nuance to enhance its impact.

• Technical and engineering industries: In fields like engineering, information technology, and healthcare, a highly specialized set of skills is required. This can make including a minor on your resume quite beneficial.

• Finance and business: A well-rounded combination of a major and minor can enhance any resume in finance, accounting, and business.

• Creative and liberal arts fields: In creative industries such as marketing, communications, and the arts, the relevance of your minor might be less critical compared to technical fields. It is an opportunity to show your personality, however, which is greatly appreciated in those industries.

• Research and academia: Roles in research and academia often value a strong educational background and a demonstrated ability to handle a diverse set of subjects. Which can make the inclusion of a double major or a relevant major and minor a strong asset on your resume.

• Consulting and professional services: These industries value a broad knowledge base and the ability to apply interdisciplinary skills to solve complex problems.

The decision to include your minor on your resume should be strategic, based on how well it aligns with the job and industry you're targeting. Always consider the specific requirements and expectations of the industry to ensure that your resume highlights the most pertinent qualifications and skills.

FAQs About Major and Minor on Resume

How to put an undergraduate degree on resume?

When listing your undergraduate degree, follow these straightforward steps:

• Create a dedicated Education section. For fresh graduates, position it below your contact information and summary.
• List your degree, university name, location, and graduation date.
• Include GPA (if 3.5 or above), honors/awards, relevant coursework, activities/organizations, and significant projects.
• Ensure consistent formatting, clarity, and relevance to the job application.

How to list degrees?

Begin by listing the highest degree you own. If you have a bachelor’s and a master’s, list the master’s first, then the bachelor’s. It’s usually the most recent one, and you should list degrees in reverse chronological order. In the case of multiple degrees, you can include your highest degree only.

Do minors show up on degrees?

While minors don’t usually appear on your diploma, your college transcript lists it. Either way, if you have it and you think it’s relevant, list it on your resume.

What's a BA or BS degree?

BA stands for Bachelor of Arts, BS stands for Bachelor of Science.

Can I put B.A., B.S. or MSc after my name?

You can, like so: James Smith, B.S. Consider it might be unnecessary to put your bachelor’s or master’s degree after your name, though. It might be perceived as smug. And while we’re sure you’ve put a lot of effort in your education, almost every candidate you’ll be competing with will have a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. Degrees like Ph.D. or MBA are less common and may have more impact when listed after your name.

Should I list my high school diploma?

Your resume should focus on your higher education, but if you’re a recent graduate or still haven’t graduated, and you’re now writing your first resume, you can list your high school diploma/GCSEs, too.

How to put Dean’s list on a resume?

Before you do, consider the following: were you a part of the dean’s list consistently and is the institution you attended prestigious enough? If not, being on the dean’s list might not have as much value or be seen as redundant information.

Key Takeaways

Now you know how to list a major and a minor in your resume. Here are the key tips you could use to make your resume stand out, even when you have little to no experience:

• Include the major and minor information in the education section of your resume. Place it before the experience section for better visibility.
• In your education entry, include the name of the college and location, degrees earned (major and minor), and graduation date.
• If you hold a double major, make sure you list your primary major first.
• Your minor can still add value to your application, as long as it’s relevant. Even if it doesn’t directly relate to your major, it’s still a chance to show your personality and passions, and some industries value that.
• First-time job seekers could add extra information to their education section to make it more powerful, such as GPA, relevant coursework and activities, awards, etc.
• The industry you want to work in can influence your decision on how to list major and minor on your resume.