The education section of a resume is a significant point of review for hiring managers. Listing multiple degrees earned from the same institution requires a thoughtful strategy to maximize clarity and space efficiency. The goal is to present academic achievements in a way that immediately highlights your qualifications without confusing the reader.
Determining the Placement of the Education Section
The positioning of the academic history section depends entirely on the job seeker’s professional experience level. Recent graduates or those with less than three years of relevant professional history should place the Education section near the top of the resume, directly below the summary statement. This placement directs attention to academic achievements when work history is still developing.
Experienced professionals who possess five or more years of relevant work experience should shift the Education section toward the bottom of the document. For these candidates, professional experience holds more weight, making academic details secondary to career accomplishments.
Choosing the Right Formatting Strategy
Once the section’s placement is decided, the next choice involves how the multiple degrees will be visually structured. The decision to consolidate or separate the entries is based primarily on the degrees’ relevance to the target job and the time elapsed between earning them. A seamless presentation ensures the hiring manager can quickly grasp the full scope of your academic background.
Grouping Them Under One Entry
Grouping degrees under a single university entry is the cleanest and most space-efficient method, particularly when the degrees are closely related. This format works well for sequential degrees, such as a Bachelor of Arts followed by a Master of Arts in similar disciplines. The university name is listed once, followed by both degree titles stacked vertically, indicating a continuous academic path.
For instance, the entry would visually present “University Name, City, State” followed by “Master of Arts, Discipline, Year” and “Bachelor of Arts, Discipline, Year.” This streamlined approach minimizes repetition and directs focus to the credentials themselves.
Listing Them Separately
Separating the degrees into distinct entries is advisable when the credentials are highly specialized or were earned with a significant chronological gap. This strategy provides visual separation when, for example, a candidate earned a Bachelor’s degree a decade ago and recently returned for a specialized Master’s degree. Each entry should include the university name, location, degree title, and completion date, treating them as distinct academic events.
While this uses slightly more vertical space, the separation emphasizes the individuality and distinct focus of each credential, especially if the degrees are in disparate fields. If a candidate holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts and a Master’s in Business Administration from the same school, listing them separately helps emphasize the breadth of the academic background.
Prioritizing the Order of Multiple Degrees
Regardless of whether the degrees are grouped or separated, the hierarchy within the listing should always follow the “highest degree first” rule. A doctoral degree, such as a Ph.D. or Ed.D., should precede a Master’s degree, which in turn precedes a Bachelor’s degree. This arrangement respects the academic progression and ensures the highest level of achievement is visible to the reader.
A candidate with a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science should list the M.S. first, even if the B.S. is more directly relevant to the current job opening. This academic hierarchy provides a consistent standard for presenting qualifications. An exception can be made for degrees that are significantly more relevant to the current application, allowing the more pertinent, lower degree to be listed immediately following the highest degree.
Detailing Specific Credential Information
Beyond the degree title, specific data points must be selectively included to provide context for the achievement. Completion dates should always be listed clearly, typically using the month and year of graduation, even if the degrees were earned concurrently. This clarity prevents ambiguity regarding the time investment and academic overlap.
The inclusion of a Grade Point Average (GPA) requires consideration; it should be included only if it is 3.5 or higher and if the candidate is a recent graduate. Candidates more than three years out of school or those with a GPA below this threshold should omit the figure to conserve space and focus attention on professional experience.
Latin honors, such as summa cum laude or magna cum laude, should be listed directly following the degree title for clear recognition of academic distinction. These honors provide a strong signal of performance and should be included regardless of professional tenure. If the position requires advanced subject matter expertise, the title of the thesis or dissertation can be included concisely beneath the degree listing. This detail provides immediate insight into the depth of research and specific area of specialization achieved during the degree program.
Integrating Non-Degree Credentials
Academic achievements that do not constitute a full degree, such as minors, concentrations, and professional certificates, should be integrated judiciously. These credentials should not be given their own main section but rather nested directly beneath the relevant degree entry from the same institution. This ensures they are seen as supplementary to the main degree.
A minor in a secondary field should be listed on the same line as the Bachelor’s degree to which it is attached. Using clear, abbreviated language is advisable for these details, such as “Concentration in Data Analytics” or “Minor: Spanish Language.”