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

You’re fresh out of college and ready to make your mark on the professional world. Landing your first role is tough. Listing both your major and minor on your resume can show off your expertise and lets the hiring manager know what knowledge you have under your belt.

Of course, if you’re a seasoned professional, your college education may seem less important. However, there are some cases where including your major and minor on your resume is a smart move. For instance, you might want to outline a specific subject you have expert knowledge of.

Whatever the case, learning how to properly showcase your major and minor is a must. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to get it right.

Key Takeaways

Highlight your main area of expertise by clearly showing your major on your resume.
Listing your minor on your resume could bolster your application. However, only include it if it’s 100% relevant to the job.
Clearly label your major and minor on your resume. You need to quickly share these details with the hiring manager.
Avoid listing too many minors on your resume—list up to two topics.
Add additional information to your resume to boost your chances if you lack experience.

What is a major?

First up, let’s start with the basics: What is a major? This is the main focus of your study while you’re at college. By the end of your degree, you’ll have an in-depth knowledge of the topic or industry.

For example, if you major in journalism, your studies will give you a solid foundation of what it takes to make it in that field. While you may not be a fully-fledged journalist upon graduation—you’ll need to take additional exams for that—you’ll be prepared to start your training.

What is a minor?

A minor is a secondary field of specialization that you undertake during your degree. Often enough, this subject will directly complement your major. For example, you might have a business studies major with a French minor, with the view of going into an international company. However, that’s not the only option.

You may choose a minor based on your interests or passions. For instance, you may study history and gain a minor in creative writing. While your minor won’t necessarily help you in your career, it’s something that you love doing and now is the perfect time to pursue it.

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Why you should list your major first

When including your major and minor on a resume, there’s one golden rule: always list your major first.

Your major is your main field of study, and so the most relevant when applying for jobs. This is the topic that you understand on an expert level. Often enough, it will directly align with the job you’re applying for.

Listing a major on your resume

When including your major, you can follow a simple formula as follows:

Name of college/university
Date of graduation/dates of study
Type of degree (bachelor’s or master’s)
Major

You have two options: either list your main subject alongside your degree type (e.g., “bachelor’s degree in English”) or emphasize your main subject by adding “major” next to it.

Let’s take a look at an example of how to list your major on your resume:

Education

Bachelor's Degree in English

University of Washington

02/2000 - 11/2004

Seattle, WA

How to format a double major on resume

While double majors aren’t as common as single majors, they can open the door to some interesting careers. If you’ve chosen to study two subjects as your major, it’s important to clearly illustrate this to the hiring manager. You can do this by listing your primary and secondary major next to each other.

Listing a double major on your resume

Highlighting your double major doesn't have to be hard.

Follow this structure:

Name of college/university
Date of graduation/dates of study
Type of degree (bachelor’s or master’s)
Major one subject and major two subject

Most of the time, you should list your two majors next to one another. However, if these two subjects are different degrees, you should list them on separate lines in your education section.

Here’s an example of how to list a double major on your resume:

Education

Bachelor of Arts

Harvard University

02/2000 - 11/2004

Cambridge, MA

GPA

3.8

4.0

•
Major: English and Journalism

Should you list your minor on a resume?

You don’t have to list your minor on your resume. However, there are times when including this detail may strengthen your application.

We’ve broken down the advantages to this approach below:

Advantages to listing your minor

Highlight your diverse knowledge: Listing a minor shows that you have a wide range of knowledge, including subjects outside of your major field of study.

Align with the business’ needs: If the role you’re applying calls for knowledge of a certain subject—and that happens to be your minor—always include it. For instance, when applying for a job in law, you might include a communications minor.

Show you’re a well-rounded candidate: Hiring managers are looking for candidates who know about a range of topics. Show that you’re not a one trick pony by illustrating the various topics that you covered in your minor.

Become more attractive to recruiters: Looking for a way to get a competitive edge? Listing your minor may help your resume to stand out from the crowd.

Let your personality shine through: If you are going for a job in a creative or customer-facing industry, including a minor may help to convey your personality. For example, when applying for a marketing role, you may include a minor in drama.

Think long and hard about whether to include your major and minor on your resume. In some cases, adding your minor may improve your chances of success while in others it may lower them.

How many minors should you include?

Some degrees include multiple minors. However, generally speaking, you should include no more than two minors on your resume.

If you have multiple, select the ones that are most relevant to the vacancy. Refer back to the original job posting to see which skills or knowledge areas are most in-demand.

When not to include a minor on your resume

We’ve talked about when to include a minor on your resume, but what about when not to?

You shouldn’t list your minor if it doesn’t add anything to your application. So, if this subject is in no way related to your career, it may be safer to leave it off completely. Only list information that adds real value.

How to format a minor on your resume

If you’ve decided to include your minor on your resume, getting the format right is a must. As the name suggests, your minor needs to appear after your major (or double major).

Check out our example below for inspiration:

Education

Bachelor of Arts

Yale University

02/2000 - 11/2004

Haven, CT

GPA

3.8

4.0

•
Major: English
•
Minor: French

Additional information on your resume

If you lack industry experience, you may want to include additional information on your resume to bolster your application.

Let’s break down some of the nuggets you could include as well as a minor:

Extra information to include

Skills and abilities: What skills do you have and how do they relate to the vacancy? Include these in your skills section but also weave them into the body of your resume. Look at the original job posting and pinpoint the skills you have listed there.

GPA: You should include your grade point average (GPA) as long as it’s higher than 3.5. If your GPA is lower than that, you might find that it works against you.

Relevant coursework: If you’re a recent graduate and lack experience, you should include any relevant coursework or projects you completed at college. You can bullet-point these within your education section below the corresponding degree.

Extracurricular activities: Clubs, associations, and groups that you attend may help to strengthen your application. Make sure any extracurricular activities you include are relevant to the job and demonstrate a specific skill set.

Frequently asked questions

How should you put an undergraduate on your resume?

Listing your undergrad on your resume is simple. Include the name of your college or university, the date you graduated, and the type of degree.

You can also add your GPA, your major, and your minor to this section.

What's a BA or BS degree?

BA stands for bachelor of arts and applies to degrees within this field. Examples include English, Drama, History, and Media.

BS stands for bachelor of science and is typically used for scientific or technical degrees. Examples may include Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering.

Can I put BA, BS, or MSc after my name?

The choice is yours. It’s not common to include the acronym of your bachelor’s degree (i.e. BA or BS) after your name.

However, if you have a master’s degree (for example, MSc) or a PhD, you may want to include these acronyms. You can list them directly after your full name in the order you gained them.

How do you write a double major and minor on a resume?

If you are listing a double major and a minor on your resume, order them by priority.

Start by listing your majors and include the label ‘major’ next to them. Below that, you can include your minor with the label ‘minor’.

Do you put a major and minor on your resume?

You don’t always have to list your minor on your resume. In fact, you should only do so if it aligns with the vacancy you’re applying for.

However, you should always include your major when listing a degree on your resume.

Which industries expect you to include a minor on your resume?

There are no hard and fast rules. However, it may make more sense to include your minor when applying for jobs in specific industries.

Technical fields, such as computing, engineering, and information technology may require additional expertise covered in your minor.

Similarly, if you want to work in academia, it’s logical to include your minor on your resume.

How do you show multiple degrees on a resume?

If you have multiple degrees, list them in reverse chronological order in your education section.

Start with your most recent degree at the top of the section and work your way backward in time.

Conclusion

Listing your major and minor on your resume is easy. Before you get started, consider what information you want to share. While you should always outline your major, you don’t always need to include your minor. Weigh up whether adding in this detail will help you stand out from the crowd or detract from your other areas of expertise. Use our advice and examples to give you inspiration.

Now that you know how to craft an outstanding education entry (including your major and minor), why not put your skills to the test with our easy-to-use, drag-and-drop resume builder?

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