Comments on: How do I list a necessary degree I don't have just yet?

Question: How do I list a necessary degree I don't have just yet?

Nimmie Amee — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:45:12 -0800

What is the best practice for listing a degree in progress on a resume? Specific details inside.

My late teens and all of my 20s were pretty much a debacle school wise. I managed to get about 2 years of college finished during this time period. Meanwhile, I landed in a field that I enjoy, and have accumulated a huge amount of experience over the last decade. I've never lied about the amount of education that I have, but as I've been hired in more senior positions, it's become much more of a hurdle to explain why my experience made me a safe bet without a bachelor's degree.

I finally got organized this year, and am on track to graduate in the next 18 months. How should I reflect this on my resume?

By: valkyryn

valkyryn — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:47:58 -0800

If you are actively pursuing a degree, you can say something like "BA (expected May 2014)," assuming that's true. That's basically what I did when I was looking for jobs in law school.

By: Wretch729

Wretch729 — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:49:00 -0800

I don't know about best practices but I've used:

DegreeX (Pending)
[datestarted] - [anticipated date of completion]

By: SpacemanStix

SpacemanStix — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:49:33 -0800

Yes, what valkyryn said. Assuming that you are on track to graduate, it's okay to reflect the projected degree date as such.

By: Nimmie Amee

Nimmie Amee — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 09:58:24 -0800

Thanks! I was having a hard time figuring this out, and seems like I might have just been overthinking.

By: daniel striped tiger

daniel striped tiger — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 10:05:57 -0800

Bachelor of Whatever in Stuff
University of Something, 19XX-19XX; 2012-2014 (Expected)

Or, for two institutions:

Bachelor of Whatever in Stuff
University of Something, 19XX-19XX
Example College, 2012-2014 (Expected)

The key here being focusing the section title and therefore the narrative on the degree, and less on the circumstances surrounding it.

By: mskyle

mskyle — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:13:18 -0800

I wouldn't put the first school on the resume at all, unless it's ridiculously prestigious. It's a waste of a line that could otherwise be used for something people will actually care about. I would write:

B.X., Department, 2014 (expected)
College That Will Issue the Diploma

By: madcaptenor

madcaptenor — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:17:12 -0800

I agree that you don't need to mention the school(s?) that aren't issuing the diploma. The school you're going to now accepts their credits as equivalent to its own. For example: you live in California, and the way public higher education here is structured a lot of people go to a community college for two years before going to a UC or CSU school; I don't think they'd list their CC on their resume.