How to List Unfinished Master's Degree on a Resume

Students often start a degree program but after sometime they want to take a pause to think about it. List your incomplete master's degree on your resume if you want to, even if you're preparing for an interview or want to show your experience to the hiring manager.

You can mention in the summary the gap due to employment as many students cease their degrees in between because of various reasons. Anyhow, at least the student is gaining some experience in the job. List your work experience now with our given professional resume templates.

Learning how to highlight your problem solving skills and experience and launch your career can be achieved while having an incomplete master's degree on a resume. 

Landing the first interview sometimes feels like scaling Mount Everest. In this article, we will discuss

• What is meant by an unfinished degree 
• Reasons for an Unfinished Degree
• Listing unfinished degree on your resume
• Degree relevant or irrelevant to job position

What is an Unfinished Degree?

Reasons for Unfinished Degree:

• Minor or Major programs
• Mention Completed Programs/Diplomas
• Gap Due to Employment
• Currently Coursing Degree

Listing Down Unfinished Degree on a Resume:

The following are the methods of how to put unfinished degrees on your resume.

Minor or Major Programs:

Listing your university program's majors or minors you have done in between the degrees is acceptable. Your program should closely align your experience with the position you're looking for.

Mention Completed Programs/Diploma:

You can also include a list of any programs or diplomas you have taken that are relevant to the role. Listing your finished credentials in between degrees shows you can handle complex assignments. For this use our professional resume templates.

Gap Due to Employment:

You can mention in the summary the gap due to employment as many students cease their degrees in between because of various reasons. Anyhow, at least the student is gaining some experience in the job. List your soft and hard skills now with our given professional resume templates.

Currently Pursuing Degree:

If you are still in a university and plan to graduate, specify in the education area of your resume when you expect to graduate, along with the university's name. Add essential information to help a hiring manager understand your qualifications and skills. 

Degree Relevant or Irrelevant to Job Position:

Irrelevant to Position: 

You only need to include a little information if your field of study has nothing to do with the job you are applying for. You can include the years attended and the college.
If you did well in school, list your achievements, such as a high GPA, being included on the Dean's List, or other awards or scholarships.

Include positive buzzwords and phrases to highlight your achievements and relevant skills. 

Relevant to the Job Position:

Provide information showing the hiring manager the experience and knowledge you have obtained from your education if your unfinished degree is relevant to the position you are applying for.

In your education section, mention any relevant courses or the total number of certificates earned. Any academic achievements that show distinction in your field of study should also be included.

FAQs:

Q1: Should you list a Masters GPA on your resume?

Most professional resume writing suggests not putting your GPA on your resume because it's not a tangible item hiring managers can see.

Q2: How do you write a master's degree abbreviation?

The two standard titles of master's degrees are the Master of Arts (MA/M.A.) and Master of Science (MSc/M.Sc./M.S.) degrees.

Q3: Which Masters degree is most in demand?

Business, computer science, and engineering degrees are also the most in-demand master's degrees among employers.

Q4: Should I put a 2.9 GPA on my resume?

Most experts say that if you include a GPA lower than 3.0 on your resume, you could risk hurting your hiring chances.