A curriculum vitae, or “CV,” is a comprehensive statement of your education and teaching/research/work experience. (The term “curriculum vitae” is roughly translated from Latin as “course of life.”) It is most commonly used for applying to employment positions in higher education. However, some graduate school programs will ask prospective students to submit a CV as part of the application process.
Resumes and CV’s look similar, and sometimes the terms are used interchangeably. The primary difference between a resume and CV is the amount of content. Think of it this way – resumes are a “selection” of your experiences and skills that relate highly to a particular field of job, while a CV tends to read like a “collection” of your qualifications. Consequently, resumes tend to be shorter, typically one page for recent college graduates, so they can be scanned rather quickly. CV’’s do not have a page limit since they are intended to reflect the range of your interests and depth of your knowledge. CV’s are often read quite thoroughly.
For students creating a CV for application to a graduate school program, here are some the most common elements to include (if applicable to your background.) List in the following order. Content within sections should be in reverse-chronological order.
Education
- List all institutions from which you earned a degree in reverse-chronological order
- You can include institutions you attended but did not earn a degree if it was a substantial amount of time (more than a year) or it is highly regarded school
- Specific coursework completed if it helps describe your academic preparation
- Membership in the Honors program
Academic honors & awards
- Your GPA if it is above 3.0; Dean’s List, President’s List
- Scholarships you received only if they were highly competitive – this does not include Bright Futures
Research
- Include any substantial research projects; especially those that were completed under the supervision of a faculty member are most valuable.
- Provide details – what was the purpose of the research, and what did you learn
- You may also include a separate statement of your research interests
- FGCU Research Day participations
Related Experience
- Example: You are applying to a M.S in Environmental Science program – include your internship with the Rookery Bay Restoration Project and your part-time job at The Nature Conservancy
Related Skills
- May include computer skills, knowledge of another language, experience with certain lab equipment or research software, or anything directly related to the field
Related Certifications
- Any related certification within the field and the year received/earned
Professional Affiliations
- Membership in the professional associated related to your field – indicate level of involvement
Leadership Experience
- Examples may include the following positions: Orientation Leader, Housing RA, Student Government, Sorority/Fraternity officer, student club/organization officer, Intercollegiate athletics captain, or a position of high responsibility in a fundraising endeavor (such as Relay for Life)
Professional Development
- Conferences and workshops attended
Campus and Community Involvement
- Participation in student clubs/organizations and volunteer experiences in the community
Other Work Experience
- Any jobs you have held. Don’t need to include ALL of them (such as the two weeks spent cutting lawns in the summer)
- Don’t need long job descriptions, especially for basic positions (such as retail clerk or restaurant server)
For students that have completed a Master’s Level program and are applying to a Doctoral level program, here are some additional elements to include (if applicable to your background):
- Dissertation
- Fellowships/Grants
- Publications and Published Work
- Could be journal articles and research reports, or, for example, an English major may have poems or short stories that have been published
- Work Submitted/Work in Progress
- Presentations
- Teaching Experience/Courses Taught