Writing CVs

In the United States, a curriculum vitae is most often used when applying for academic, education, scientific, or research positions, as well as for graduate and fellowship programs.

CV vs. Resume

  • Resume: Provides a summary of your education, work history, skills, and other accomplishments (typically 1-2 pages)
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV): Demonstrates your professional and academic achievements. Depending on your education, experience and accomplishments, a CV can range in length from 2-10 pages or more!

**No CV is the same, so it is always best to consult with an advisor or mentor on what a CV in your field should look like.

View Curriculum Vitae Examples

Curriculum Vitae Content

There are many different ways to setup and create your CV. There is not one universal format to follow. To get the best results, you will need to tailor your CV to match the position in which you are applying. Listed below are some of the most common sections for CVs.

Name & Address

Your name, address (home & office), telephone number and e-mail address should be prominently displayed on the first page. Make sure that your name appears on every page. Page numbers should be included after the first page.

Objective

For faculty positions, a CV generally does not have an “objective” statement. Objective or background statements are sometimes used on a CV if an applicant is applying for a position outside of their area of training or experience.

Education

This section should include the pertinent information from each academic institution from which you are currently attending or have received a degree(s). List each entry in reverse chronological order (most recent or current educational institution first). Include the following information for all of your graduate and undergraduate educational experiences:

  • Name and location of degree granting institution(s)
  • Type of degree conferred including field of concentration or academic discipline.
  • Dates which you received your degree or anticipated date of completion. When displaying dates, write out the month and year rather than the numerical notation (8/06).
  • Include the title of your dissertation and the name of your advisor. In certain situations, it is acceptable to include your dissertation abstract on your CV. If applicable, you can enclose a copy of your abstract with your curriculum vitae. Be sure to include a statement in your Education section that refers the reader to the enclosed abstract (i.e. “See attached abstract”).
Awards, Honors, Grants, and Fellowships

The significance and type of awards, honors, etc. that you have received will determine if this section should “stand alone” or be included under your Education section.

Experience

Three subdivisions of experience are generally included on a curriculum vitae: research, teaching, and professional experience. Emphasize the subdivision that best matches the position you are applying for. Organize the first page of your CV so it highlights your greatest strengths when matched with the specified requirements for the position.

1) Research Experience – This can include research interests, area of specialization or competency and specifics on your principle research experiences. These experiences could have been gained through graduate assistantships, internships, post-doc fellowships, and/or previous or current work experiences. Be sure to include for each listing the following: the name of the institution with which you were affiliated, the institution location (city and state only), your title, your responsibilities, accomplishments and/or results, and dates of research of employment.
2) Teaching Experience – This can include specific teaching experiences, teaching interests, and areas of specialization or expertise. For each teaching experience include the name of the institution with which you taught, type of class you taught, your responsibilities and accomplishments, dates, and position title.
3) Related Professional Experience – This can include any relevant experience from in-or-outside of academia.

Publications

List each professional publication using the bibliographic form for your field. This can include books, technical and research reports, unpublished manuscripts, manuscripts under review, reviews, etc.

Presentations

Be sure to include any experiences gained while presenting at professional or academic conferences, workshops or seminars. This can also include university or college presentations. If you have several such experiences, you can think about creating a separate section on your CV (i.e. Workshop Topics Presented, Performances, Lectures, etc.).

Professional Licensees Registrations or Certifications

Be sure to include any licenses, registrations, or certifications that you have earned or were awarded. List each credential by name along with the date (month and year) you received the honor.

Other Relevant Sections

If applicable, these “catchall” sections may include miscellaneous information that does not fit anywhere else on your CV.

• Memberships/affiliations to scholarly or professional organizations.
• Academic Course Highlights – General names of course completed that are relevant to a particular position.
• Committee Work – Include if you have served as a member of a university/college committee or organization.
• Languages – If you are bilingual or have exposure to another language generally outside of English (Note: be sure to include the level at which you speak a second language; native, fluent, proficient, working knowledge).
• Travel or Study Abroad (if applicable)
• Volunteer or Community Involvement

References

List 3 to 5 professional references by name, title, institution affiliated with, address, telephone number, and email address.