CVs

A curriculum vitae, typically called a CV or vita, is a scholarly representation of your education, experience, publications, research, honors and awards, and other relevant information. Professionals who are targeting academia and other research-related professions, such as medicine or psychology, use a CV.

Format

The format is specialized and can vary by discipline.

  • Font: 11–12 point professional font
  • Margins: 0.5–1 inch margins
  • Length: Unlimited
  • Font Style: Use select font styles (bold, italic, all caps) to highlight important elements, such as headings

Sections

The order of sections is flexible. Focus on an order that makes sense for your field or the position you are applying for. Within each category, list items in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top.

Required Sections

  • Contact Information: Place at the top of the first page and include your name, email, phone number, and address, as well as any relevant links (portfolio site, LinkedIn profile). Add your name to the header of all subsequent pages.
  • Education: For each degree, include degree title, university name and department, and month/year of graduation (or expected graduation). For each dissertation or thesis, include title, date, and advisor.

Additional Common Sections

  • Publications
  • Research or Fieldwork Experience
  • Research Interests
  • Teaching Experience
  • Honors and Awards
  • Presentations
  • Service
  • Languages
  • Professional Affiliations
  • Internship Experience
  • Technical Skills
  • References

Content

Since a CV is a comprehensive record of your academic work and achievement, it will be lengthy and grow over the course of your career. That said, you still want to communicate a clear narrative about your work, experience, and qualifications. For example, if you are applying for an instructional role, a teaching experience section should be first (after education), versus a primarily research-based role, where your research experience should be first.

Samples

View a sample CV (pdf)

Next Steps