When applying for a new job, it’s important to set out all of your qualifications and credentials in a clear and professional format.
One of the most important points to mention in a cover letter is your educational background and, more specifically, the degree you studied at college or university.
This article will show you precisely how to do that using 7 alternative phrases.
In addition, we’ll show you some helpful cover letter examples making use of each of our chosen phrases.
Check out our list below to find 7 unique examples of how to say you have a degree in your cover letter:
- I am degree educated
- I obtained a degree in
- My degree is in
- I majored in
- I hold a degree in
- I studied [subject] at university
- I graduated with a degree in
1. I Am Degree Educated
One of the ways in which you can discuss your level of education in your cover letter is to simply say I am degree educated.
This will let the reader know that you have obtained a degree of some kind. Moreover, it gives you the opportunity to discuss your degree more clearly in the following paragraph.
The phrase I am degree educated has a suitably formal tone for an application to a more practical role in a hands-on industry.
Nevertheless, this phrase will show that you have a formal education, which is always an attractive quality regardless of your chosen industry.
Below, we’ll show you how to say you have a bachelor’s degree in your cover letter:
I am degree educated, and you will find the transcripts for my bachelor’s degree in business administration on my resume.
2. I Obtained a Degree In
I obtained a degree in is essentially a more formal way to say I have a degree in.
Therefore, you can use this phrase in your cover letter when you want to come across professionally.
This phrase works particularly well when you want to set out the type of degree you have, the university at which you studied, and the year in which you received the degree.
In short, it’s an effective way to set out all kinds of important information that the hiring manager would be interested to know.
To see what we mean, check out this faux cover letter snippet:
I obtained a bachelor’s degree in computer science at the University of New York in 2018.
Now let’s see how you can use this phrase to state that you have a master’s degree.
In 2020, I obtained a master’s degree in neurology and early childhood cognitive development from the Sondermann School of Psychology and Criminology.
3. My Degree Is In
Another way to set out your education in a job application is to simply say my degree is in.
You can use this phrase to briefly set out your education history if you don’t want that to be the main focus of your application.
After all, many people go into industries completely outside of the degree they studied. However, any degree will give you useful and transferable skills.
So, it’s always worth mentioning!
Check out this example to see this phrase in action:
My degree is in directing. However, I have greater practical experience in the realm of cinematography and am looking to pursue a role in this capacity.
4. I Majored In
You can use the phrase I majored in when you want to discuss the degree you studied and, more specifically, the subject you focused on during your tertiary education.
This information can be highly important if you are trying to find your niche at an organization and want to set out the subjects in which you have extensive knowledge.
After all, undergraduate degrees in particular can be very broad and often involve a range of subjects.
Therefore, if you majored in a subject that is highly relevant to the job to which you are applying, it is essential to state that you are well-versed in that subject as a result of your degree.
For example:
I did a Bachelor of Science and Crostech University, and I majored in mathematics. Thus, I have a strong interest in this role on account of how it relates to my major.
5. I Hold a Degree In
Another way to discuss your degree in your CV or cover letter is to say I hold a degree in.
This phrase comes across as suitably formal for any role. In fact, it is essentially a more professional synonym for I have a degree in.
This phrase will surely affirm your credentials and gives you an air of confidence and certainty.
Therefore, it will be attractive to any prospective employer reading your cover letter.
See how we’ve used this phrase in a cover letter example.
I hold a degree in psychology from Rouw University.
We’ll also show you how you can use this phrase to set out the type of degree you received.
For instance, let’s look at how to say you have a master’s degree in your application:
I hold a master’s degree in education, which I received from Norwent University in 2019. After my schooling, I was employed immediately as a teaching assistant at Preston Knowles High School in Nevada.
6. I Studied [Subject] at University
You can mention the subject you studied at school in your cover letter using the phrase I studied [subject] at university.
This is a good phrase to employ if you don’t believe your educational background is the driving factor behind your application.
Nonetheless, you do want to mention it as a side note.
For instance, you may think that your work experience is a more important credential to speak about in your application.
If that’s the case, you can mention what you studied without elaborating on it too heavily before proceeding to set out your more impressive practical background.
Check out this example:
I studied linguistics at university and have used the skills I developed therein in my role as a trainer and translator at my previous company. However, my primary focus is on the training side of my experience, and I would like to pursue a further role in this arena.
7. I Graduated With a Degree In
Finally, let’s look at how to say you graduated with a degree in your cover letter using precisely that phrase.
Saying I graduated with a degree in makes it clear that you completed your course and have the documentation to prove it.
This makes it a more specific phrase than I studied [subject] at university, which you could still technically say in a cover letter even if you never graduated.
Moreover, it gives you the opportunity to discuss the University you studied at and when.
You can also use this phrase to introduce your credentials more specifically. In other words, you can set out the level at which you studied and the subject.
Consider our final examples:
I graduated from Tucker University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Thereafter, I obtained my further qualifications through a sponsorship at my previous place of employment.
In 2022, I graduated with a master’s degree in sociology.
