Academic CV Format: How to Structure a CV for Faculty and Research Roles

How an academic CV differs from a resume

A resume is short, targeted, and achievement-focused. An academic CV is long, comprehensive, and complete - it documents your entire scholarly record rather than tailoring to a single role. Length is expected; a strong academic CV can run many pages.

The audience is different too. Hiring committees and department chairs read academic CVs for evidence of research productivity, teaching ability, funding, and fit with the department.

Standard academic CV sections, in order

Order can vary by field and by whether the role is research- or teaching-focused, but a standard academic CV generally follows this structure:

• Contact information
• Education (degrees, institutions, dates, dissertation title)
• Academic and professional appointments
• Publications (peer-reviewed articles, books, chapters)
• Grants and funding
• Research experience and interests
• Teaching experience
• Conference presentations and invited talks
• Awards and honors
• Professional service, memberships, and references

Formatting an academic CV

Keep it clean and consistent: a single readable font, clear section headings, and a consistent citation style for publications (match your field's convention). Put the sections that matter most for the specific role earlier - research output for research roles, teaching for teaching-focused positions.

Unlike a resume, you don't cut older material; the academic CV is cumulative. Keep it current and complete, and tailor the emphasis - not the length - to each application.