: work that is assigned or performed as part of a course of study
The rigorous program combines coursework in … engineering and seminar classes in the ethical, legal, regulatory, communication, and business aspects of the biotechnology industry with over a thousand hours of research.Angela Trepanier
Colleges and universities often offer discounted tuition for those 55 and older to partake in most coursework within their catalog (ranging from physical education to Eastern philosophy).Dr. Andrew Weil
When Brandenn was four, his parents started him on the Perkins County elementary-school coursework, and within two years he'd finished the fourth-grade curriculum.Eric Konigsberg

Examples of coursework in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The demands of coursework and clinical training leave little opportunity for meaningful outside employment, and private loans often require strong credit histories, co-signers, or financial resources that many applicants do not have. Gauri Gurumurthy, STAT, 24 July 2026 Most employers will recognize the value of a degree given after three years of substantive coursework, given the questionable quality of all too many of today’s graduates of the traditional approach. Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Darling-Hammond described a system straining to keep pace with a changing economy, in which students increasingly move in and out of college and blend academic coursework with hands-on career training. Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026 Early literacy, strong mathematics instruction, enrichment, advanced coursework, mentoring, and educators who recognize potential all matter. Meisha Porter, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for coursework

Word History

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coursework was in 1890

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coursework.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coursework. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster