Actuarial Science Major

The major curriculum is specifically geared towards preparing students to take up to five exams, creating a competitive advantage in a job search. This curriculum has prepared students well, and the actuarial exam passing rate among students continues to improve. In recent years, an average of more than 80 percent of graduating seniors pass at least one exam, and about 75 percent pass two or more exams.

With the creation of a master’s degree in actuarial and quantitative risk management (MAQRM) in 2016, the program has been developing new courses, with some of the beginning graduate courses made available to upper-level undergraduate students. Among these are courses that cover topics in predictive modeling and quantitative risk management. The predictive modeling course covers basic methods from machine learning and the mathematical ideas behind these methods. The risk management course exposes students to real practice in handling risks in the financial market. Both courses help students to see the changing landscape of traditional actuarial practice.