For a general overview of the Actuarial Science major, view the Power Point Presentation from our Fall 2011 meeting.
What classes do I need for an Actuarial Science major?
Check out the online PSU Blue Book for the course requirements.
Academic Choices: Actuarial Science can be found under the Risk Management major in the Smeal College of Business, the Actuarial Mathematics option in the Mathematics Department or the Actuarial Statistics option in the Statistics Department. The Mathematics and Statistics Departments are housed in the Eberly College of Science. Students in all three Actuarial Options take the same Actuarial courses. For more information, contact Ron Gebhardtsbauer (rug16@psu.edu).
Sample Schedules by Department
For all majors, it is important that you incorporate all of the VEE classes (see VEE hyperlink to the left). Many actuarial students minor in Statistics and Economics. Another popular minor for math majors is Business/Liberal Arts. Some ways to decrease the number of credits you must take per semester are AP credits and the 3-6-9 Gen Eds option. You may also check this page to help you decide whether to skip or repeat Math 140 and Math 141. See your advisor for more details.
Penn State Actuarial Science Fact Sheet
- Recent WSJ article says recruiters chose Penn State more than any other school to recruit from
- Another WSJ article says the actuarial profession is the #1 field in U.S.
- Penn State has been designated a "Center of Actuarial Excellence" by the Society of Actuaries
- Prudential and Towers visit and hire more from Penn State than any other actuarial program
- Aetna has about as many actuaries from PSU as they have from UCONN
- PBGC hires many more actuaries from PSU than anywhere else
- Empoyers tell us they like our actuarial students because they are well-rounded
- Students take more business courses than at other universities, including 4 insurance courses
- We are the largest actuarial program in the US (based on number of students passing actuarial exams)
- Over 120 students passed at least one actuarial exam in each of past two school years
- Almost 50% larger than next largest actuarial program in US (per SOA website)
- Reasons for program size:
- Actuarial science is housed in the College of Business and the College of Science (Mathematics and Statistics)
- Over 50% of Math and Stat majors chooose the "Actuarial Option"
- Neighboring states NY, NJ, MD do not have a state school with an actuarial program
- We may have the largest Actuarial Science Career Fair for college students in the US
- Over 50 students earn internships each summer
- Actuarial science is housed in the College of Business and the College of Science (Mathematics and Statistics)
- Professors have real world experience, which they bring to the classroom
- Great Students
- Four Commencement Marshals (top GPA) in 2008-09: Math, Stat, Eberly College of Science overall, and IRE
- Proportionately more Schreyer Honors students than all other Smeal College of Business majors
- Graduates finding jobs with wage + bonuses as high as $80K with an average in the high-60s
- Very high pass ratio for MFE exam
- Many students with 800s on Math SAT
- Outreach to Sophomores and Freshmen
- Over 30 sophomores pass an SOA Exam before entering major
- Actuarial House in North Halls
- Reaching out to top math students at State College High School
- Active Actuarial Science Club
- Extensive website
- Resume workship
- Interview training
- Actuarial Career Fair
- Students, Recruiter, and Alumni databases and list serves
- Compnay information sessions
- Speaker Series
- Thon involvment
- Field trips to actuarial employers
- Mentoring program
- Statistics Department re-announced position for PhD Actuary
The History of Our Program
To learn about the history of our program, click on the articles below:
