FOX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Learn more about the Master of Science in Actuarial Science.

About the Program

The Fox School of Business and Management has a longstanding tradition of preparing our students with the power to lead within the world of business. Actuaries specialize in the evaluation of insurance and financial risks and distinguish themselves through a combination of analytical skills, business acumen and professionalism. Temple’s Actuarial Science MS program prepares students for a successful career in the field through its rigorous coursework and exceptional opportunities for professional development. Our curriculum covers multiple professional actuarial exams and can be tailored to students’ interests and background.

We are recognized as a Center of Actuarial Excellence (CAE) by the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and as a Global Center of Insurance Excellence (GCIE) by the International Insurance Society. In 2020, we received the CAS University Award from the Casualty Actuarial Society. We participate in SOA’s University Earned Credit (UEC) program, allowing students to earn credit for all five eligible actuarial exams (ALTAM, ASTAM, FAM, FM, SRM) through their coursework at Temple.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 6 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

Affiliation(s): Research interests of Fox faculty are supported by numerous centers and institutes throughout the Fox School and Temple University.

Accreditation: The MS in Actuarial Science is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

Job Prospects: Actuaries hold positions of responsibility with consulting firms, government insurance programs, government regulatory organizations, insurance companies and investment banks. We help prepare students for these careers through our coursework and our extensive professional development opportunities, including an on-campus actuarial career fair and a resume book. The Fox Center for Student Professional Development (CSPD) provides students with additional career coaching and professional development resources that support the job search.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: This program requires the student to be matriculated in the degree program.

Financing Opportunities: Citizens and permanent residents of the United States are considered domestic students and are typically eligible for federal student loans and alternative loans through private lenders. The Fox School grants 5% tuition scholarships to alumni who are admitted to the program. 

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall:

  • December 15 – Early Admissions Deadline
  • March 1 – Scholarship Deadline and International Deadline
  • June 30 – Final Deadline

Spring:

  • August 1 – Scholarship Deadline and International Deadline
  • November 1 – Final Deadline

Applications are reviewed as they are received and will be considered after the deadline on a space-available basis.

APPLY ONLINE to this Fox graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 1

From Whom: Professional references from an immediate supervisor, current or past, are preferred. Academic references are acceptable.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: The equivalent of a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college is required. For three-year degrees, mark sheets must be evaluated by WES or another NACES organization.

Statement of Goals: Essay prompts can be found in the online application portal. 

Standardized Test Scores:
GRE/GMAT: Required. Scores for the GRE typically fall within the following percentile ranges: 50 to 99 Verbal; 80 to 99 Quantitative. Exam P may be accepted in place of GMAT/GRE.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree in a country where the language of instruction is English, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

  • TOEFL iBT: 90
  • IELTS Academic: 7.0
  • Duolingo: 110
  • PTE Academic: 68

Resume: Current resume or CV is required.

Interview:  Candidates are invited to interview in person or virtually. Interviews are required on a case-by-case basis.

Writing Sample: Prompts for this optional essay can be found in the online application portal.

Transfer Credit: Upper-level graduate credits from an AACSB-accredited graduate business program, but not previously applied to a conferred degree, may be transferred into the MS program. The credits must be part of the required degree program at Temple University. To be transferred, the grade must be a "B" or better. The Admissions Committee makes recommendations for transferring credits to the department chair. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 30

Required Courses:

Core Courses 1
AS 5101Theory of Interest3
AS 5102Long-Term Actuarial Modeling3
AS 5104Short-Term Actuarial Modeling3
AS 5108Actuarial Analytics3
BA 5687Advanced Professional Development Strategies0
RMI 5051Managing Risk3
Select two from the following:6
Advanced Long-Term Actuarial Modeling
Advanced Short-Term Actuarial Modeling
Advanced Actuarial Analytics
Special Topics in Actuarial Science
Select one from the following:3
Managing Human Capital Risk
Managing Property and Liability Risk
Electives 26
Accounting for Managerial and Investment Analysis and Planning
Introduction to Actuarial Spreadsheets and Programming
Actuarial Statistics
Advanced Long-Term Actuarial Modeling
Actuarial Economics
Actuarial Corporate Finance
Advanced Short-Term Actuarial Modeling
Financial Reporting for Actuaries
Advanced Actuarial Analytics
Option Pricing
Independent Study 3
Special Topics in Actuarial Science
Mentored Research 3
Actuarial Internship
Microeconomic Analysis
Macroeconomic Analysis
Econometrics I
Time Series Econometrics
Panel Data Econometrics
Health Systems Organization and Development
Financial Management of Healthcare Organizations
Marketing Management/Strategy
Quantitative Pricing and Revenue Analytics
Managing Human Capital Risk
Retirement Plans
Managing Property and Liability Risk
Managing International Risk
Visualization: The Art of Numbers and the Psychology of Persuasion
Statistical Learning and Data Mining
Advanced Business Analytics
Stochastic Processes
Applied Multivariate Analysis I
Survival Analysis I
Nonparametric Methods
Total Credit Hours30
1

If the student has passed an actuarial exam prior to taking its corresponding course, the course must be waived:

  • Passing the ALTAM exam waives AS 5103 Advanced Long-Term Actuarial Modeling.
  • Passing the ASTAM exam waives AS 5114 Advanced Short-Term Actuarial Modeling.
  • Passing the FAM-L or LTAM exam waives AS 5102 Long-Term Actuarial Modeling.
  • Passing the FAM-S or STAM exam waives AS 5104 Short-Term Actuarial Modeling.
  • Passing the FM exam waives AS 5101 Theory of Interest.
  • Passing the SRM exam waives AS 5108 Actuarial Analytics.

Any waived course is replaced by an elective from the list above. Alternately, students may, on a case-by-case basis, select another course to replace the waived course provided that the course has sufficient academic rigor, is beneficial to the student's career, and is approved by the Academic Director.

2

With prior approval from the Academic Director, students may select alternate courses as electives.

3

Selection of AS 5182 or AS 5191 requires prior approval from the Academic Director.

Culminating Event: Successful completion of coursework is required to earn the MS degree in Actuarial Science.

Contacts

Program Web Address:

https://www.temple.edu/academics/degree-programs/actuarial-science-ms-bu-as-ms

Department Information:

Fox School of Business and Management

1801 Liacouras Walk

701 Alter Hall (006-22)

Philadelphia, PA 19122

foxinfo@temple.edu

215-204-5890

215-204-7678

Fax: 215-204-1632

Submission Address for Application Materials:

https://apply.temple.edu/FOX/Account/Login

Department Contacts:

Academic Co-Directors:

Thorsten Moenig

moenig@temple.edu

215-204-2805

Tianxiang Shi

tianxiang.shi@temple.edu

215-204-6192

Specialized Master’s Programs Coordinator:

Rachel Carr

Senior Associate Director for Specialized Master’s Programs

foxms@temple.edu

215-204-7678