Overview
Located in the Department of Risk, Actuarial Science, and Legal Studies, the Bachelor of Business Administration in Actuarial Science provides students the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in mathematics and statistics while being exposed to a wide range of business disciplines. Temple's Actuarial Science program is designated as a Center of Actuarial Excellence (CAE) by the Society of Actuaries and as Gold level by the Casualty Actuarial Society.
Actuaries specialize in the evaluation of insurance and financial risks. They hold positions of responsibility with insurance companies, consulting firms, investment banks, government regulatory organizations, and government insurance programs. Actuaries must pass a series of professional exams, administered by the Society of Actuaries and Casualty Actuarial Society, to receive the credential of Associate or Fellow. For more information, see the Licensure/Certification section below.
Campus Location: Main
Program Code: BU-AS-BBA
Student Professional Organization
Students should meet with the Program Director as soon as they enter the Actuarial Science program. In addition to their coursework and professional examinations, students are strongly encouraged to become active in the Sigma chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma (GIS), Temple's national award-winning student professional organization in Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science. The organization hosts numerous guest speakers from the industry and sponsors a variety of career development seminars. For more information, please contact GIS officers listed on www.sigmachapter.org.
Licensure/Certification
Being credentialed as an actuary is important for advancement in the actuarial profession and to become qualified to offer professional judgement on financial statements. These credentials of Associate and Fellow are national credentials and are recognized internationally as well. There is no state-specific actuarial credentialing or state-specific actuarial exams.
Actuaries must pass a series of professional exams administered by the Society of Actuaries and Casualty Actuarial Society which test the candidate's knowledge in probability, statistics, financial mathematics, insurance contractual design, and insurance company financial operations. Candidates completing a certain set of exams receive the designation of Associate under either society. Beyond that set, candidates completing an additional set of exams receive the designation of Fellow of either society.
Coursework in Temple's Actuarial Science program helps prepare students for several Associateship-level actuarial exams. Students can self-study for additional exams.
An additional component to becoming credentialed as an Associate is the completion of Validation by Educational Experience (VEE) requirements. Candidates can satisfy these requirements by completing an external course or taking college courses which have been approved by the Society of Actuaries and receiving a minimum grade of B-. Courses in Temple's Actuarial Science curriculum are approved by the Society of Actuaries as satisfying these VEE (Validation by Educational Experience) requirements.
https://www.soa.org/education/exam-req/edu-asa-req/
Contact Information
Krupa S. Viswanathan, Associate Professor, Academic Program Director
Alter Hall, Room 629
215-204-6183
krupa@temple.edu
Learn more about the Bachelor of Business Administration in Actuarial Science.
These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.
Summary of Requirements
University Requirements
All new students are required to complete the university's General Education (GenEd) curriculum.
Note that students not continuously enrolled who have not been approved for a Leave of Absence or study elsewhere must follow University requirements current at the time of re-enrollment.
College Requirements
Students are strongly encouraged to take the professional actuarial exams immediately after completing the relevant coursework. Students must meet the College Graduation Requirements for the Bachelor of Business Administration including the requirements of the major listed below. Students must attain a 2.0 cumulative GPA and 2.0 in the major to graduate with the Actuarial Science major.
Major Requirements
Students must follow the Major Requirements and College Requirements current at the time of declaration. Students not continuously enrolled who have not been approved for a Leave of Absence or study elsewhere must follow University, College, and Major requirements current at the time of re-enrollment.
Requirements of Actuarial Science Major
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AS 2502 | Theory of Interest | 3 |
| AS 2503 | Actuarial Corporate Finance 1 | 3 |
| AS 3501 | Long-Term Actuarial Modeling | 3 |
| AS 3503 | Short-Term Actuarial Modeling 2 | 3 |
| AS 3596 | Actuarial Practice: Property and Liability | 3 |
| or AS 3597 | Actuarial Practice: Group & Health Benefits | |
| Select two of the following courses: | 6 | |
| Advanced Long-Term Actuarial Modeling | ||
| Special Topics: Actuarial Science 3 | ||
| Advanced Short-Term Actuarial Modeling 3 | ||
| Advanced Actuarial Analytics 3 | ||
| Managing International Risk | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 21 | |
- 1
AS 2503 replaces FIN 3101 in the upper-division foundation. This course is not calculated in the major GPA.
- 2
This is the major capstone, and all prerequisites must be met.
- 3
Course only offered in Spring term.
Non-Business Required Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 1041 | Calculus I 1 | 4 |
| MATH 1042 | Calculus II 1 | 4 |
| AS 1501 | Actuarial Probability 2 | 3 |
| AS 2505 | Actuarial Statistics 2 | 3 |
| AS 3504 | Actuarial Analytics 2 | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 17 | |
- 1
MATH 1041 & MATH 1042 replace the STAT 1001 & STAT 1102 requirements listed in the Fox School of Business & Management foundation course requirements. MATH 1041 also satisfies the Quantitative Literacy (GQ) General Education requirement.
- 2
These courses replace STAT 2103 in the Fox School of Business & Management foundation course requirements.
Suggested Academic Plan
Bachelor of Business Administration in Actuarial Science
Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year
Please note that this plan is suggested only, ensuring prerequisites are met.
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| MATH 1041 | Calculus I | 4 |
| ECON 1101 | Macroeconomic Principles | 3 |
| HRM 1101 | Leadership and Organizational Management | 3 |
| ENG 0802 | Analytical Reading and Writing [GW] or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL [GW] or Honors Analytical Reading and Writing [GW] | 4 |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| MATH 1042 | Calculus II | 4 |
| ECON 1102 | Microeconomic Principles | 3 |
| BA 1103 | Legal and Ethical Reasoning in Business | 3 |
| AS 1501 | Actuarial Probability | 3 |
| IH 0851 or IH 0951 | Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| ACCT 2103 | Financial and Managerial Accounting for Decision Making | 4 |
| AS 2502 | Theory of Interest | 3 |
| AS 2505 | Actuarial Statistics | 3 |
| RMI 2101 | Introduction to Risk Management | 3 |
| IH 0852 or IH 0952 | Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] | 3 |
| Free Elective 1 | 1 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| AS 2503 | Actuarial Corporate Finance | 3 |
| AS 3504 | Actuarial Analytics | 3 |
| BA 2101 | Professional Development Strategies | 1 |
| BA 2196 | Business Communications [WI] | 3 |
| MKTG 2101 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| MIS 2101 | Digital Systems | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MSOM 3101 | Operations Management | 3 |
| BA 2501 | Turning Numbers into Knowledge: Visualizing Data | 3 |
| AS 3501 | Long-Term Actuarial Modeling | 3 |
| Business Elective 2 | 3 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| AS 3503 | Short-Term Actuarial Modeling | 3 |
| Business Elective 2 | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 2 | |
| Free Elective | 2 | |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| BA 4102 | Strategic Management | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Actuarial Practice: Property and Liability [WI] | ||
| Actuarial Practice: Group & Health Benefits [WI] | ||
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| AS Major Elective #1: choose among the following courses: | 3 | |
| Advanced Long-Term Actuarial Modeling | ||
| Special Topics: Actuarial Science 3 | ||
| Advanced Short-Term Actuarial Modeling 3 | ||
| Advanced Actuarial Analytics 3 | ||
| Managing International Risk | ||
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Business Elective 2 | 3 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
| AS Major Elective #2: choose among the following courses: | 3 | |
| Advanced Long-Term Actuarial Modeling | ||
| Special Topics: Actuarial Science 3 | ||
| Advanced Short-Term Actuarial Modeling 3 | ||
| Advanced Actuarial Analytics 3 | ||
| Managing International Risk | ||
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 124 | |
- 1
AS 1601 is highly recommended in this semester.
- 2
2000-3999 electives can be selected from: ACCT, AS, BA, ECON, FIN, HRM, IB, LGLS, MIS, MKTG, RE, RMI, STAT, SCM, SGM. Please see your advisor for elective suggestions that match your career objectives.
- 3
Course only offered in Spring term.
Accelerated Programs
Students may opt to pursue an accelerated +1 program, enabling them to complete both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in less time than the traditional route.
The following accelerated programs are available to students in the Actuarial Science BBA:
Fox School of Business and Management