Actuarial Science
About Actuarial Science
The CareerCast job ranking list has Actuary as a top 10 job out of all professions! Main factors in this ranking are job satisfaction, future hiring outlook, and high average pay. Indeed, actuaries are in demand and are the specialists in the "science of risk."
Roanoke College is the only institution in Virginia that offers a major in Actuarial Science. Generally speaking, actuaries are experts in evaluating the likelihood of future events, designing creative ways to reduce undesirable events, and decreasing the impact of these undesirable events should they occur; that is, "actuarial science" can be described as the "science of risk" which takes a combination of strong analytical skills and business knowledge to perform well.
Professional exams are a large part of obtaining and advancing in jobs. Eric Lee ('21) has passed three exams already, landing him a nice job at Geico. Here is Eric's "secret" to passing exams.
Is all the hard work worth it?
Interviews with Eric and other ACSI graduates can be found at the Podcast link to the left.
Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science
The Bachelor of Science degree with a major in actuarial science here at Roanoke is an interdisciplinary approach to this science of risk that teaches you not only how to do actuarial science, but also the underlying how and why necessary to succeed after college.
We offer a blend of courses from the Business Administration, Economics, and Mathematics programs that prepares the student for taking credentialing exams; officially, the program is housed in the Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics Department.
Use the following links to get more information about the Roanoke College program.
RC Internships and Graduate Jobs
Board of Actuaries
Rather than simply have our program run by a group of professors, the Actuarial Science program at Roanoke College has an associated Board of Actuaries; this group of people is comprised of practicing actuaries that know first-hand how the profession works and trends in the industry. The Board of Actuaries advises the program coordinators on campus to ensure that our program remains up-to-date and relevant and board members also serve as extra advisors to our students, keeping them connected to the industry.
- Current Board of Actuaries Members
- Peggy Horn, Morneau Shepell SBC Ltd, Atlanta
- Seth Roby, Markel Corporation, Richmond
- Adam Gray, BPS&M/Findley Davies, Nashville
- Eric Lee, Geico
Actuarial Science Links
Society of Actuaries (SOA) - The Society of Actuaries is the professional organization that represents American actuaries from all major areas except casualty insurance. The SOA offers a series of credentialing exams; passing exam P and exam FM typically serves as the entry-way to employment immediately upon graduation.
Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) - The Casualty Actuarial Society is the professional organization that represents actuaries primarily in the area of casualty insurance. The CAS works with the SOA on a series of credentialing exams in general and specialized areas.