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About Actuarial Science

The Actuarial Science Program is a part of the Department of Finance in the College of Business. However, all undergraduate courses are offered to majors/minors in both the College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences.

Mission and Vision

Mission Statement

The Mission of the Actuarial Science Program at the University of Nebraska Lincoln is

  • to produce well-educated graduates who can make significant contributions to the financial security of individuals, corporate organizations and society through the ability to identify, quantify, assess and manage risk and uncertainty; and
  • to produce theoretically sound and practical research that contributes to the advancement of actuarial science and actuarial practice.

Vision Statement

The Actuarial Science Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is regarded as an academic and distinctive pre-professional actuarial science program of the highest quality.


The Mission and Vision are accomplished at a world class level
  • We offer multiple areas of concentration for actuarial science majors such as Life/Health, Property/Casualty or Enterprise Risk Management.
  • Our coursework covers 100% of the learning objectives for all preliminary SOA and CAS exams and includes courses approved for all of the actuarial profession’s Validation by Educational Experience subjects
  • Our curriculum includes a capstone course that integrates education in professional standards, ethics, and practical application of actuarial theory with commonly used actuarial models, software and technology
  • Our Faculty conducts innovative and business-relevant research in collaboration with other academic researchers within and outside of Nebraska as well as with (or in support of) industry partners.
  • We provide an intensive pre-professional program with strong and long-standing connections to, and financial and advisory support from, our extensive network of alumni and friends of the Program
  • We educate, develop and produce highly qualified actuarial graduates for the global market seeking actuarial talent.

Goals for Student Learning Outcomes

In support of this mission, the Actuarial Science Program has the following goals for student learning outcomes:

  • Demonstrate the ability to apply the concepts of actuarial science in solving problems related to financial security.
  • Understand the content of the Nebraska courses that have been approved for the actuarial profession’s Validation by Educational Experience (VEE) program for the topics of Economics, Corporate Finance and Applied Statistics.
  • Understand the additional considerations in practical applications of actuarial theory, such as assumption setting, Actuarial Standards of Practice, the professional code of conduct, and effective communication.
  • Understand that being a professional requires that actuarial tasks be completed with the highest regard for personal and professional ethics.
  • Demonstrate the ability to transition from actuarial theory to actuarial practice, and the ability to apply tools that actuaries use in practice to complete actuarial tasks, such as a modern procedural computer programming language, EXCEL or similar spreadsheet program, and commercially available actuarial software.
  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate the results of quantitative analysis effectively, both in writing and orally.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work cooperatively with others.
  • Understand what is involved in being a member of the actuarial profession, including the types of employment available in an actuarial career, and the requirements to become, and remain, a member of the actuarial profession.
  • Demonstrate the ability to be productive in one or more actuarial roles including:
    a. current or developing areas of actuarial practice;
    b. research designed to deepen or broaden actuarial knowledge; or
    c. education of aspiring or practicing actuaries.

General Information

The Actuarial Science Program offers courses covering the material described in the Society of Actuaries Basic Education Catalog for the Preliminary Education Requirements. Students majoring or minoring in actuarial science are encouraged to take advantage of the potential benefits of being in the program, including summer internships, career guidance, job placement, and participation in the Actuarial Science Club.

Students interested in Actuarial Science usually select one of the following:

  • A major in actuarial science in the College of Business
  • A major in actuarial science in the College of Arts & Science
  • A minor in actuarial science and a major in a highly quantitative field such as mathematics, statistics, computer science, engineering, finance, etc.
  • Master Degree in actuarial science
Additional Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Why study actuarial science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln?

Most schools in the U.S. that are considered to have a complete undergraduate or Masters degree actuarial science program (e.g. Nebraska, Drake, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Illinois State, Georgia State) are very similar in academic content and the quality of the faculty and of the actuarial education. Differences include administrative location (Business college, Math department, Statistics department, etc), and emphases beyond the academic program. At Nebraska, our emphasis beyond the academic program is the connection to the actuarial profession through the active external advisory committee of actuaries, the student actuarial science club, emphasis on summer internships, and problem labs that provide content review and problem practice to assist students in preparing for the professional actuarial examinations.

One of the primary goals for our unique Actuarial Applications in Practice course is to help students make the transition from actuarial theory to actuarial practice by using case studies and introducing students to tools that actuaries use in practice to complete actuarial tasks, such as EXCEL and commercially available actuarial software (TAS, MGALFA, PROPHET). The course also introduces students to the additional considerations in practical applications of actuarial theory, such as assumption setting, Actuarial Standards of Practice, the professional code of conduct, and effective communication. Actuaries as guest speakers have contributed significantly to the success of the course. During the spring of 2011, several guest speakers contributed: Dean Way, FSA, discussing the role of the Illustration Actuary; Jeanne Daharsh, FSA, and John Rink, Nebraska Department of Insurance, discussing the actuarial work and responsibilities involved in the regulation of insurance; Don Segal, FSA, Society of Actuaries President, discussing his career path, professional issues, and advice to actuarial students; Denise Olson, FCAS, presenting a casualty case study; and Karen Rudolph, FSA, and Cole Naughton, ASA, presenting an asset liability management case study. This course is typically taken during the last year before graduation.

Should an undergraduate student interested in actuarial science major in the College of Arts and Sciences or the College of Business?

The Actuarial Science Program is a part of the finance department in the College of Business. However, all undergraduate courses are offered to majors or minors in both the College of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences. One can pursue an actuarial career having majored or minored in actuarial science in either the College of Business or the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). Regardless of the college, the core background provided for an actuarial career is essentially the same. The considerations in choosing a college include what other interests a student has, the general requirements of the college, and the scholarships and financial aid available. Currently, the majority of actuarial science majors are in the College of Business.