MATHS 355: Topics in Actuarial Science (1-6)

Syllabus

  1. Prerequisite:  Permission of the Department Chairperson

 

  1. Course Description:  Selected topics in actuarial science with emphasis on individualized study for the actuarial exams given by the Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society.  A total of 4 hours may be counted as electives for the major in Actuarial Science.

 

  1. Course Objective: Students will become better prepared for taking the actuarial exams by both mastering the material covered, and becoming comfortable in the test taking environment.

 

  1. Course Rationale: A successful career in actuarial science requires the synthesis of concepts and ideas from many disciplines. The purpose of this course is to help students with different backgrounds gain a thorough command of the actuarial topics and their practical application. The material covered in this course is directly tested on the professional examinations given by the Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society.

 

  1. Course Content: Topics vary by semester.  Possible topics may include general probability, univariate probability distributions, multivariate probability distributions, topics in mathematical finance, and topics in actuarial modeling.

 

  1. Course Format: This course may be taught using lectures, discussion, and the use of practice exams.  Exam questions, if used, will be similar to those asked on recent actuarial exams given by the Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society.

 

  1. Methods of Evaluating Student Performance: Student evaluation may be based on in-class exams, take-home exams, and homework. The particular methods used and the weight of each component are at the discretion of the individual instructor.

 

  1. Evaluation of the Course: The instruction of the course is evaluated by departmental student evaluations and peer evaluation. The course is reviewed and revised periodically by the Departmental Undergraduate Programs Committee.

 

J. Foley, B. Frye, 2/3/05, V. Mascioni, 4/7/04, M. Karls Spring 2007