Resumen de The Evolution of an Undergraduate Actuarial Mathematics Program

Kristyn Kennedy, Phyllis Schumacher

• Bryant University was originally a school for business majors and offered only a few mathematics courses. After becoming accredited by the New England Association of Colleges and Universities in the 1960s, the college was required to upgrade its offerings in the area of mathematics. In the 1970s, the department offerings were increased to include computer electives, advanced topics in mathematics, and graduate-level quantitative business courses. As the department grew, majors were established in the department, including a major in Actuarial Mathematics. This major has grown from its first graduating class in 1986 of five students to a current total student enrollment today of 172. This paper discusses the evolution of the major and the success of the program. We provide the curriculum and highlight changes, which were necessary to conform to the ever-changing requirements for becoming an actuarial Fellow. We also discuss unique aspects of our program such as the SAS Certification in Data Mining that has greatly increased the marketability of our students.