St. John Fisher University Announces New Actuarial Sciences Major

Next fall, the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at St. John Fisher University will begin offering a newly revised major in actuarial science.

Building from a strong foundation in the mathematical program at Fisher, students interested in evaluating and managing financial risk across industries such as insurance, pensions, investments, and government will develop problem-solving and mathematical modeling skills to address risk management concerns in the actuarial science program.

Through a rigorous and interdisciplinary curriculum grounded in mathematics, statistics, finance, and computational methods, students will be prepared to be  strategic leaders who balance deep mathematical modeling with effective communication skills and business acumen.

The program emphasizes probability, statistical inference, financial mathematics, and risk modeling, while also developing students’ skills in programming and data analysis. Coursework is aligned with professional standards established by the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), preparing students for preliminary certification exams, including Exam P (Probability) and Exam FM (Financial Mathematics).

“Fisher’s actuarial science program gives students a pathway to risk analysis careers in a wide variety of fields and equips them to adapt to an ever-changing business landscape,” said Kris Green, director and professor of the actuarial science program. “Students are well-prepared to make progress in a sequence of professional society exams, which is essential to gaining employment in the industry.”

Housed within the School of Arts and Sciences, the major builds on the robust reputation the actuary program the undergraduate mathematics degree has established. Students may engage in electives in a variety of math, finance, and statistics electives including Probability Models; Investments; Predictive Analytics; or Machine Learning, as well as computer science and economics electives such as Data Structures and Algorithms or Econometrics, among others tailored to their specific academic interests and career goals.

Graduates of the department often pursue actuarial certification, enter the workforce in actuarial or related analytical roles, or continue into graduate study in mathematics, statistics, finance, or data science., and more.