Math majors

Majoring in Mathematics
as an Undergraduate Actuarial Student
(or as a Non-degree Candidate)


The Natural Sciences College catalog and the Mathematics Department's advising documents contain official information on majoring in Mathematics; what follows is a brief sketch of how to concentrate in Actuarial Studies as a Mathematics major.

A high proportion of undergraduate actuarial students majors in Mathematics in part because of convenience: a student that takes the most important core courses in the concentration is only one or two Math courses short of meeting the Math-course requirements for a B.A. in Mathematics, for instance. Those two courses are somewhat theoretical and proof-oriented, so students who dislike or struggle with such material sometimes choose a different major. Students seeking the B.A. in Mathematics or the B.S. in Mathematics (not the Actuarial Option) as well as non-degree seekers should be able to get ideas for patterns of classes by seeing when the most essential core courses (in boldface) and other core courses (in italics) appear in the sample schedule below; students should see Drs. Daniel (RLM11.174), Maxwell (RLM11.168), or Vaaler (RLM12.124) for advice tailored to their specific needs.


B.A. or B.S.?

The two different undergraduate degrees---B.A. and B.S.---available to Mathematics students are clearly different from each other, but neither is clearly better for all students than the other. In general, the B.A. provides greater flexibility, while the various Options under the B.S. require greater emphasis on Mathematics Department courses; it is roughly true that any courses that must be taken under the B.S. may be taken under the B.A., but the reverse isn't true. Students interested in actuarial studies early in their undergraduate careers will probably find the B.S. in Mathematics (Actuarial Option) attractive, since the very classes they need to take in preparation for the career also meet the degree requirements. Those that become interested later may find the B.A. in Mathematics more attractive, since it requires less intense actuarial study but still allows enough actuarial classwork to compete for an entry-level job.


B.S. in Mathematics (Actuarial Option)

Except for a time limit, students may graduate under the degree requirements stated in any version of the Undergraduate Catalog in force while they are enrolled at UT-Austin. The following description applies to the forthcoming catalog; students meeting these requirements but not earlier requirements may petition to use the requirements below.

Among the 126 hours required are both General Education requirements and Major requirements.

The General Education requirements include:

  1. Area A [RHE306; E316K; foreign language proficiency (3 semesters); 2 substantial-writing-component classes including one upper-division (like M439V)];
  2. Area B [6 hours of American government including Texas government; 6 hours of American history];
  3. Area C [8 hours of one science other than mathematics or computer science]; and
  4. Area D [6 hours from one of architecture, classics, fine arts, or philosophy (at most 3 hours logic)].

The Major requirements include:

  1. M408K, L, & M (or 408C&D);
  2. M341 (or 340L if taken before becoming a Mathematics major);
  3. M362K;
  4. M358K or 378K;
  5. at least one of M328K, 343K, 361, 361K, 365C, 367K, 373K;
  6. ACF329;
  7. M339J;
  8. M339U;
  9. at least 2 of M339V, 339W, 349P, 349R;
  10. ECO304K&L;
  11. ACC310F or both ACC311 & 312;
  12. FIN357; and
  13. at least 8 additional upper-division hours (in order to total at least 40 hours with at least 32 upper-division) from Mathematics, from Actuarial Foundations, or from ECO420K, or RM357E or 369K or 377, FIN377.2 or 354* or 367*, LEB320F or 323*, MIS325* or 333K*—where * indicates that special permission of the Business College is required for non-CBA students to enroll.

One possible pattern of courses follows; the most essential core courses appear in boldface and other core courses appear in italics. The parenthetical “if KLM” indicates a suggested course if the recommended calculus sequence M408K & L & M is taken, while the parenthetical “if CD” indicates a suggested course if the alternative M408C & D is taken.


List1: M328K, M343K, M361, M361K, M365C, M367K, M373K
List2: M339V or 339W or 349P or 349R or 362M or "362N" or other upper-division Mathematics, or ECO420K, RM357E or 369K or 377, FIN377.2 or 354* or 367*, LEB320F or 323*, MIS325* or 333K*, where * indicates that special permission of the Business College is required for non-CBA students to enroll

For advice, see both Dr. Daniel (or Dr. Maxwell or Dr. Vaaler) and the Math Department's professional advisers in RLM4.101