The MS, Actuarial Science program has fostered close and collaborative relationships with numerous corporate partners in the industry who have consistently looked to the talent pool in our program for actuarial job placements, either as internships or as full-time entry level employees.
This program is in place to meet the needs of employers seeking professionals who have acquired the requisite knowledge and skills from the actuarial science curriculum to excel in the actuarial field. Our curriculum has consistently evolved in response to both the needs of the industry and aligned with changes to the education requirements from industry organizations like the Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society. The recent approval by the SOA of UIUC’s proposal to deliver courses that qualify for UEC credit will further enhance this relationship.
In addition to, and in conjunction with the career recruiting relationship between our corporate partners and our students, the corporate partnership is further enhanced by the following initiatives:
- Actuarial professional exam reimbursement (State Farm, Milliman)***
- Sponsor student scholarships (State Farm)
- Student internships and cooperative education
- Student mentorship program (Milliman)
- Sponsor graduate student research fellowships
- Guest lectures and company presentations
- Contribute to the development of case study course taught by practicing actuaries
- Sponsor or prepare a student workshop
- Attend our Meet the Firms Career Fair
- Organize a field trip for students to visit your office
- Participate in collaborative project research with students and faculty through the iRisk lab: https://irisklabuiuc.wixsite.com/actsi
Examples of employers who have hired graduates from the program include, but are not limited to:
Consulting Firms:
- Aon Hewitt
- Deloitte
- Mercer
- Milliman
- PwC
- Willis Towers Watson
Insurance and Financial Services Companies:
- AAIS
- Aetna
- Allstate
- Anthem
- CNA
- Country Financial
- Liberty Mutual
- Goldman-Sachs
- MGIC
- Pinnacle
- Sears Holdings
- State Farm
We are also working diligently with several corporate partners to engage with the soon to be implemented cooperative education component, which is an initiative that is intended to expand opportunities for experiential learning and real-world experience for students before they graduate from the program. Cooperative education will be a component of the program that will be more integrated with the course curriculum and program requirements and will more closely engage with our corporate partners. While the cooperative education component will be optional for students, students will be recognized for this achievement upon graduation, and it will provide a more rigorous talent pool for job placements initiated by our corporate partners. Cooperative education is slated for implementation in Fall 2022.