Pre-actuarial mathematics

Actuarial Science is a sub-field of mathematics. Actuaries primarily work in the insurance field and create models for things like risk and premium costs in order to advise insurance companies on rates. Since actuaries are also mathematicians, they can work in a variety of other fields, data science, finance, research, and education. 

Most employers of actuaries and mathematicians require a bachelor’s degree for employment. An associate’s degree in pre-actuarial mathematics is typically the first step towards that bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, or actuarial science. Graduates with 4-year degrees in these fields have been, and continue to be in demand across a large variety of sectors. 

Most, if not all of the graduates from our pre-actuarial mathematics program have gone on to a 4-year university upon graduation from Stark State, and not directly into their career field. 

Pursuing a degree in mathematics can be demanding for many students, as the subject often requires substantial effort outside of class for homework, studying, and practice. While working full time alongside a math degree is possible, it’s important for students to plan carefully. Effective time management is essential to balance academic responsibilities, work commitments, and personal life, especially when deciding how many credit hours to take each semester.

Yes. Because mathematics is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field, and because STEM graduates are in-demand, there are many national and regional scholarships to help with tuition and other expenses. A student who is interested in mathematics should search for and/or work with their advisor to find these scholarships. 

Yes. Pre-actuarial mathematics, along with our other Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees at Stark State, are built specifically with transfer in mind. The majority of the courses in our mathematics degree are pre-approved at the state-level to transfer to other Ohio public 2-year and 4-year institutions. Students looking to transfer to a private or out-of-state college or university should check with that school before taking courses, but historically, our courses have been accepted at both private and public colleges across the US. 

Students should also check the specific course requirements for the 4-year degree they plan to seek at their university of choice, especially for electives, to ensure that our course requirements align with those at the 4-year school. 

Actuarial degrees require a significant amount of deep math knowledge. The primary way mathematics majors get experience in our field is through tutoring in our Math Learning Center once they complete Calculus I. Tutoring is an excellent way for a future mathematician to strengthen and deepen their understanding of mathematics by helping others understand the subject. 

Our degree requires 32 credits in mathematics and other core courses to prepare to transfer to an actuarial degree. This includes the entire calculus sequence (I-III), linear algebra, statistics, and ordinary differential equations. These courses are designed to allow our graduates to transfer to a 4-year school at or above the junior level. 

We also require coursework in other arts and sciences disciplines, including English and oral communication, social and behavioral sciences, arts and humanities, and natural sciences. 

Because mathematics is an academic degree, and not a vocational program, the primary way to receive credit for prior experience is through transcripts for previous college credit. We do not typically give credit for courses in our degree for professional experience or certification. 

Our courses are typically capped at 24-27 students, though many have much fewer. Our current student-to-faculty ratio is about 18-to-1.

Most of the required and elective courses are offered both online and in-person. However, our higher-level math courses, starting with calculus, are only offered in-person. 

No. There are no required additional fees for a mathematics degree, though you may need to buy a graphing calculator if you do not already own one. 

We offer tutoring in math for all majors, including mathematics majors in our Math Learning Center. Our math tutoring is available at the North Canton campus in room E214, at the Akron campus in room A108, and online through the college’s Learning Management System. 

Like with all programs at Stark State, your academic advisor can help you navigate your program from course choices to transfer.