How to Prepare Your Students

Students interested in obtaining a Chartered Enterprise Risk Analyst (CERA) can do so through their undergraduate curriculum and extracurricular activities.

College students should:

• Aim for a broad-based education that concentrates on business and mathematics
• Consider a degree in business, math or actuarial science.
• Develop a strong mathematical background by taking courses such as calculus, probability, statistics and actuarial science
• Take business courses, such as finance, accounting, management, economics and computer science
• Take courses in English, speech and business writing to help them acquire the communications skills actuaries need
• Take courses in the social sciences and humanities—actuaries are involved in a growing variety of social and political issues

Classes for college students should include:

• Finance
• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Three semesters of calculus
• One semester of linear algebra
• Two semesters of calculus-based probability and statistics
• Business courses, such as marketing
• Computer science courses
• Communication courses, like writing, technical writing, speech or drama courses
• Literature, history, art, political science, the humanities and other liberal arts classes
• Actuarial science courses, as available

Students should also:

• Participate in extracurricular activities that will give them a chance to work as part of teams on a project or stand out as leaders
• Attend career fairs for the actuarial profession
• Look into actuarial internships and training programs
• Learn about the actuarial examination system and review the practice actuarial exams
• Begin taking actuarial exams with the goal of passing at least one exam by the time they graduate