Georgia State Adds Dual Master's in Analytics/Actuarial Science and Analytics/Mathematical Risk Management
(PRWEB) February 16, 2016 -- Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business will introduce next fall two dual-degree programs, a joint master of science (M.S.) in Analytics and Master of Actuarial Science and a joint M.S. in Analytics and M.S. in Mathematical Risk Management.
The new programs are the first at a North American university to formally combine the fields of data science and actuarial science (M.S. in Analytics/Master of Actuarial Science), and data science and financial engineering (M.S. in Analytics/M.S. in Mathematical Risk Management), according to Richard Phillips, dean of the Robinson College.
Although each individual degree is a three-semester program, the dual-degree programs extend coursework by only one semester.
“These dual-degree programs anticipate emerging needs for professionals interested in the application of economic and mathematical modeling for the financial services industries, and provide our graduates with dramatic potential to differentiate themselves in the labor market” Phillips said. “This structure allows data science students to acquire significant depth in actuarial science or financial engineering. Likewise, students with primary interests in actuarial science or financial engineering can now easily gain the data science skills that are in great demand by employers.”
Need for expertise in these fields is acute and growing. McKinsey & Company projects a 50 to 60 percent shortage of analytic talent by 2018 in the U.S. About 41 percent of respondents to an Accenture survey cite lack of talent as a top obstacle to implementing a big data strategy, and Careercast.com named actuary as the top job of 2015 because of the positive hiring outlook and high average pay.
“The fact that these programs are so closely linked means our students can efficiently access electives that will differentiate them in the job market even if they choose not to pursue the second degree,” said Daniel Bauer, an associate professor and faculty adviser for the programs.
The Robinson College of Business is at the forefront of the actuarial science, data science and financial engineering disciplines. The college is the only Center of Actuarial Excellence in the Southeast and its mathematical risk management program is accredited by the Professional Risk Managers Association. Robinson’s departments of Computer Information Systems and Risk Management and Insurance are consistently ranked among the top 10 programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
For more information on these dual-degree programs visit http://robinson.gsu.edu/dual-degrees.
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Leah Seupersad, Georgia State University, +1 404-413-1354, [email protected]
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