Actuarial Science
orientation
Help for students
planning the
Fall 2014 schedule.
Your adviser today
You will be advised by
Alison Champion
Math & Actuarial adviser,
Assistant Director of
Undergraduate Studies,
M.S. Mathematics,
M.S. Applied Math
Credit for Transfer
Courses
• If your DARS audit lists any of
your courses as “LAS 1—” or
“ENG 1—” or “TRAN 1—” then
the course is being counted for
university credit but has NOT
been reviewed by the
appropriate department.
• Such courses can count for
elective credit but NOT for
specific requirements until they
are properly reviewed.
Transfer articulation
• To start the transfer articulation
process, please get a copy of the
course syllabus. A syllabus usually
has a list of lecture topics,
information about the textbook
used, and information about
grading.
• If the syllabus is in a language
other than English, an official
translation is usually required.
Transfer articulation
• You may submit electronic
versions at
• https://secure.admin.illinois.ed
u/Admissions/eAdmit/OnlineSyl
labus
• Submit your paper syllabi to
Admissions, CCAU, 901 West
Illinois St, Urbana IL 61801,
USA
• This process is slow—please
do it as soon as possible!!!
Placement Exams
• A placement exam helps us
choose courses for you.
• You should have taken the
ALEKS Math placement
exam already if you are still
taking calculus courses.
• Take placement exams for
languages, Chemistry, or
Physics if you plan or need
to take those courses here
on campus.
Proficiency tests
• A placement exam helps us choose courses; a
proficiency exam can earn you college credit.
• Note that on THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 1-2:30
PM, 314 Altgeld Hall, is a Calculus I proficiency
exam for new students. No sign-up needed. If
you have learned calculus but do not already
have official University of Illinois credit for Math
220, please sit for this exam. There is no penalty
if you do not pass. Calculators are not permitted,
but the exam is multiple-choice, so you may be
able to pass even if you don’t have time to study
before the test. Please bring your i-card and a
pencil to the exam. Results are available in 313
Altgeld Hall from 1-4 pm on Friday, August 22, in
person.
• There is another proficiency exam date available
for almost any math class, but you must sign up
online by 5pm Monday, August 25, to take the 3hour long-answer exam from 7-10 pm on
Thursday, August 28. No calculators. Only one
exam may be taken on that date. Register at
• http://go.illinois.edu/mathproficiency
Composition I
• Several different ways to
complete this freshman writing
requirement
• ESL 111+112 or ESL 115
composition courses, based on
English Placement Test score
• Rhetoric course, depending on
ACT English score
• CMN 111/112 (strong English
skills and strong ACT English
score). Short speeches +
writing.
Rhetoric courses
Students must take the
sequence they were placed in to
fulfill the requirement!
• Rhet 101 (+100) followed by
Rhet 102 (+100)
• Rhet 105 (fall if UIN is even,
spring if UIN is odd) – very
intense 4 credit course
• Students placed in Rhet 105
may also choose CMN
111+112.
ESL Composition
• Students who complete ESL
do NOT need to take Rhet
courses; ESL 112 or 115
completes the Comp I
requirement.
• ESL instructors have special
training to help with writing
issues of non-native speakers
of English AND general
composition.
• Rhet instructors are NOT
qualified or trained to help nonnative speakers of English
ESL Composition
• Some students are required to
take the English Placement
Test (EPT)
• Other students may choose to
take the EPT, even if they are
not required to do it.
• ONLY students who take the
EPT may take ESL
composition courses.
English Placement Test
• If English is not your native
language, you can sign up for
the EPT at
http://go.illinois.edu/ept
Advanced Composition
• Must be done AFTER Comp I
• Learn to write well in a specific
discipline
• Actuarial science students
often choose BTW 250,
Principles of Business
Communication
Language Other
Than English
•
•
•
•
•
Ways to fulfill this requirement
are…
4 years’ study in high school
(one language)
4 semesters’ study in college
(one language)
Reach 4th level another way
Reach 3rd level of two
languages
Proficiency exam here on
campus
Language Other
Than English
• Not exempt if you are a native
speaker of another language
• Proficiency exams available
• EALC department offers
Japanese, Korean, Chinese
exams in August (22nd)
• Spanish offers exam in August
• Many other departments
arrange individual exams
Language Other
Than English
• If you wish to continue with a
language you started in high
school, you MUST take the
placement exam.
• You MUST start with the
course you’re placed in, even if
it’s lower than you expect
• Example: Placed in Span 103
after 4 years of Spanish in high
school. Cannot jump to 4th
level Spanish.
Language Other
Than English
• Note that beginning Spanish is
NOT available.
• Parkland College teaches
beginning Spanish, but tuition
is not included in U of I tuition.
• Many, many other languages
are available at U of I.
General Education
• General education gives you
breadth in your studies
• Gen ed courses can be spread
throughout your time here, but
it’s good to cover most of them
before junior year
General Education
Requirements
• 6 hours of Humanities & Arts
(Historical/Philosophical and
Literature & Arts)
• 6 hours of Social & Behavioral
Sciences
• 6 hours of Natural Sciences &
Technology (Physical Science
and Life Science)
General Education
• 1 Western/Comparative
Cultures course
• 1 Nonwestern or U.S. Minority
Cultures course
• These two courses may
“double-dip” with the previous
18 hours if chosen carefully
• Courses listed for both
Western and Nonwestern may
be counted for one, not both!
(You choose which one.)
General Education
• Many general education
classes fill up quickly
• Some general education
courses have sections
reserved for special groups.
Those sections are not
available unless you’re in the
special group.
• Please identify many courses
which you might like to take!
General Education
• Econ 102/103 are
recommended for actuarial
science majors (social science)
Electives!
You must complete 120 credits
to graduate, including at least
60 hours at our campus. Your
major and general ed courses
use less than 90 hours, so you
MUST take some courses just
for fun!
Consider a minor, learning a new
language, exploring courses
which look fun or interesting…
Transfer orientation
• LAS 199 Transfer Advantage
• Orientation for transfer
students
• 1 credit hour, not difficult to
earn an A
• Nice way to meet other transfer
students
• Nice way to find out how Illinois
rules may be different from
your previous school
Computer Science
• CS 101: Programming for
science/engineering (3 hrs)
• CS 125: Programming for CS
majors, Math/CS, Stat/CS, CS
minors (4 hours)
• CS 105: Computing for
Business (3 hours)
Computer Science
• CS 101 recommended for
math majors. Weekly labs, two
major programming
assignments. Currently uses
Matlab and C.
• CS 125 required for Math/CS,
Stat/CS, CS majors. Weekly
labs, 7-8 major programming
assignments. Uses Java.
Computer Science
• CS 105: counts only for
actuarial science majors, not
other mathematical majors.
Uses Excel & Javascript.
Math Courses
• Math 220: Calculus for
students who have not taken
calculus before
• Math 221: Calculus I for
students who have taken
calculus previously
• Math 231: Calculus II
(background of Math 220 or
221)
• Math 241: Calculus III,
multivariable calculus
Actuarial Science
• Math 210 covers most of Exam
2/FM, financial math
professional actuarial exam.
• Math 408, Actuarial Stat I,
covers Exam 1/P, probability.
• May substitute Math 461 for
408.
• Math 409, Actuarial Statistics II
• Math 469, Methods of Applied
Statistics
Finance 221
For actuarial science students
only, prerequisites are
• a Statistics course
• Accy 200, Accy 201, or a
course in Financial Accounting
• CS 105 or ability to use Excel
• PLEASE ignore prerequisites
on course catalog.
Note that Fin 221 and Math 210
are at the same time this fall.
Fin 230 & Econ 302
• Students must choose two of
six Fin/Econ courses
• Fin 230, Introduction to
Insurance, strongly
recommended, no
prerequisites
• Econ 302, Intermediate
Microeconomics, prerequisite
of Econ 102, Intro Microecon
• Fin 230 usually taken by
juniors
Actuarial Science
For loads of information, see the
Advising Notes link from
http://math.illinois.edu/~gorvett
This website has a 4-year
schedule, course info, exam
info, and answers most
advising questions (including
office hours for Rick Gorvett).
Actuarial Science
• Director of the Program
Prof. Rick Gorvett
gorvett@illinois.edu
See him by appointment during
the semester—online sign-up
linked from his webpage.
Freshman/sophomore advising
Ms. Alison Champion
abc@illinois.edu
Helpful websites
• http://courses.illinois.edu
Information about current
courses, general education, all
majors/minors, and link to
register!
• http://las.illinois.edu
Helpful information and forms
• http://registrar.illinois.edu
Financial info, transcripts, DARS
audit
Deadlines
• August 25: First day of class.
• September 8: Last day to add a
semester-long class. You can
change your schedule until that
date.
• October 17: Last day to DROP a
class. Before this date you can
drop any class as long as you have
at least 12 credits. After this date
you must petition to the College of
LAS and have documentation of
extenuating circumstances such as
extended illness, mental health
issues, or other outside problems.
A committee will review the petition
but may require you to stay in the
class and not drop/withdraw.
Schedule
• You must register for 12-18
hours. 14-16 is recommended
for your first semester.
• You must have at least 12
credit hours by the first day of
the semester.
• Final exams run December 1219. Plan to be on campus
through December 19!! There
is an exam 7-10pm that day.
Schedule
• For students taking calculus, 1
math class is enough.
• For students beyond calculus,
2 math/stat classes are
recommended.
• Students who take 3 math/stat
classes in one semester
usually earn very poor grades.
If you wish to try this, wait until
you have completed a
semester with A or A+ grades
in two tough math classes.
Registration
• Have a long list of classes
which interest you—math
AND general education AND
electives!!
• Have your passwords set,
including Enterprise
password!!
• Read up on the classes you
want at the CLASS
SCHEDULE at
http://courses.illinois.edu
Registration errors
• ALWAYS check the Class
Schedule when you get a
registration error.
• Registration program has little
helpful information. Class
Schedule has MUCH detail not
found anywhere else!
• Error messages mean that
there’s an error, but the
messages themselves may be
wrong!
Scheduling
• You can add or drop classes or
change sections any time up
through September 8.
• Please stay with the schedule
recommended by your adviser!
Scheduling
• Many classes which are full
now may have seats available
later when other students
change their schedules.
• Keep trying!
• If you add a new class after the
semester begins, it is YOUR
job to contact the instructor to
ask about material and
assignments/quizzes you have
missed and how to catch up.