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Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Finance

School of Business

Concentration(s):
Risk Management and Insurance
Program description

The finance major with a concentration in risk management and insurance prepares students for careers in the insurance and personal financial planning industry on all levels including (but not limited to) underwriting, claims adjusting, employee benefits, risk modeling and analysis, risk management in all sectors of the economy, financial planning, and graduate-level study of risk management.

Career opportunities

Insurance is a high-demand industry with 500,000 new jobs projected in the next five years. Students who graduate with a degree in Business and a concentration in Risk Management and Insurance are typically employed as underwriters, claims professionals, risk managers, managers, analysts, wealth managers, and financial planners. VCU Alumni from the Risk Management program are employed with Markel Corporation, James River Insurance, Argo, Colony, Kinsale, Mass Mutual, Northwestern, AXA, Virginia Asset Management, New York Life, and a variety of local agents and brokers.

Change of major requirements

Students are eligible for admission into the advanced business program with a major in the School of Business upon meeting the minimum cumulative GPA requirement and successful completion of the Business Foundation coursework, as outlined here: http://bulletin.vcu.edu/undergraduate/business/undergraduate-information/shared-curriculum/.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Actuary
  • Claims Adjuster
  • Claims Examiner
  • Credit Analyst
  • Financial Manager
  • Financial Quantitative Analyst
  • Occupational Health and Safety Specialist
  • Property and Casualty Insurance
  • Risk Analyst
  • Risk Management Specialist
  • Underwriter
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Compliance Officer
  • Data Scientist
  • Director of Risk Management
  • Risk Management Consultant
Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 200 or SCMA 212 or BUSN 212
  • SCMA 302
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.5 to declare major/2.0 to graduate
Transfer Maps

Contact information

Department name:
Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate
Building/room location:
Snead Hall, Room B4163
Phone:
(804) 828-3162
Email:
usib@vcu.edu
https://business.vcu.edu/centers-institutes-and-labs/risk-and-insurance-studies-center/
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
Major map compass icon
Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Complete your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Set up a profile in the Student Opportunity Center to explore REAL opportunities.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
  • Seek research opportunities by applying for research funding through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • Excel in BUSN 225 Winning Presentations to develop the public speaking and communication skills employers want.
  • Stop by the Office of Student Engagement in the Snead Hall atrium to take the True Colors assessment, learn more about yourself and working with others, and to debrief with a trusted mentor.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Talk to professors about your research interests, electives, and strategies for success in your classes.
  • Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation classes with the da Vinci Center.
  • Be prepared for a challenging year of accounting, economics, and math classes and use SI sessions and tutoring at the Campus Learning Center to get ahead.
  • Consider pursuing an economics minor or actuarial science minor.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Make friends with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Explore social issues, develop cultural competency skills, and engage with faculty through iExcel pop-up courses.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty.
  • Apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • Investigate spending a summer abroad with the International Consulting Program (ICP).
  • Learn about global finance trends by attending the RMI Trends Conference.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Explore global career options with a career advisor to set goals for getting your dream job.
  • Organize examples of your academic and professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections in an ePortfolio.
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Internship recruitment season for finance is the fall of your junior year so be sure to have your resume reviewed by Business Career Services before the end of the summer.
  • Meet with Business Career Services for securing externship opportunities in your sophomore year to build your resume.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Apply for special School of Business scholarships available only to continuing business majors.
  • Join VCU Bizconnect to schedule informational interviews with VCU business alumni and other professionals to learn more about your major and career options.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • Consider applying to the FIRE department's accelerated bachelor's-to-master's pathway.
  • Prepare yourself for success in the finance major's four-semester sequence (FIRE 311, 312, 321, and your FIRE capstone) by seeking academic support early to earn the required grades of C or higher.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Get required REAL experience and effect community change by using iExcel’s Active Citizen’s Toolkit to vote and volunteer.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Prepare for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams by showcasing your interpersonal skills on your resume.
  • Get REAL experience and learn about global investment strategies by joining the Student Managed Investment Portfolio (SMIP) team.
  • Mentor an international student at the RMI Trends Conference.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through InterviewStream or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Attend alumni panel events like Black in Business, First 100 Days, or Women in Business to hear from business professionals who were once in your shoes.
  • Complete practice interviews with a career coach in Business Career Services ahead of your internship interviews.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Apply for Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam scholarships.
  • Join the Richmond chapter of the Risk Management Association (RMA).

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Complete MGMT 434 and BUSN 499 in your final semester.
  • Watch out for fall- or spring-only courses and multiple prerequisites and confirm course availability with your academic advisor.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Master your answers to interview questions about your experience working with diverse populations.
  • Plan for how you will grow your cultural agility after graduation.
  • Continue mentoring international students at the RMI Trends Conference.
  • Strengthen your resume for working abroad by earning a Bloomberg Certification.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Consider becoming an educator through programs like RTR, which prepare graduates from a variety of majors to become teachers in high-need schools.
  • Begin your job search 8-12 months before your graduation date and meet with Business Career Services to ensure you are planning ahead.
  • Develop your leadership skills by recruiting, educating, and training your fellow School of Business majors as a mentoring liaison.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services. 
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Prepare for and take the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam.
  • Sign up for the Connect Mentoring program on VCU Bizconnect and get matched 1:1 with a business mentor for the academic year.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Finance

School of Business

Concentration(s):
Risk Management and Insurance
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Complete your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Set up a profile in the Student Opportunity Center to explore REAL opportunities.
  • Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
  • Seek research opportunities by applying for research funding through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • Excel in BUSN 225 Winning Presentations to develop the public speaking and communication skills employers want.
  • Stop by the Office of Student Engagement in the Snead Hall atrium to take the True Colors assessment, learn more about yourself and working with others, and to debrief with a trusted mentor.
Experience Year 2
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Talk to professors about your research interests, electives, and strategies for success in your classes.
  • Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation classes with the da Vinci Center.
  • Be prepared for a challenging year of accounting, economics, and math classes and use SI sessions and tutoring at the Campus Learning Center to get ahead.
  • Consider pursuing an economics minor or actuarial science minor.
  • Make friends with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Explore social issues, develop cultural competency skills, and engage with faculty through iExcel pop-up courses.
  • Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty.
  • Apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • Investigate spending a summer abroad with the International Consulting Program (ICP).
  • Learn about global finance trends by attending the RMI Trends Conference.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Explore global career options with a career advisor to set goals for getting your dream job.
  • Organize examples of your academic and professional experiences, accomplishments, and reflections in an ePortfolio.
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Internship recruitment season for finance is the fall of your junior year so be sure to have your resume reviewed by Business Career Services before the end of the summer.
  • Meet with Business Career Services for securing externship opportunities in your sophomore year to build your resume.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Meet with a coach at The Money Spot to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Apply for special School of Business scholarships available only to continuing business majors.
  • Join VCU Bizconnect to schedule informational interviews with VCU business alumni and other professionals to learn more about your major and career options.
Year 3
  • See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • Consider applying to the FIRE department's accelerated bachelor's-to-master's pathway.
  • Prepare yourself for success in the finance major's four-semester sequence (FIRE 311, 312, 321, and your FIRE capstone) by seeking academic support early to earn the required grades of C or higher.
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Get required REAL experience and effect community change by using iExcel’s Active Citizen’s Toolkit to vote and volunteer.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Prepare for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams by showcasing your interpersonal skills on your resume.
  • Get REAL experience and learn about global investment strategies by joining the Student Managed Investment Portfolio (SMIP) team.
  • Mentor an international student at the RMI Trends Conference.
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through InterviewStream or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Update your ePortfolio.
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Attend alumni panel events like Black in Business, First 100 Days, or Women in Business to hear from business professionals who were once in your shoes.
  • Complete practice interviews with a career coach in Business Career Services ahead of your internship interviews.
  • Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. 
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Apply for Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam scholarships.
  • Join the Richmond chapter of the Risk Management Association (RMA).
Excel Year 4
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Complete MGMT 434 and BUSN 499 in your final semester.
  • Watch out for fall- or spring-only courses and multiple prerequisites and confirm course availability with your academic advisor.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Master your answers to interview questions about your experience working with diverse populations.
  • Plan for how you will grow your cultural agility after graduation.
  • Continue mentoring international students at the RMI Trends Conference.
  • Strengthen your resume for working abroad by earning a Bloomberg Certification.
  • Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
  • Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
  • Consider becoming an educator through programs like RTR, which prepare graduates from a variety of majors to become teachers in high-need schools.
  • Begin your job search 8-12 months before your graduation date and meet with Business Career Services to ensure you are planning ahead.
  • Develop your leadership skills by recruiting, educating, and training your fellow School of Business majors as a mentoring liaison.
  • Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
  • Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services. 
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • Prepare for and take the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam.
  • Sign up for the Connect Mentoring program on VCU Bizconnect and get matched 1:1 with a business mentor for the academic year.