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Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
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2024-2025

Financial Technology

School of Business

Concentration(s):
Actuarial Science, Financial Engineering
Program description

The actuarial science concentration prepares students for careers as actuaries. It helps them learn material that is in professional examinations administered by the Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society. As a VCU graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Financial Technology with a concentration in actuarial science, students will enter a specialized career field ranked among the highest in the United States for job satisfaction, and opportunities for advancement—as well as starting salary. Students will complete the core business curriculum, which includes a combination of accounting, economics, finance, math, statistics, and other business courses. Courses in our program are approved by the Society of Actuaries and the Casualty Actuarial Society as satisfying Validation by Education Experience (VEE) requirements.


The concentration in financial engineering develops its students to be thought-leaders in finance, accounting, information systems, predictive modeling, and statistics. This concentration provides quantitatively-oriented students the opportunity to apply mathematical, statistical, and programming tools to the financial and risk management industries. The program is technical and interdisciplinary in nature and designed to meet the growing need for quantitative modeling and analysis in finance and risk management. The curriculum emphasizes courses in finance, statistics and mathematics with supporting courses in related areas. Upper-level REAL course opportunities are available through FIRE 461, FIRE 492, FIRE 493, and FIRE 496.

Career opportunities

Actuaries are problem solvers with expertise in understanding and managing financial risk. They use historical information and models to predict the future. Actuarial scientists may specialize in life and health (risk of illness, disability, or death), pensions (develop and analyze retirement programs), or property and casualty (personal property risks and risks associated with business). Alumni find employment in such diverse organizations as insurance companies, consulting companies, municipal and state government, and other areas where quantifying risk is needed (e.g. management consultants and investment firms. The early career path of an actuary is to complete one or more paid summer internship while in college, to begin the credentialing process while in college, to find a full-time job after actuarial degree, and to finish the credentialing process while being paid to work.


Financial engineering leads to careers in derivative instruments, securities, hedging, financial risk assessment/management, quantitative trading and arbitrage, and asset/liability management.

Change of major requirements

Students must place into or have completed MATH 200 and must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5. 

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Actuarial Analyst
  • Actuarial Data Analyst
  • Actuarial Software Developer
  • Algo Trading Associate
  • Credit Risk Management Analyst
  • Derivatives Analyst
  • Equity Analyst
  • Treasury Specialist
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Actuarial Manager
  • Consultant
  • Financial Analyst
  • Investment Manager
Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 307
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 and progress, 2.5 to graduate

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/academics/finance-insurance-and-real-estate/bs-in-financial-technology/
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
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Major map

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals.
  • Map out a 4-year course plan in the DegreeWorks Student Educational Planner.
  • Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and choose electives.
  • Sharpen your study skills in supplemental instruction sessions at the Campus Learning Center.
  • Be prepared for a challenging year of accounting, economics, and math classes by attending free tutoring sessions at the Campus Learning Center to get ahead.
  • Take MATH 200 or higher in your first semester and earn at least a B, complete 15 credits per semester, and maintain a 2.5+ cumulative GPA to graduate on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Apply to live in a Living-Learning Community.
  • Consider applying to the Honors College.
  • Get involved, meet people, and develop your interests by joining one of VCU's 50 student clubs and organizations.
  • If living on campus, connect with your Resident Assistant, attend hall events, and participate in Community Council.
  • Participate in RAM CAMP to get a jump start on learning about VCU’s campus community.
  • Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s many museums and parks.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • If eligible, 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.
  • Set up a profile in the Student Opportunity Center to explore REAL opportunities.
  • Learn about and capitalize on your professional strengths by taking a free assessment like CliftonStrengths or True Colors with the Office of Student Engagement (OSE).
  • Review the Be an Actuary site to learn more about the actuarial field of study.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation classes with the da Vinci Center.
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Talk to professors about your research interests, electives, and strategies for success in your classes.
  • Meet with Sang Ahn to explore course planning.
  • Take FIRE 319 in fall and FIRE 320 in spring.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • 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.
  • Make friends with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Complete a career exploration appointment with Business Career Services to learn about the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to find work in a multinational company.
  • Investigate spending a summer abroad with the International Consulting Program (ICP).
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • 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.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Internship recruitment season for Financial Technology 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.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Meet with a coach in the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Get involved with the Financial Management Association, or the Student Managed Investment Portfolio program and grow your professional network by attending events.
  • Talk to Business Career Services about applying to externship opportunities specifically for second-year students.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help.
  • Consider taking additional object-oriented programming classes if pursuing a quantitative development role.
  • Sit for the second actuarial exam before starting your 4th year.
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.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Get required REAL experience and effect community change by using iExcel’s Active Citizen’s Toolkit to vote and volunteer.
  • Prepare for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams by showcasing your interpersonal skills on your resume.
  • Apply for a Chartered Financial Exam (CFA) scholarship to help pay for your licensure and then offset those savings toward a semester abroad.
  • Learn about global trends in risk management and quantitative investing in the Student Managed Investment Portfolio program (SMIP).
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Get expert advice from VCU Alumni ranging from graduate school to your career simply by asking a question through Ask A Ram.
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Attend OSE alumni panel events like Being Black in Business and Being a Woman 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 in actuarial- and analytics-focused fields.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services.
  • Make a plan with your advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year.
  • Talk to advisors, faculty, and Business Career Services about graduate school versus a job.

Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Continue meeting with Professor Sang Ahn to discuss career paths.
  • Sit for an actuarial exam before starting the fourth year.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Master your answers to interview questions about your experience working with diverse populations.
  • Plan for how you will grow your cultural agility after graduation.
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Attend meetings of professional organizations like the Risk Management Association (RMA) and seek out presentations by internationally-renowned professionals in the field.
  • Gather all you’ve learned about global issues in the finance sector, reflect on how you've applied this knowledge through experiential learning, and discuss both with current or potential mentors.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Consider becoming an educator through programs like RTR, which prepare graduates from a variety of majors to become teachers in high-need schools.
  • 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.
  • Become a mentee in the Business Mentoring program and hone in on your personal goals, professional goals and interpersonal skills through 1:1 mentoring with an industry professional.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • 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.
  • Prepare for and pass your second actuarial exam.
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2024-2025

Financial Technology

School of Business

Concentration(s):
Actuarial Science, Financial Engineering
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
  • Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals.
  • Map out a 4-year course plan in the DegreeWorks Student Educational Planner.
  • Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to review your CSI self-report, start goal planning, and choose electives.
  • Sharpen your study skills in supplemental instruction sessions at the Campus Learning Center.
  • Be prepared for a challenging year of accounting, economics, and math classes by attending free tutoring sessions at the Campus Learning Center to get ahead.
  • Take MATH 200 or higher in your first semester and earn at least a B, complete 15 credits per semester, and maintain a 2.5+ cumulative GPA to graduate on time.
  • Apply to live in a Living-Learning Community.
  • Consider applying to the Honors College.
  • Get involved, meet people, and develop your interests by joining one of VCU's 50 student clubs and organizations.
  • If living on campus, connect with your Resident Assistant, attend hall events, and participate in Community Council.
  • Participate in RAM CAMP to get a jump start on learning about VCU’s campus community.
  • Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s many museums and parks.
  • Activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
  • Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
  • If eligible, 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.
  • Set up a profile in the Student Opportunity Center to explore REAL opportunities.
  • Learn about and capitalize on your professional strengths by taking a free assessment like CliftonStrengths or True Colors with the Office of Student Engagement (OSE).
  • Review the Be an Actuary site to learn more about the actuarial field of study.
Experience Year 2
  • Explore innovation and business/non-profit creation classes with the da Vinci Center.
  • Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
  • Schedule an appointment with your advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
  • Talk to professors about your research interests, electives, and strategies for success in your classes.
  • Meet with Sang Ahn to explore course planning.
  • Take FIRE 319 in fall and FIRE 320 in spring.
  • Apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
  • 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.
  • Make friends with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Complete a career exploration appointment with Business Career Services to learn about the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to find work in a multinational company.
  • Investigate spending a summer abroad with the International Consulting Program (ICP).
  • Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
  • Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
  • 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.
  • Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
  • Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
  • Internship recruitment season for Financial Technology 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.
  • Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
  • Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
  • Meet with a coach in the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
  • Get involved with the Financial Management Association, or the Student Managed Investment Portfolio program and grow your professional network by attending events.
  • Talk to Business Career Services about applying to externship opportunities specifically for second-year students.
Year 3
  • Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
  • See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.See your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
  • Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help.
  • Consider taking additional object-oriented programming classes if pursuing a quantitative development role.
  • Sit for the second actuarial exam before starting your 4th year.
  • Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
  • Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
  • Get required REAL experience and effect community change by using iExcel’s Active Citizen’s Toolkit to vote and volunteer.
  • Prepare for future work on multidisciplinary and multicultural teams by showcasing your interpersonal skills on your resume.
  • Apply for a Chartered Financial Exam (CFA) scholarship to help pay for your licensure and then offset those savings toward a semester abroad.
  • Learn about global trends in risk management and quantitative investing in the Student Managed Investment Portfolio program (SMIP).
  • Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
  • Get expert advice from VCU Alumni ranging from graduate school to your career simply by asking a question through Ask A Ram.
  • Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
  • Attend OSE alumni panel events like Being Black in Business and Being a Woman 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 in actuarial- and analytics-focused fields.
  • Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
  • Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services.
  • Make a plan with your advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
  • Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
  • Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year.
  • Talk to advisors, faculty, and Business Career Services about graduate school versus a job.
Excel Year 4
  • Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
  • Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
  • Continue meeting with Professor Sang Ahn to discuss career paths.
  • Sit for an actuarial exam before starting the fourth year.
  • Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
  • Master your answers to interview questions about your experience working with diverse populations.
  • Plan for how you will grow your cultural agility after graduation.
  • Read scholarly articles about diversity in your field.
  • Attend meetings of professional organizations like the Risk Management Association (RMA) and seek out presentations by internationally-renowned professionals in the field.
  • Gather all you’ve learned about global issues in the finance sector, reflect on how you've applied this knowledge through experiential learning, and discuss both with current or potential mentors.
  • Consider becoming an educator through programs like RTR, which prepare graduates from a variety of majors to become teachers in high-need schools.
  • 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.
  • Become a mentee in the Business Mentoring program and hone in on your personal goals, professional goals and interpersonal skills through 1:1 mentoring with an industry professional.
  • Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
  • 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.
  • Prepare for and pass your second actuarial exam.