Which subject is more appropriate for an actuarial career: CIS or Business?

[kenxking]

I am currently majoring in Mathematics and I'm not sure if I should minor in another field. Which minor would be more beneficial for actuaries: Computer Information Systems or Basic Business? Please give me some suggestions. Thanks!

[Irish Blues]

I am currently majoring in Mathematics and I'm not sure if I should minor in another field. Which minor would be more beneficial for actuaries: Computer Information Systems or Basic Business? Please give me some suggestions. Thanks!

Others may have other ideas, but I'd at least have the intro classes in business as well as one computer language. I don't think it really matters what language (VBasic will be commonly mentioned), but employers want to know you can program in some language. As my Systems Programming instructor told me, "If you can program in one language, you can program in two, three, five, or more - learning the others is just a matter of learning the syntax."

Do you *need* to minor in something? No...but if you really want to, pick whichever one grabs your interest and go that route.

[wat]

I am currently majoring in Mathematics and I'm not sure if I should minor in another field. Which minor would be more beneficial for actuaries: Computer Information Systems or Basic Business? Please give me some suggestions. Thanks!

In the direct sense, having a focus in business will help you satisfy some requirements in becoming an actuary. You will need to learn economics, finance and econometrics, but these topics are not directly tested in the SOA exams as of 2005. Taking these classes in school will probably give you the upper-hand post-graduation.