Spring 2018 Mathematics Experimental Courses

Actuarial Science

Are you interested in a career helping evaluate and manage risk? Actuaries use mathematical principles to analyze risk and uncertainty for insurance companies, private corporations, colleges and universities, banks and investment firms, and more. With excellent employment outlook, job security, salary and more, actuarial science is consistently ranked in the top jobs in America. If you enjoy challenges and problem solving, check out these math courses geared toward actuarial science. Additionally, these courses will count toward the upcoming certificate program and degree program being developed for Actuarial Science.

Math 240X: Mathematics of Investment and Credit

(3-0) Cr. 3. S. Prereq: Math 166. Interest rates, time value of money, annuities. Loans, bonds, yield rates. Term structure of interest rates, asset and liability management. Duration, convexity, immunization. Taught by Adrian Jenkins.

Math 441X: Life Contingencies I

Cr. 3. S. Prereq: MATH 240X, STAT 341. Present value determination of random variables associated with benefits and expenses for life insurance and annuities, premium calculation methodologies, parametric survival models, single life state, benefit premiums, and reserves. Taught by an actuary.

Data Science

Demand is high for people with training and knowledge in Data Science, and mathematics majors at Iowa State are well positioned to meet that high demand. In the course below, students will learn the mathematical principles that undergird the efficacy of various algorithms used within Data Science.

Math 422X / DS 422X: Mathematical Principles of Data Science

Cr. 3 S. Prereq: MATH 414 Riemann-Stieltjes integration, Riesz-Markov theorem, Stone-Weierstrass theorem, Universal Approximation theorem, reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces, Cauchy and Fourier kernels, convergence of clustering algorithms, topological persistence. Taught by Eric Weber.