BS · 2025-2026
Actuarial Science
Department of Statistics & Applied Probability
Official sources · L&S
Letters & Science Academic Requirements (LASAR)
L&S uses LASAR (Letters and Science Academic Requirements), not CoE GEAR. Download LASAR from DUELS for your catalog year.
180–184 quarter units (184 if Area B foreign language completed at level 3) · 60 upper-division units · GE Areas A–G + special subjects (WRT, EUR, NWC, QNT, ETH)
Official major sheet — 2025-2026
Parsed from department major sheet. Verify on GOLD progress check.
Pre-major
34-36 units- MATH 2A · 4 units (or MATH 3A)Calculus I
- MATH 2B · 4 units (or MATH 3B)Calculus II
- MATH 4A — Linear Algebra · 4 units
- MATH 4B — Differential Equations · 4 units
- MATH 6A — Vector Calculus I · 4 units
- MATH 6B — Vector Calculus II · 4 units
- MATH 8 · 5 units (or PSTAT 8)Grade B or better in MATH 4A, 4B, 6A, or 6B required. MATH 8 required for UD MATH beyond 117 and 104A-B-C.
- PSTAT 10 — Probability and Statistics · 5 units
Complete all pre-major courses with 2.5+ UC GPA to enter full major.
All pre-major courses require grade C or better. Max two pre-major repeats (one per course).
Preparation courses are excluded from pre-major GPA but count toward overall major GPA.
Preparation for the major
12 units- CMPSC 8 · 4 units (or CMPSC W 8)Required
- CMPSC 9 · 4 units (or CMPSC 16)CMPSC 9 recommended over CMPSC 16; C or better required
- WRIT 107A · 4 units (or WRIT 107B)Listed on major sheet; not required before declaring full major
Only one repeat allowed in each CMPSC preparation course.
Recommended (not required): ECON 1, 2, 3A, 10A (VEE); PHIL 3 or 4.
Area A — Probability & statistics foundation
8 units- PSTAT 120A · 4 units (or PSTAT W 120A)
- PSTAT 120B · 4 units
Area B — Regression, statistics, financial math
12 units- PSTAT 126 · 4 units
- PSTAT 160A · 4 units (or PSTAT W 160A)
- PSTAT 174 · 4 units (or PSTAT W 174)
Area C — Actuarial core
16 units- PSTAT 170 — Mathematical Finance · 4 units
- PSTAT 171 — Stochastic Calculus · 4 units
- PSTAT 172A · 4 unitsWinter quarter only
- PSTAT 160B · 4 units (or PSTAT 172B)Choose 160B or 172B (172B: Spring only)
Upper-division electives
12 units required- Area D8 units from: PSTAT 105, 120C, 127, 130, 131, 160B or 172B (if not used in Area C), 173, 175, 176, 183
- Area E4 units from: other PSTAT not used above; MATH 104A-B-C, 108A-B, 117, 118A-B-C, 124A-B, 132A-B; ECON 100B, 101, 134A-B, 141, 155, 170, 171
48 total upper-division units in PSTAT and Mathematics required.
SOA track: PSTAT 172B, 173, 175, 131. CAS track: PSTAT 127, 131, 160B, 173, 183.
Recommended: ECON 134A (VEE), ECON 130 (SAS).
- • For VEE credit and actuarial exams while at UCSB, use the BS/MS recommended plan or the VEE/Exam Track plan (media/70).
- • VEE courses require B- or higher. ECON 134A prerequisites for actuarial majors: ECON 10A and PSTAT 126 (or PSTAT 174).
Major regulations
- Pre-major GPA
- 2.5+ UC GPA on pre-major courses
- Major GPA
- 2+ in all prep and upper-division major courses
- Minimum grade
- C or better in major courses
- P/NP grading
- Not allowed for major courses
Transfer admission
- Two+ pre-major courses remaining at UCSB: complete with 2.5 GPA.
- One pre-major course remaining: 2.5 GPA on remaining course + PSTAT 120A.
- All pre-major complete: meet GPA with PSTAT 120A.
Courses that do not count
UCSB Center of Actuarial Excellence. VEE-approved courses available.
All upper-division PSTAT courses (except 120A) restricted to full PSTAT majors during Pass 1 and 2.
Double majors: up to 8 UD units may apply to both majors with chair approval.
Department faculty
Planning context for Statistics & Applied Probability. Full bios stay on the official site.
Key contacts
Probability; stochastic processes; stochastic differential equations
Research aligned with your path
Faculty whose focus overlaps common career outcomes for this major.
Asymptotic statistical inference; nonparametric models.
- Jean-Pierre Fouque ↗fouque@pstat.ucsb.edu
Distinguished Professor
- Alexander Franks ↗amfranks@ucsb.edu
Associate Professor
causal inference; Bayesian statistics; covariance estimation
- S. Rao Jammalamadaka ↗rao@pstat.ucsb.edu
Distinguished Professor
Mathematical statistics; probability
Financial mathematics; applied probability: energy markets; computational finance
Combined degree pathways
Optional programs beyond the standard B.S. — verify eligibility with department advisors.
Combined BS/MS (5-year)
B.S. + M.S. in Actuarial Science
Earn both degrees in five years (as little as four for strong students). Includes PSTAT 296AB research thesis with industry partners via CFMAR. Pre-apply junior year (3.2+ GPA, deadline March 31).
- • BS: 52 units (44 core + 8 electives). MS: 39 units (12 core + 12 electives + thesis).
- • GRE not required. MS only available to enrolled Actuarial Science undergraduates.
- • BS/MS plan recommends VEE credit and actuarial exams alongside major coursework.
Recommended 4-year plan
180–184 quarter units (184 if Area B foreign language completed at level 3) · 60 upper-division units · GE Areas A–G + special subjects. GE/LASAR slots fill quarters below ~12 major units — verify on GOLD.
Year 1
Fall
Winter
Spring
Year 2
Fall
Winter
Spring
Year 3
Fall
Winter
Spring
Year 4
Fall
Winter
Spring
Interactive graph shows prerequisite chains from the major sheet.
View roadmap graph →College-wide LASAR rules (GE, writing, 180+ units) apply in addition to the major requirements above. See LASAR and DUELS degree requirements.