Insurance Studies - B.S. Download to print

The Bachelor of Science degree in Insurance Studies will provide students with the academic background appropriate for entry into careers in the insurance industry. Graduates will have a fundamental understanding of the business world as well as specific knowledge regarding property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance, insurance company and agency operations, insurance regulation, finance and risk management.

Student may declare one of three concentrations within the Insurance Studies major listed below, or select the major without a concentration:

• Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) Holders
• Life and Health Insurance
• Property and Casualty Insurance

The Bachelor of Science in Insurance (without a concentration) offers a robust core of business-oriented courses including management, business law and ethics, economics, human resources, selling, finance and marketing. Building on this core curriculum are six insurance-specific courses (and an internship) that provide the opportunity to explore all lines of insurance including personal lines, commercial lines, life and health. The knowledge gained permits students to join any organization within the insurance industry with a solid understanding of applicable products, regulations, operations and policy contracts. This course of study is ideal for students who are pursuing an insurance career but have no preference between property and casualty insurance (auto, homeowners and commercial insurance) and life and health insurance (life, annuities, individual and group health insurance).

The Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) Holders concentration includes the same robust core of business-oriented courses, such as management, business law and ethics, economics, selling and marketing. However, in recognition of the in-depth knowledge of property and casualty insurance already gained through the coursework required to earn the CPCU designation, this concentration grants its graduates credit for five P&C insurance courses and a financial management course. The insurance coursework required for this concentration is focused on life and health insurance providing students with a well-rounded understanding of the insurance and risk management marketplace. This concentration is available only to those students who hold a CPCU designation from the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters.

The Life and Health Insurance concentration includes the same core of business courses as the non-concentration program. Students will gain a foundational understanding of both life and health, and property and casualty insurance, through the introductory insurance course. However, the remaining five courses focus exclusively on life and health insurance. This permits students to achieve a deeper understanding of life and health products, and to be exposed to a wider variety of offerings such as annuities, IRAs, critical illness and other specialized health products. The curriculum also addresses estate and retirement planning. The required internship is served with a life and health insurance organization. This concentration is ideal for students who intend to pursue a career with a life and health carrier or agency.

The Property and Casualty Insurance concentration includes the same core of business courses. Additionally, students gain a foundational understanding of both property and casualty, and life and health insurance, through the introductory insurance course. However, the remaining five courses focus exclusively on property and casualty insurance. This permits students to achieve a deeper understanding of personal and commercial insurance products, and to be exposed to a wider variety of offerings such as garage liability, aviation, ocean marine, cyber and environmental liability. The required internship is served with a property and casualty insurance organization. This concentration is ideal for students who intend to pursue a career with a property and causality carrier or agency

In 2013, the insurance industry employed over two million Americans. As the seventh largest state for insurance employment, roughly 100,000 of those jobs are with carriers in the state of Ohio with another 85,000 individuals serving as Ohio insurance agents. As the industry's "baby boomer" employees continue to retire, additional jobs will be available. In Ohio alone, industry leaders project the need for 26,000 new insurance professionals by the year 2020. These stable-industry opportunities are highly-sought after jobs that offer work-life balance, the chance to make a difference, opportunities for growth and advancement, and on average, offer salaries of over $64,000 a year.

Insurance careers exist at a variety of insurance industry organizations. Insurance carriers tend to be large establishments, often employing 250 or more workers, whereas agencies and brokerages tend to be much smaller, frequently employing fewer than 20 workers.

Many insurance carriers' home and regional offices are situated near large cities such as Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Insurance workers who deal directly with the public are located throughout the state in cities and towns, large and small. Almost all sales agents work out of local company offices or independent agencies, though inside sales positions are available in some direct-writer carriers.

(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Ohio Department Job and Family Services, 2020 Job Outlook)

All seven of Kent State’s regional campuses are accessible to students who hold a high school diploma or GED. Admission decisions are based on cumulative grade point average, ACT and/or SAT scores, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Check with the Regional Campus Admissions Offices to determine application requirements, as they may differ among campuses.

For more information about admission criteria for transfer, transitioning and former students, please visit the admissions website.

Minimum 120 credit hours and 39 upper division hours. Minimum 2.000 overall cumulative and major GPA.

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate in-depth comprehension of, and exhibit their ability to successfully apply that comprehension to, risk management in general and to both personal and commercial insurance disciplines specifically.  These disciplines include, but are not limited to, underwriting, rate making, compliance, claims, marketing and distribution. 
2. Demonstrate the ability to identify, critically assess and actively participate in addressing key challenges facing the insurance industry.  These challenges might be legal, ethical, social or of another nature.
3. Demonstrate the ability to succeed in a variety of work environments, including those which embrace teamwork.