**[Educational Requirements in Lieu of EA1(a) Exam]{.underline}**

This is an explanation of the standards the Joint Board for the
Enrollment of Actuaries will follow in determining whether a record of
having successfully completed an academic program involving courses in
actuarial mathematics will satisfy the basic actuarial knowledge
requirement of section 901.13© of the Joint Board regulations. According
to these regulations, this requirement will be met by a college or
university graduate with either a major in actuarial mathematics or with
sufficient courses in actuarial mathematics and related subjects to be
equivalent to such a major.

In general, the overall academic program itself must meet two
conditions:

1.  The program must culminate in a degree from a regionally accredited
    college or university.

2.  The required courses must be part of the regular program of
    instruction of the college or university where they were taken.
    Special reading or individual tutorial courses may not be used to
    satisfy this requirement.

For an academic program to be deemed by the Joint Board for these
purposes to constitute a major or its equivalent in actuarial
mathematics, it must contain as a minimum the following four elements.

1.  **General Mathematics**

> 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours of analytic geometry and
> calculus. No more than 4 of these semester hours or 6 of these quarter
> hours are to be in analytic geometry. Courses in advanced calculus,
> differential equations, and linear algebra may be applied toward this
> total, but courses in intermediate algebra, college algebra,
> trigonometry, and general quantitative methods may not be so applied.

2.  **Probability and Statistics**

> 6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours in a course or courses which must
> have as a prerequisite at least 6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours of
> analytic geometry and calculus, but no more than 2 of these semester
> hours or 3 of these quarter hours are to be in analytic geometry.

3.  **Compound Interest and Annuities Certain**

> 2 semester hours or 3 quarter hours in a course which must have as a
> prerequisite at least 6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours of analytic
> geometry and calculus, but no more than 2 of these semester hours or 3
> of these quarter hours are to be in analytic geometry.

4.  **Mathematics of Life contingencies**

> 6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours in a course or courses which must
> have as a prerequisite at least 6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours of
> analytic geometry and calculus and as a prerequisite or co-requisite
> at least 2 semester hours or 3 quarter hours of compound interest and
> annuities certain. In the prerequisite of 6 semester hours or 9
> quarter hours of analytic geometry and calculus, no more than 2 of
> these semester hours or 3 of these quarter hours are to be in analytic
> geometry. A significant portion of the course or courses in the
> mathematics of life contingencies must be devoted to multiple life
> functions and multiple decrement theory and applications.

It is the responsibility of any candidate for enrollment who believes
he/she satisfies the basic actuarial knowledge requirements on the basis
of the above rules to submit, along with the application for enrollment,
all necessary academic transcripts and course descriptions for review by
the Joint Board.