Gain Innovative Expertise Managing Risk
Learn risk fundamentals, gain strong consulting skills, and prepare to impact business. Expert faculty span the spectrum of behavioral analytics, enterprise risk management, and decision-making under uncertainty. Our long history has deep industry connections for rich networking and meaningful hands-on applied learning experiences.
Develop exceptionally strong critical thinking and analytical skills
Interact with industry leaders in risk management and insurance
Graduates land at leading firms, earning an average salary of six figures
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Risk and Insurance Program
—U.S. News & World Report, 2022-2023
Global Center of Insurance Excellence
One of only 20 institutions worldwide to receive this honor
—International Insurance Society
Curriculum
The Wisconsin MBA curriculum integrates a strong foundation in general management with highly focused preparation in your chosen career field, starting with your first semester. This immediate immersion prepares you for success in an internship.
Year 1
First Semester
- Data to Decisions
- Financial Accounting
- Introduction to Financial Management
- Leading and Working in Teams
- Business Strategy
- Operations Management
- Principles of Risk Management
- Risk Management and Insurance Topics
Second Semester
- Ethics, Integrity and Society
- Consulting Practicum
- Marketing Management
- Economics for Managers
- Risk Analytics and Behavioral Science
- Advanced Topics in Risk Management
- Elective (optional)
Year 2
First Semester
- Sustainability Risk Management
- Management of the Insurance Enterprise or Commercial Insurance Contracts
- Risk Financing
- Risk Management and Insurance Topics
- Elective
Second Semester
- Management of the Insurance Enterprise or Commercial Insurance Contracts
- Cyber Risk Management
- Seminar in Risk Management and Insurance
- Elective
- Elective (optional)
The curriculum also includes specialization electives such as risk analytics and behavioral science; insurance company operations; risk financing techniques; and sustainability, environmental, and social risk management. You can also choose electives in other business topics for cross-functional career preparation.
Applied Learning
Applied learning sessions with senior executives prepare you to tackle some of the industry’s most pressing challenges.
Build your résumé
Small program size means you get a lot of interaction and firsthand experience, including:
- Consulting projects to produce actionable plans for respected firms (beginning semester one)
- Classroom presentations by industry practitioners
- Site visits to leading businesses
- Regular participation in major industry conferences for direct exposure to cutting-edge practices and to leaders in the risk management and insurance fields
Learn from industry leaders
Projects are conducted with a corporate sponsor and offer opportunities to present and learn from leaders in the industry. Recent examples:
- Identified risk management opportunities to make small- and medium-sized organizations more resilient
- Helped a major insurer identify opportunities to enhance its digital offerings
- Conducted captive management, enterprise risk management, and construction risk management studies
Expert Support and Career Connections
Specialization Leadership
Ty Leverty
Ty is an expert in insurance company operations, enterprise risk management, and public policy issues in insurance markets. He has a passion for developing the next generation of leaders in the field. A professor with the Wisconsin School of Business since 2014, Ty teaches courses in risk financing, risk management in a digital age, and the economics of insurance markets. He is also active with industry organizations.
Jim Swanke
Jim has been a faculty member since 2011 and he teaches courses in sustainability, environmental, and social risk management; principals of risk management; captive insurance; and applied learning. His extensive professional network is your link to career placement, alumni, and the industry. Jim is a retired Senior Director of Risk Consulting with Willis Towers Watson specializing in alternative risk financing including captive insurance.
Advisory Board
Highly engaged advisory board members have deep ties to industry and consult on curriculum, projects, and networking.
Christy Kaufman
VP of Property and Casualty, Risk and Compliance, USAA
Director, Rogers Behavioral Health Board
Board Advisor, Monitaur
Director, Rogers Behavioral Health Board
Board Advisor, Monitaur
Christy Kaufman developed a ground-up Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program and headed Insurance Services for Zillow. She led strategy, governance, and compliance for American Family Ventures, headed ERM, and served as chief of staff to the general counsel of Marsh & McLennan Companies. She was also formerly a consultant for Aon and Ernst & Young, assisting clients in the areas of ERM, compliance, governance, business continuity planning, crisis management, and strategic risk financing.
World-class Faculty
Our expert faculty offer a deep-dive risk and insurance program that sets you apart.
Justin Sydnor
Professor, Risk and Insurance
Leslie P. Schultz Professor in Risk Management and Insurance
Leslie P. Schultz Professor in Risk Management and Insurance
Justin Sydnor’s research interests are in psychology and economics, applied microeconomics, (behavioral) industrial organization, insurance markets, and risk and decision-making.
Program Voices
Get To Know Our MBAs
Hear about students’ experiences in the program.
Check out What’s New
Discussing the Complexities of Cyber Risk
Creative Destruction Lab: Emerging Trends
A (Session) Day in the Life of The Creative Destruction Lab
Connect With Top Employers
Connect with employers through classroom visits, networking events, and applied learning projects. Frequent recruiters:
“I have worked with several WSB graduates as insurance underwriters and brokers, and with students who worked on applied learning projects to help United Airlines manage its risk. I am always impressed with Business Badgers’ technical knowledge and skills, their leadership capability, and their ability to develop trust among various participants in the market.”
Andy Nottestad
Managing Director of Risk Management, United Airlines
Risk & Insurance Careers
Common career paths
- Risk Management
- Consulting
- Venture Capital
Common job titles
- Insurance Leadership Development
- Risk Manager
- Risk Management and/or Financial Services Consultant
- Insurance Product Manager
- Broker
- Analytics Consultant
Your MBA. Your Career Success.
High staff-to-student ratio means you get unlimited support—and exceptional connections—as you step into your ideal career.
Learn more about our career-launching resultsConnect with us.
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