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)
Applied Learning
Every semester, as a risk management and insurance student you will receive hands-on training and expert advice from senior executives. These applied learning sessions 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
Joan Schmit
Faculty Director Joan Schmit is an expert in insurance operations and enterprise risk management and has a passion for developing the next generation of leaders in the field. A professor with the Wisconsin School of Business since 1988, Joan teaches and arranges applied learning classes in the risk management and insurance program. She is active with industry organizations.
Advisory Board
Highly engaged advisory board members have deep ties to industry and consult on curriculum, projects, and networking.
Christy Kaufman
VP of Risk Management, Zillow
Director, Risk and Insurance Management Society Global Board
Adjunct Professor, Risk Management and Insurance Department
Director, Risk and Insurance Management Society Global Board
Adjunct Professor, Risk Management and Insurance Department
Christy Kaufman led strategy, governance, and compliance for American Family Ventures, headed Enterprise Risk Management (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
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A Deep Conversation about Insurtech Startups
Connect With Top Employers
Connect with employers through classroom visits, networking events, and applied learning projects. Frequent recruiters:
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.
Connect with us.
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