By Tony Hicks, future certified snarkologist and part-time claims adjuster (just kidding, or am I?)
There comes a time in every state’s development when its higher education system looks around, wipes the slot machine grease off its collective hands, and says: “You know what this place really needs? More insurance.” And in a truly bold move, UNLV has done just that by launching the Silver State’s first-ever Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in Insurance and Risk Management.
It’s a historic moment, really. Nevada, land of poker tables and popped ACLs from bachelorette party limbo contests, finally realized: “Hey, maybe we should teach people how to deal with the consequences of our entire tourism-based economy.” Bravo.
But let’s take a closer look at this new academic marvel—equal parts policy, actuarial spreadsheets, and that awkward part of the dinner party where you explain you’re a risk consultant and watch people fake a phone call to leave.
"Insurance Degree" and "Exciting Opportunity" in the Same Sentence? Let’s Go.
This revolutionary new degree is being offered by UNLV’s Lee Business School, which clearly decided it was tired of letting actuarial science be the dorky older cousin of finance. Nope. They want in on the nerd gold rush. Because here’s the deal: half the industry is retiring. That’s right—50% of insurance professionals are poised to yeet themselves into retirement homes within the next decade or so.
And before you start picturing beige offices filled with dusty Rolodexes, think again. According to UNLV’s breathlessly optimistic press release, today’s insurance industry is vibrant, lucrative, and desperately thirsty for fresh talent. It’s basically the nursing shortage but with fewer bodily fluids and more Excel spreadsheets.
In fact, if you play your cards right (and considering you’re in Vegas, you just might), you could walk into a starting salary of $80,000 to $100,000 fresh out of school. That’s six figures for asking people: “Have you tried turning it off and on again? I mean your business. During a flood.”
Wait, There’s a Kerestesi Center?
Yes. Yes, there is. The Kerestesi Center for Insurance and Risk Management, brought to life in 2023 through a $5 million donation from the Nevada Surplus Lines Foundation (try saying that three times fast without sounding like you're naming a law firm made of Excel sheets and broken dreams), is the cornerstone of this whole insurance renaissance.
The center has one goal and one goal only: to make insurance hot again. Okay, maybe not hot, but at least tolerable. At the very least, relevant.
And this is not just an empty hallway with a fancy plaque. No, the Kerestesi Center offers:
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$20,000 in scholarships to make your tuition look less terrifying
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Internship hookups with the insurance Illuminati (shout out to Cragin & Pike and Philadelphia Insurance for sounding like either 1) elite wrestling tag teams or 2) budget airline policies)
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A $10,000 Insurance Challenge where students apparently battle to the death using indemnity clauses and reinsurance algorithms
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A national industry publication (finally, bedtime reading for people who think Forbes is too spicy)
But Why Nevada? Why Now?
Let’s not pretend this isn’t a little bit ironic. A state famous for legalized gambling, drive-thru weddings, and making it socially acceptable to order tequila at 9 a.m. is now becoming an epicenter of insurance education.
That’s like Florida opening a Master’s program in Glacier Preservation.
But in all seriousness, this actually makes a lot of sense. The economy of Nevada isn’t just casinos and Cirque du Soleil. It’s construction, hospitality, real estate, and entertainment—all industries rife with risk. Slips, trips, falls, lawsuits, earthquakes, sinkholes, broken dreams, surprise pandemics—you name it.
And who’s going to manage all that? Who’s going to keep the lights on when the roulette table catches fire? Who’s going to explain that no, your "lucky rabbit’s foot" is not a valid deductible?
UNLV grads, that’s who.
Let’s Talk Curriculum: Nerds, Assemble
The BSBA in Insurance and Risk Management isn’t just about reading a policy and praying it makes sense. It’s a cocktail of analytical skills, interpersonal wizardry, and that special ability to explain risk mitigation strategies without putting your listener in a coma.
Courses will include the biggies:
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Underwriting 101: The art of saying “no” with grace and actuarial authority
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Claims Management: Otherwise known as “herding cats, but with subpoenas”
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Risk Mitigation: Where students learn how to predict disaster and then profit from it—ethically, of course
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Commercial Insurance Operations: A.k.a., the fine print olympics
And because this is a business school, you’ll also get heavy doses of strategic thinking, financial analysis, and persuasive communication. Basically, they’re turning you into the person at the party who gets drunk and starts arguing about umbrella policies.
Who’s the Target Audience?
Let’s be honest. This program is tailor-made for people who were into Dungeons & Dragons but decided to major in something their parents would understand. It’s for the kids who grew up asking: “What if I could combine my love of spreadsheets with my deep fear of uninsurable liability?”
And UNLV knows it. They’re not even pretending this is a sexy degree. They’re leaning into it like a late-night infomercial for kitchen gadgets:
“Ever wanted to negotiate deductible thresholds like a boss? Dreamed of mitigating workplace hazards with both style and OSHA compliance? Enroll today!”
What’s more, this program is applying Vegas logic to career stability. It’s like the inverse of a slot machine—you put in four years, and instead of losing everything, you get job security, a six-figure paycheck, and enough policy knowledge to bore your Tinder date into ghosting you by dessert.
This Isn’t Just a Degree—It’s a Lifestyle
UNLV doesn’t just want to teach you insurance. They want to turn you into a walking, talking risk management machine. By the time you graduate, you’ll be able to identify exposure, apply mitigation strategies, and explain coinsurance clauses with the casual confidence of a guy who just took out a life insurance policy on his fantasy football league.
And the cherry on top? They want to make UNLV a national leader in insurance education. That’s right—move over, Wharton. Eat your heart out, UCLA. Nevada is coming for your liability tables.
Final Thoughts: Viva Las Risk Management
So here we are. In 2025, the idea of getting a degree in insurance and risk management no longer feels like a punchline. Thanks to UNLV, it’s a fast track to relevance in a world that’s basically on fire—both metaphorically and sometimes literally.
The truth is, insurance isn’t just about policies and payouts. It’s about building a buffer between chaos and calm. And with the way things are going (climate change, AI lawsuits, billionaires launching themselves into orbit), we’re going to need a lot more people who know how to manage the fallout.
So if you’re reading this and thinking, “Hey, I could be the guy who insures the future,” UNLV has a slot machine with your name on it—and the jackpot is a steady job, a good salary, and a lifetime of explaining to your family what “surplus lines” actually means.
And if that doesn’t convince you, remember: Risk never sleeps. But now, at least, it can major in something.
Apply today. Because someone has to know what a deductible is—and it sure as hell won’t be your roommate who just bought a flaming hoverboard off Craigslist.
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