Masters Degrees in Actuarial Science, Ireland

This course is designed for graduates of quantitative disciplines who want to kick-start a career in actuary. It provides a solid foundation in statistics, financial mathematics, economics and business finance. Upon completion of the course, your knowledge and skills could be applied to a range of industries in the financial services such as insurance, pensions, healthcare, banking, investment and risk assessment.

You will be equipped with mathematical and statistical knowledge and problem-solving skills to help businesses and institutions evaluate the long-term financial implications of the decisions they make. You will also have the opportunity to undertake a minor dissertation involving the study of a number of problems specific to the insurance and financial sector.

The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has approved programme-level exemption status for the MSc programme in Actuarial Science at UCC in respect of their first 8 Core Technical subjects. Students may be recommended for exemption from the Institute’s own professional examinations in up to 7 of these Core Technical subjects by performing sufficiently well in the corresponding examinations of the MSc programme. UCC is one of the very few universities in Ireland which can offer students the potential to receive this level of exemptions from the professional actuarial examinations.

Visit the website: http://www.ucc.ie/en/ckr46/

Course detail

This is exciting course allows you to kick-start your career in actuary. It has similar core technical coverage to UCC’s very successful undergraduate course, which, over the last number of years, has achieved close to 100% employment. Graduates of this course are expected to also have no difficulty in gaining employment.

Format

The teaching methods used will be a combination of lectures, tutorials, computer practicals and directed study. You can expect to have approximately 22 hours per week of lectures, tutorials and directed study in semesters 1 and 2 and about 10 hours per week of directed study in semester 3.

Part 1

- Core modules (50 credits) -

PA6007 Market Analysis Methods for Actuarial Science (10 credits)
ST6001 Theory of Annuities - Certain for Actuarial Science (10 credits)
ST6002 Applied Financial Reporting Methods for Actuarial Science (10 credits)
ST6003 Probability & Mathematical Statistics for Actuarial Science (10 credits)
ST6004 Mortality Studies and Life Table Analysis for Actuarial Science (10 credits)

- Elective Modules (10 credits) -

ST6006 Insurance Risk Modelling for Actuarial Science (10 credits)
or
ST6010 Current Topics in Statistical Applications to Actuarial Science (10 credits).

*Were a student to enter the programme with sufficient background knowledge, as determined by the programme co-ordinator, in one of the above core modules, then that student would take both electives specified.

Part II

- Core module (20 credits) -

ST6009 Application of Core Technical Research Methodologies in Actuarial Science (20 credits)

- Elective modules (10 credits) -

ST6005 Life Contingencies for Actuarial Science (10 credits)
or
ST6008 Applied Financial Modelling and Risk Stochastics for Actuarial Science (10 credits)

Part-time students take modules ST6001, ST6003 and PA6007 in Year 1 and the remaining modules, including electives where appropriate, in Year 2.

Assessment

All taught modules in this course are assessed via a combination of end-of-module examination and submission of a portfolio of research and directed study.

For actuarial exemption purposes, the appointed actuarial independent examiner will base their recommendations for an exemption in the corresponding CT subject, on a student's performance in the final examination

For the research module (ST6009), you will study a number of problems, specific to the insurance and financial sector, and use the methodologies developed in the earlier modules to analyse such problems and produce oral and written reports on your work.

Careers

An actuarial qualification gives an excellent grounding in subjects like economics, finance, mathematics, and statistics, as well as the more actuarial subjects. This makes actuarial graduates suitable for a range of careers, not just actuarial work.

How to apply: http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/postgrad/how/

Funding and Scholarships

Information regarding funding and available scholarships can be found here: https://www.ucc.ie/en/cblgradschool/current/fundingandfinance/fundingscholarships/

Read less

The MSc Actuarial Science is a one year full-time programme from September to the following August. Semesters 1 and 2, from September to May, cover the Core Technical subjects 1 to 8 (CT 1-8) and subject Core Applications 1 (CA1) of the examinations of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (UK). Depending on your background and subject to the approval of the programme director, you may select between five and eight subjects to study. The Core Technical subjects are as follows:


Financial Mathematics (CT1)
Finance & Financial Reporting (CT2)
Probability and Mathematical Statistics (CT3)
Models (CT4)
Contingencies (CT5)
Statistical Methods (CT6)
Business Economics (CT7)
Financial Economics (CT8)


In semester 3 you will undertake independent research in an area of actuarial science under the supervision of a member of the School of Mathematical Sciences with the aim of submitting a thesis on your research findings at the end of the semester. Depending on your subject choices in semesters 1 and 2 you may also undertake advanced modules in finance at the UCD Smurfit School of Business – the modules offered will vary from year to year but possible topics may include regulation, corporate governance, ethics in finance, asset valuation, and financial management.

This programme runs for one year or 3 semesters.

A short video about the MSc Actuarial Science programme:

https://youtu.be/vJ4CCY1x09M

Read less

The PG Diploma Actuarial Science is a nine month full-time programme from September to the following May covering the Core Technical subjects 1 to 8 (CT 1-8) and subject Core Applications 1 (CA1) of the examinations of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (UK). Depending on your background and subject to the approval of the programme director, you may select between five and eight subjects to study. The Core Technical subjects are as follows:


• Financial Mathematics (CT1)
• Finance & Financial Reporting (CT2)
• Probability and Mathematical Statistics (CT3)
• Models (CT4)
• Contingencies (CT5)
• Statistical Methods (CT6)
• Business Economics (CT7)
• Financial Economics (CT8)

This programme runs for one academic year - September to May (2 semesters)

Read less

The MSc in Mathematical Sciences is a one-year (12 months) full-time programme which allows a student to combine graduate-level modules in one or more of the disciplines of the school (Actuarial Science and Statistics, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics/Mathematical Physics). It consists of 60 credits of taught modules in Mathematics, Statistics, Mathematical Physics or Applied Mathematics, and 30 credits assigned to the writing of a dissertation as well as active participation in a research seminar.

September to August (full time) - 1 year or 3 semesters
September to August (part time) - 2 years or 6 semesters

Read less