Masters Degrees in Actuarial Science, United Kingdom

Actuaries evaluate and manage financial risk. They make financial sense of the future for their clients by applying advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to solve complex financial problems.

Qualifying as an actuary is a passport to a wide variety of careers in insurance companies, investments, pensions, health care and banking – not just in the UK, but throughout the world. Kent is one of a very few universities in the UK to teach the subject.

Our Postgraduate Diploma (PDip) in Actuarial Science, MSc in Applied Actuarial Science and International Master’s are all fully accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries; they also provide a fast-track route to qualifying as an actuary, because students who achieve a high enough overall mark in these programmes can obtain exemptions from the professional examinations included within their studies.

This PDip in Actuarial Science programme gives you the opportunity to gain exemptions from eight of the Core Technical subjects (CT1 to CT8) of the professional examinations and provides you with a firm foundation for the later subjects. If you perform well enough on this course to obtain the full set of exemptions available, you could reduce your time to qualify as an actuary by three years or more.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/1/actuarial-science

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

MA319 - Probability and Statistics for Actuarial Science (15 credits)
MA501 - Statistics for Insurance (15 credits)
MA529 - Probability and Statistics for Actuarial Science 2 (15 credits)
MA639 - Time Series Modelling and Simulation (15 credits)
MA816 - Contingencies 1 (15 credits)
MA817 - Contingencies 2 (15 credits)
MA819 - Business Economics (15 credits)
MA820 - Financial Mathematics (15 credits)
MA825 - Survival Models (15 credits)
MA826 - Finance & Financial Reporting (15 credits)
MA835 - Portfolio Theory and Asset Pricing Models (15 credits)
MA836 - Stochastic Processes (15 credits)
MA837 - Mathematics of Financial Derivatives (15 credits)
MA840 - Financial Modelling (15 credits)

Assessment

Assessment is usually by a mixture of coursework and examination; exact weightings vary from module to module.

- Accreditation
Students who are considered to have performed sufficiently well in the programme (both in examinations and coursework), as determined by an examiner appointed by the UK Actuarial Profession, will be exempt from all the CT subjects studied within the programme. If a student fails to achieve a suitable overall standard, they might still be awarded individual module exemptions as recommended by the Profession’s examiner. Please note that individual exemptions are granted based on the final written examinations only.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- give you the depth of technical appreciation and skills appropriate to a Master’s level programme in actuarial science

- provide successful students with eligibility for subject exemptions from the Core Technical series of examinations of the actuarial profession. This means obtaining a thorough knowledge and understanding of various core actuarial techniques and gaining current knowledge and understanding of the practice of some of the major areas in which actuaries are involved

- ensure you are competent in the use of information technology, and are familiar with computers, together with the relevant software

- introduce you to an appreciation of recent actuarial developments, and of the links between subject theories and their practical application in industry

- prepare you for employment within the actuarial profession and other financial fields

- provide suitable preparation for students who wish to proceed to the MSc in Applied Actuarial Science.

Research areas

- Genetics and insurance risks

Advances in human genetics, and medical sciences in general, have led to many gene discoveries; a number of single-gene disorders have been successfully identified and studied in detail. Researchers are now increasingly focusing on common multifactorial genetic disorders such as cancer, heart attack and stroke, caused by interaction of genes and environmental factors. It is important for the insurance industry to understand the full implications of these latest developments. First, can an insurer justify charging different premium rates to different risk groups? Second, if insurers are not allowed to discriminate between individuals based on their genes, by regulation or by law, is there a risk of adverse selection?

- Economic capital and financial risk management

Financial services firms are in the business of accepting risks on behalf of their customers. Customers do not always have the time or expertise to handle financial risks on their own, so they pass these on to financial services firms. However, even the most reputable firms can sometimes get it wrong, so it is fundamentally important for all stakeholders that financial services firms hold an appropriate amount of capital calculated on a robust scientific basis, to back the risks they are running. Economic capital can provide answers by specifying a unifying approach to calculating risk-based capital for any firm in the financial services sector.

From a public policy perspective, regulators and governments face the dilemma of whether to regulate against genetic underwriting or to allow market economies to take their own course. On one hand, there is a moral obligation not to discriminate against individuals for their genetic make-up. On the other hand, risk of adverse selection against insurance firms cannot be ruled out altogether. Maintaining an appropriate balance between the two is key.

Careers

- The UK Actuarial Profession

The UK Actuarial Profession is small, but influential and well rewarded. There are more than 6,500 actuaries currently employed in the UK, the majority of whom work in insurance companies and consultancy practices.

Survey results published by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries suggest that the average basic salary for a student actuary is £36,842 with pay and bonuses increasingly sharply as you become more experienced. The average basic salary of a Chief Actuary is £209,292.

As an actuary, your work is extremely varied and can include: advising companies on the amount of funds to set aside for employee pension payments; designing new insurance policies and setting premium rates; pricing financial derivatives and working in fund management and quantitative investment research; advising life insurance companies on he distribution of surplus funds; and estimating the effects of possible major disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, and setting premium rates for insurance against such disasters. For more information about the actuarial profession, see http://www.actuaries.org.uk

- Employability support

Helping our students to develop strong employability skills is a key objective within the School and the University. We provide a wide range of services and support to equip you with transferable vocational skills that enable you to secure appropriate professional positions within industry. Within the School we run specialist seminars and provide advice on creating a strong CV, making job applications and successfully attending interviews and assessment centres.

Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in the actuarial, finance, insurance and risk sectors.

Professional recognition

Offers exemptions from subjects CT1 to CT8 of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries professional examinations, with the option to take further subjects for exemption purposes.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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Actuaries evaluate and manage financial risk. They make financial sense of the future for their clients by applying advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to solve complex financial problems.

Qualifying as an actuary is a passport to a wide variety of careers in insurance companies, investments, pensions, health care and banking – not just in the UK, but throughout the world. Kent is one of a very few universities in the UK to teach the subject.

Our MSc in Applied Actuarial Science is fully accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries; it also provides a fast-track route to qualifying as an actuary, because students who achieve a high enough overall mark in this programme can obtain exemptions from the professional examinations included within their studies.

The MSc is available as a full-time (one-year) or part-time (two-year) programme and is suitable for those who have completed a first degree or postgraduate diploma in Actuarial Science, or those who have studied the majority of the earlier subjects in the Core Technical Stage subjects.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/174/applied-actuarial-science

About the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (SMSAS)

The School has a strong reputation for world-class research and a well-established system of support and training, with a high level of contact between staff and research students. Postgraduate students develop analytical, communication and research skills.

In 2010, the Centre for Actuarial Science, Risk and Investment (CASRI) was set up within SMSAS to reflect the widening scope of the teaching and research of the staff. Areas of research interest include economic capital and risk management for financial services firms, mortality and longevity modelling, longevity indices and markets. Other research topics include genetics and insurance, insurance economics, pensions and corporate reporting.

The Centre includes 13 professionally qualified actuaries with many years’ practical experience in insurance and pensions, and who maintain excellent links with the actuarial profession.

Course structure

The course is based on a ‘core modules plus options’ structure and exemptions can be gained from the following professional examinations in the Core Applications Stage and Specialist Technical Stage: CA1, CA3, ST2, ST4 to ST9. You can also choose the optional Financial Modelling modules, which prepare you for subject CA2 in the Core Applications Stage. Find out more about accreditation for this programme (http://www.kent.ac.uk/casri/Accreditation/index.html) and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries examinations (http://www.actuaries.org.uk/students/pages/our-exams-explained).

You must take 180 credits in order to pass the MSc. If you take fewer than 180 credits, you may be eligible for the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Actuarial Science.

Modules

The following modules are indicative of those offered on this programme. This list is based on the current curriculum and may change year to year in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. Most programmes will require you to study a combination of compulsory and optional modules. You may also have the option to take modules from other programmes so that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas that interest you.

MA909 - Enterprise Risk Management (30 credits)
MA912 - Life Insurance (30 credits)
MA914 - Pensions and Other Benefits (30 credits)
MA915 - Finance and Investment (30 credits)
MA916 - Derivative Securities (30 credits)
MA917 - General Insurance - Reserving and Capital Modelling (30 credits)
MA918 - General Insurance - Premium Rating (30 credits)
MA950 - Prophet (15 credits)
MA951 - Prophet 2 (15 credits)
MA952 - Financial Modelling (15 credits)
MA953 - Communications (15 credits)
MA921 - Actuarial Risk Management 1 (30 credits)
MA922 - Actuarial Risk Management 2 (30 credits)

Assessment

Assessment is usually by a mixture of coursework and examination; exact weightings vary from module to module.

- Accreditation
Students who are considered to have performed sufficiently well in the programme (both in examinations and coursework), as determined by an examiner appointed by the UK Actuarial Profession, will be exempt from subjects CA1, CA3 and the Specialist Technical subjects studied within the programme.

If you fail to achieve a suitable overall standard, you might still be awarded individual module exemptions as recommended by the Profession’s examiner. Please note that individual exemptions are granted based on the final written examinations only.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- provide successful students with eligibility for subject exemptions from the Core Application and Specialist Technical series of examinations of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. This means obtaining a thorough knowledge of core actuarial applications, developing the ability to apply this knowledge in a practical situation and gaining current knowledge and understanding of the practice of major areas in which actuaries are involved.

- develop your understanding, knowledge and awareness of current problems, much of which is at the forefront of current professional practice.

- ensure you are competent in the use of information technology, and are familiar with computers, together with the relevant software.

Careers

The UK Actuarial Profession

The UK Actuarial Profession is small, but influential and well rewarded. There are more than 6,500 actuaries currently employed in the UK, the majority of whom work in insurance companies and consultancy practices.

Survey results published by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (http://www.actuaries.org.uk/becoming-actuary/pages/what-can-actuary-earn) suggest that the average basic salary for a student actuary is £36,842 with pay and bonuses increasingly sharply as you become more experienced. The average basic salary of a Chief Actuary is £209,292.

As an actuary, your work is extremely varied and can include: advising companies on the amount of funds to set aside for employee pension payments; designing new insurance policies and setting premium rates; pricing financial derivatives and working in fund management and quantitative investment research; advising life insurance companies on he distribution of surplus funds; and estimating the effects of possible major disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, and setting premium rates for insurance against such disasters. For more information about the actuarial profession, see http://www.actuaries.org.uk

- Employability support

Helping our students to develop strong employability skills is a key objective within the School and the University. We provide a wide range of services and support to equip you with transferable vocational skills that enable you to secure appropriate professional positions within industry. Within the School we run specialist seminars and provide advice on creating a strong CV, making job applications and successfully attending interviews and assessment centres.

Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in the actuarial, finance, insurance and risk sectors.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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Actuaries evaluate and manage financial risk. They make financial sense of the future for their clients by applying advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to solve complex financial problems.

Qualifying as an actuary is a passport to a wide variety of careers in insurance companies, investments, pensions, health care and banking – not just in the UK, but throughout the world. Kent is one of a very few universities in the UK to teach the subject.

Our International Master’s programme is fully accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. It is equivalent to a Graduate Diploma (which covers the subjects taught within the Postgraduate Diploma in Actuarial Science), followed by the MSc in Applied Actuarial Science.

International Students

This programme is for international students with a good first degree who would like to gain exemptions from subjects in the Core Technical, Core Applications and Specialist Technical Stages of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries’ examinations.

Visit the website https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/176/international-masters-in-applied-actuarial-science

About the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (SMSAS)

The School has a strong reputation for world-class research and a well-established system of support and training, with a high level of contact between staff and research students. Postgraduate students develop analytical, communication and research skills.

In 2010, the Centre for Actuarial Science, Risk and Investment (CASRI) (http://www.kent.ac.uk/casri/index.html) was set up within SMSAS to reflect the widening scope of the teaching and research of the staff. Areas of research interest include economic capital and risk management for financial services firms, mortality and longevity modelling, longevity indices and markets. Other research topics include genetics and insurance, insurance economics, pensions and corporate reporting.

The Centre includes 13 professionally qualified actuaries with many years’ practical experience in insurance and pensions, and who maintain excellent links with the actuarial profession.

Programme aims

This programme aims to:

- provide you with eligibility for subject exemptions from the Core Application and Specialist Technical series of examinations of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. This means obtaining a thorough knowledge of core actuarial applications, developing the ability to apply this knowledge in a practical situation and gaining current knowledge and understanding of the practice of major areas in which actuaries are involved

- develop your understanding, knowledge and awareness of current problems, much of which is at the forefront of current professional practice

- ensure you are competent in the use of information technology, and are familiar with computers, together with the relevant software.

Careers

The UK Actuarial Profession
The UK Actuarial Profession is small, but influential and well rewarded. There are more than 6,500 actuaries currently employed in the UK, the majority of whom work in insurance companies and consultancy practices.

Survey results published by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (http://www.actuaries.org.uk/becoming-actuary/pages/what-can-actuary-earn) suggest that the average basic salary for a student actuary is £36,842 with pay and bonuses increasingly sharply as you become more experienced. The average basic salary of a Chief Actuary is £209,292.

As an actuary, your work is extremely varied and can include: advising companies on the amount of funds to set aside for employee pension payments; designing new insurance policies and setting premium rates; pricing financial derivatives and working in fund management and quantitative investment research; advising life insurance companies on he distribution of surplus funds; and estimating the effects of possible major disasters, such as earthquakes or hurricanes, and setting premium rates for insurance against such disasters. For more information about the actuarial profession, see http://www.actuaries.org.uk

Employability support
Helping our students to develop strong employability skills is a key objective within the School and the University. We provide a wide range of services and support to equip you with transferable vocational skills that enable you to secure appropriate professional positions within industry. Within the School we run specialist seminars and provide advice on creating a strong CV, making job applications and successfully attending interviews and assessment centres.

Our graduates have gone on to successful careers in the actuarial, finance, insurance and risk sectors.

Professional recognition

Fully accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. Students who achieve a high enough overall mark can obtain exemptions from the professional examinations included within their studies.

Find out how to apply here - https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

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Actuaries provide assessments of financial security systems, with a focus on their complexity, their mathematics, and their mechanisms. Actuaries quantify the probability and manage the risk of future events in areas such as insurance, healthcare, pensions, investment, and banking and also in non-financial areas. This course is taught by the Department of Mathematical Sciences and is intended for students with a first degree in mathematics, statistics, economics or finance who would like to acquire knowledge in actuarial science.

Our MSc Actuarial Science course is based on the syllabus of the majority of the Core Technical subjects of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, so you’ll cover Core Technical subjects as part of your course (CT2 or CT3, depending on the optional module selected, CT4, CT5, CT6, and CT8). This focus on up-to-date research findings in actuarial methodologies and actuarial applications means that you gain a solid training in actuarial modelling and actuarial analysis.

It is also possible to specialise on a topic of choice, with options including:
-Actuarial and Financial Modelling
-General Insurance
-Life Insurance

You will also have the chance to study a problem in depth through a Master's thesis project on a subject chosen by you or your supervisor.

As part of our Department of Mathematical Sciences you’re a member of an inclusive and approachable research community with an international reputation in many areas including semi-group theory, optimisation, probability, applied statistics, bioinformatics and mathematical biology.

Our expert staff

As well as being world-class academics, many of our academics have won research awards and grants from some of the largest actuarial society’s worldwide, national or regional awards for lecturing, and many of them are qualified and accredited teachers.

Teaching on our course are expert academics and practising actuaries. The key departmental contacts for our MSc Actuarial Science are Keith Bannister, Dr Haslifah Hashim, and Dr Spyridon Vrontos.
-Keith Bannister is a qualified actuary, and a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries and Faculty of Actuaries; he lectures part-time in Actuarial Science.
-Dr Hashim specialises in life and general insurance, pensions, financial mathematics, enterprise risk management, forensic economics, and Islamic finance and takaful.
-Dr Vrontos specialises in actuarial mathematics and modelling, asset-liability management and performance measurement for pension funds, hedge funds and mutual funds, risk management and solvency, and risk theory.

Specialist facilities

-Unique to Essex is our renowned Maths Support Centre, which offers help to students, staff and local businesses on a range of mathematical problems. Throughout term-time, we can chat through mathematical problems either on a one-to-one or small group basis
-We have our own computer labs for the exclusive use of students in the Department of Mathematical Sciences – in addition to your core maths modules, you gain computing knowledge of software including Matlab and Maple
-We host regular events and seminars throughout the year

Your future

As a new course, we expect our graduates of MSc Actuarial Science to become actuaries in a range of industries. It is predicted by the US Department of Labor that the employment of actuaries is expected to grow faster than any other occupation, making it a great prospect for a graduate job.

Aside from a rewarding career as an actuary (actuaries are in the top ten jobs for 2016, careercast.com), clear thinkers are required in every profession, so the successful mathematician has an extensive choice of potential careers. The Council for Mathematical Sciences offers further information on careers in mathematics.

We also work with the university’s Employability and Careers Centre to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.

We also offer supervision for PhD, MPhil and MSc by Dissertation. We have an international reputation in many areas such as semi-group theory, optimisation, probability; applied statistics, bioinformatics and mathematical biology, and our department is strongly committed to research and to the promotion of graduate activities.

Example structure

Postgraduate study is the chance to take your education to the next level. The combination of compulsory and optional modules means our courses help you develop extensive knowledge in your chosen discipline, whilst providing plenty of freedom to pursue your own interests. Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field, therefore to ensure your course is as relevant and up-to-date as possible your core module structure may be subject to change.

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The MSc in Actuarial Science offers students a firm grounding in the fundamentals of actuarial science, including detailed study of the mathematical and statistical techniques used in the insurance, pensions, and financial services industries.

The MSc in Actuarial Science course is accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. Cass Business School was the first institution in the UK to have both undergraduate and postgraduate actuarial programmes fully accredited and is also recognised by other actuarial professional bodies around the world. Consequently, students have an opportunity to gain exemptions from up to eight of the Core Technical examinations (Subjects CT1-CT8) of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

The programme is delivered via face-to-face lectures from qualified actuaries, academics and other subject-specialists, complemented by dedicated online support, easy access to faculty members, and advice on study and exam techniques. Lecturers use their commercial experience and research expertise to deliver a challenging, relevant and intellectually stimulating course.

Visit the website: http://www.cass.city.ac.uk/courses/masters/courses/actuarial-science

Course detail

To satisfy the requirements of the degree programme students must complete:
• at least five out of eight core courses (Terms 1 and 2) and the Research Methods module (Term 1)
and
• five electives in Term 3
or
• one elective and a Business Research Project in Term 3
or
• three electives and an Applied Research Project in Term 3

Format

During the induction period, which is compulsory, a variety of activities are offered to students, to support them in their learning and professional development. Cass Careers offers workshops with a focus on the key skills that employers are looking for, as well as preparing students for the application process. The annual MSc Careers Fair at this time provides the opportunity to meet more than 60 companies who are recruiting across many sectors including insurance, pensions, finance, energy, and other fields. Furthermore, innovative workshops are run on advanced study skills and obtaining practical insight to actuarial work.

Career opportunities

There is a continuous demand for capable postgraduate level executives in the actuarial profession, whose members are among the highest paid in the UK. They work in fields such as insurance companies (life/non-life), consulting firms, government departments, banks and investment firms, teaching and research.

Some examples of where graduates from the MSc in Actuarial Science class of 2014 are working are:

• Generali - Actuarial Analyst
• Mirae Asset - Researcher
• Willis - Graduate Actuarial Analyst
• Towers Watson - Consultant

How to apply

Apply here: http://www.city.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying-to-city

Funding

For information on funding, please follow this link: http://www.city.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/funding-and-financial-support

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Overview

Entry to the actuarial profession is by a demanding series of examinations, but the rewards after qualifying are great. The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in the UK has four levels of examinations to qualify. The first level, the Core Technical (CT) subjects, are taught in our BSc or MSc in Actuarial Science and lead to exemptions from CT1 to CT8.

Leading on from this, our established and successful MSc in Actuarial Management (See http://www.postgraduate.hw.ac.uk/prog/msc-actuarial-management/ ) covers the more advanced actuarial subjects and offers exemptions from the syllabuses of the Core Application subjects CA1 and CA3 and Specialist Technical subjects ST2, ST4, ST5, ST6 and ST9.

Students will typically study CA1, CA3 and up to three ST subjects (two ST subjects are needed to satisfy the profession's requirements).

Taking our MSc in Actuarial Management is a great way to speed your progress to this most prestigious of careers - it's designed to take you almost all of the way to qualification. A student who graduates with a full set of exemptions from Heriot-Watt (CT, CA and ST subjects) will only have three more examinations to pass, as well as gaining the necessary work experience, to qualify as a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

Programme duration

The PG Diploma comprises the taught coursework component leading to exemptions from CA1 and the ST professional subjects and takes 9 months to complete. Successful students can then progress to the project work in the summer. This takes the form of industry-relevant case studies, assessed by written reports, which leads to the award of an MSc and exemption from the Subject CA3. In exceptional cases a student may be allowed to write a research dissertation.

The programme is also available to be studied on a part-time basis, over a maximum of 4 years.

Teaching Excellence and Student Satisfaction

30% of our teaching staff are qualified actuaries, the others are leading Mathematicians, Financial Mathematicians and Statisticians, who are nationally and internationally recognised for their research. This expertise ensures that what we teach you is current, applicable to the real workplace and current economy. Our National Student Survey results are consistently high for overall student satisfaction.

Results from the National Student Survey for 2011 reveal that 88% of our Mathematics and Statistics (including Actuarial Science) graduates are employed with a graduate position and/or undertaking further study. Our graduates go on to work for companies such as Swiss Re, Standard Life, Towers Watson, Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays Capital, Scottish Widows, Ernst & Young and many more. Graduates are employed locally in Edinburgh, London and throughout the world.

Student Actuarial Society

Heriot-Watt has a very active Students' Actuarial Society (See http://hwsas.com/ ) which won several awards at a recent Heriot-Watt 'Oscars' ceremony. This body is completely managed, enthusiastically and professionally, by our students.

Professional recognition

The programme is fully accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

Programme content

In the taught element of the programme each student takes eight semester-long courses. These are linked in pairs, one per semester. One pair of courses – covering Actuarial Risk Management – is compulsory and corresponds to subject CA1. It applies the principles of actuarial mathematics to a wide range of financial and insurance settings. Students choose a minimum of two pairs of courses from a list including Life Office Management (subject ST2), Pensions (subject ST4), Investment and Finance (subject ST5), Derivatives (subject ST6) and Enterprise Risk Management (subject ST9).

The choice of courses may depend on the coverage of actuarial subjects in the student’s first degree. Depending on individual circumstances, other optional courses may be made available, for example courses from the MSc in Actuarial Science or in other disciplines. However, students choosing to take three pairs of courses, potentially leading to exemptions from three ST subjects, will have an exceptionally broad range of employment opportunities.

Students may graduate with the Postgraduate Diploma at the end of the 2nd semester, after completing the taught coursework component leading to exemptions form CA1 and the ST professional subjects. Successful students can then progress to the project work in the summer. This takes the form of industry-relevant case studies, assessed by written reports, which leads to the award of an MSc and exemption from the Subject CA3. In exceptional cases a student may be allowed to write a research dissertation.The dissertation is an extended research project, with regular supervision, undertaken in the summer. The diploma takes 9 months and the MSc takes 1 year full time and part time options are available.

For more detailed course descriptions, please visit the current student website http://www.ma.hw.ac.uk/ams/teach/courses1314/index.php

English language requirements

If your first language is not English, or your first degree was not taught in English, we’ll need to see evidence of your English language ability. The minimum requirement for English language is IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. We offer a range of English language courses (See http://www.hw.ac.uk/study/english.htm ) to help you meet the English language requirement prior to starting your masters programme:
- 14 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.5 with no more than one skill at 4.5);
- 10 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.5 with minimum of 5.0 in all skills);
- 6 weeks English (for IELTS 5.5 with minimum of 5.5 in reading & writing and minimum of 5.0 in speaking & listening)

Find information on Fees and Scholarships here http://www.postgraduate.hw.ac.uk/prog/msc-actuarial-management/

Find videos of students and graduates from the department here http://www.youtube.com/user/HWActuarial?blend=3&ob=5#p/a

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This programme is designed to kick-start your career as an actuary, preparing you to take a leading role in managing risk in financial institutions worldwide. Ranked top job in 2013 (as reported by Wall Street Journal), actuaries are in high demand in light of the need for sound decision making in the ever-changing financial markets. The rewards in terms of job satisfaction and earning potential make this an excellent career choice.

Established in 1972, we were the first UK university to introduce a dedicated programme in Actuarial Science, and have since evolved to become highly renowned as a world-leading centre in actuarial and financial teaching and research.
Exemptions

The programme is fully accredited by the UK Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, offering a valuable opportunity to gain exemptions from the Core Technical (CT1-CT8) examinations. There are 12 courses available which correspond in total to CT1-CT8 of the actuarial professional syllabus. To meet university award requirements you must pass at least 8 of the 12 listed below. To achieve exemption from all of CT1-CT8 you must pass all 12 courses.

Financial Mathematics - CT1
Finance and Financial Reporting - CT2
Economics - CT7
Statistical Methods - CT3
Life Insurance Maths 1 & 2 - CT5
Stochastic Modelling/Survival Models - CT4
Risk Theory/Time Series Analysis - CT6
Financial Economics 1 & 2 - CT8

Our expert staff, many of whom are qualified actuaries, will guide and support you throughout your studies. You will benefit from their extensive business knowledge and research expertise, whilst gaining hands-on experience of solving real-life financial problems through interactive lectures, tutorial sessions and practical coursework. The MSc summer project gives you the opportunity to explore in greater depth the hot topics currently facing business, such as Solvency II and pensions autoenrolment. Our close links to industry through the Scottish Financial Risk Academy also creates the potential for undertaking a summer placement within Edinburgh's thriving financial sector.

We have an excellent record of preparing students for successful careers - recent statistics show that around 90% of our postgraduate students were either in full-time employment or further study within 6 months of graduation. Our students consistently rate us highly - the Sunday Times University Guide 2013 named us "UK University of the Year for Student Experience" as well as "Scottish University of the Year" for the second year running.

We are very proud of our award-winning Students' Actuarial Society which is entirely managed, enthusiastically and professionally, by our students. As well as arranging a series of topical presentations by industry professionals, and popular social events, the Society's highly anticipated Annual Actuarial Conference attracts speakers and attendees from around the world.

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Summary

This programme provides an intensive, professional-level, specialist education in actuarial science. Students performing well in the instructional component (PG Dip) can gain exemptions from Subjects CT1-CT8 of the professional examinations of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, which are internationally recognised. Following the instructional component, students can progress to the MSc by successfully completing a three-month supervised project and dissertation/ report component.

Modules

Modules: Probability and Mathematical Statistics; Financial Mathematics; Actuarial Mathematics I; Survival Models; Economics; Stochastic Processes; Mathematical Finance; Actuarial Mathematics II; Statistical Methods in Insurance; Accounting and Finance for Actuarial Science Plus Project and dissertation/report (MSc only)

Visit our website for further information.

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Course aims

Do you enjoy solving problems? Do you enjoy analysing and interpreting large amounts of data and applying this analysis to real business situations? Could you communicate complex financial and risk models to people at a range of levels? A career as an actuary is a highly rewarding one – both financially and intellectually.

Actuaries are problem-solvers, business analysts, consultants and risk assessors, all rolled into one. With this degree under your belt, the skills you have learned could be applied to the worlds of insurance, pensions, healthcare, banking, business management 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 may already be employed as a trainee actuary within a firm, or be a recent graduate looking to get into the industry, it could be that a career change is your reason for studying this course. Whichever it is, an Actuarial Science degree from the University of Leicester will provide you with a head start within this lucrative career.

By concentrating on both technical expertise and transferable skills (such as communication and problem solving) this postgraduate degree will prepare you for direct entry into the profession and a successful career. You will leave Leicester equipped with the skills and knowledge to evaluate and interpret different forms of data, analyse risk and present your results to a professional audience, and with an understanding of how to apply this knowledge to real problems using the fundamental techniques required by an actuary.

The Actuarial Science programme at Leicester is the only distance learning course accredited by the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries.

This means that if you perform sufficiently well within the examinations for the Postgraduate Diploma qualification, you will be automatically exempt from taking the Institute's CT 1-8 examinations — the first eight exams toward qualifying as a Fellow of the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries.

The University enjoys links with the financial industry including Mercer Human Resource Consulting, NFU Mutual and Pearl Life, ensuring that the course has been developed with the needs of key employers in mind. Graduates of the course will therefore be highly employable.

Course modules

Course structure varies between distance learning and campus-based, please visit the University of Leicester for more details.

Year Three
• Dissertation (MSc only)

Teaching and assessment methods

The course will be delivered through supported distance learning. Materials will be made available electronically via the University’s virtual online learning environment Blackboard and a self containied Wiki based platform. The use of Blackboard will enable you to benefit from visualisations of key concepts through specialist software. Electronic forums and pod-casts will be used to support your learning.

Start Dates

Distance Learning: Every May and October.
Campus-Based: September each year.

(Please note: due to regular enhancement of the University’s courses, please refer to Leicester’s own website (http://www.le.ac.uk) or/and Terms and Conditions (http://www2.le.ac.uk/legal) for the most accurate and up-to-date course information. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with this information prior to submitting an application.)

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The MSc in Actuarial Science provides a strong grounding in the mathematics of actuarial science and addresses both the current and future needs of the industry. The programme was recently established and incorporates all mathematical techniques, in particular from the fields of probability and statistics, a modern actuary could not do without. Accredited by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, the course will offer exemptions to the following Professions Core Technical exams: CT3, CT4, CT6 and CT8. If you are interested in developing a career as an actuary, this programme of study will provide the ideal entry platform into a broad range of employment sectors, such as Insurance, Finance and Risk Management.

Coursework and assessment

There are two teaching semesters of 12 weeks each and approximately 15 weeks of project work. Assessment for the taught part is by exams and coursework.

Career opportunities

If you are interested in developing a career as an actuary, this programme of study will provide the ideal entry platform into a broad range of employment sectors, such as Insurance, Financial and Risk Management.

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Actuaries evaluate and manage financial risk. They apply advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to solve financial problems, assess the likelihood of a particular event and the possible financial costs. The role of the actuary is increasingly important in the current economic climate, where volatile markets are contributing to financial uncertainty.

Our MSc Actuarial Finance will introduce you to essential business topics and enable you to apply your quantitative skills to solve complex business problems, such as risk management, insurance and derivatives. You’ll gain comprehensive knowledge in business areas such as accountancy, corporate finance and economics, as well as key analytical techniques, processes and models that have significant applications in actuarial finance.

The Business School has strong links with the actuarial profession and the insurance and pensions industry, giving you the opportunity to interact with practising actuaries and industry experts.

Academic excellence

This course is delivered in partnership with the University’s School of Mathematics. You’ll learn from leading academics based in both schools, giving you access to world-class expertise in both areas.

As a student, you will be able to access the knowledge of our advanced specialist research units, which also have strong links with leading institutions in the US, Europe and Asia. These include the Centre for Advanced Study in Finance (CASIF), the Institute of Banking and Investment (IBI) and the Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC).

You will also benefit from our strong relationships with the actuarial profession. This provides a connection to the latest developments in the industry and gives you a masters degree that is relevant to the contemporary environment.

Course content

You’ll take compulsory modules in corporate finance and economics allowing you to put your work into context and understand the importance of the role played by actuaries. At the same time, you’ll build your mathematical skills with classes in applied statistics and probability, as well as discrete time finance.

Building on this, you’ll study continuous time finance and gain an understanding of how different stochastic processes and survival models are applied to actuarial science. This will compliment your studies in topics such as accounting, professionalism and ethics, international investment and portfolio risk management.

Throughout the year you’ll build your professional skills with a core module focussing on critical practical skills that will prepare you for the workplace. At the end of the course, you’ll bring together your business, mathematical and professional knowledge to complete an independent project on a topic of your choice, which will demonstrate your ability to apply the skills you’ve gained.

Course structure

Compulsory modules

• Portfolio Risk Management 15 credits
• Corporate Finance 15 credits
• Professionalism & Ethics for Actuaries 15 credits
• International Investment 15 credits
• Economics for Business 15 credits
• Financial Reporting and Analysis 15 credits
• Applied Statistics and Probability 15 credits
• Discrete Time Finance 15 credits
• Models in Actuarial Science 15 credits
• Continuous Time Finance 15 credits
• Projects in Actuarial Finance 30 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Actuarial Finance MSc in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

Our tutors come from highly respected professional and academic backgrounds. We use a range of teaching methods so you can benefit from their expertise including lectures, workshops, seminars, computer simulations and tutorials.

In addition to the assessed modules and research dissertation, you benefit from professional training activities and employability workshops.

Independent study is also an important part of the course, allowing you to prepare for taught classes and sharpen your own research and critical thinking skills.

Assessment

Assessment methods emphasise not just knowledge, but essential skills development too. They include formal exams, group projects, reports, computer simulation exercises, essays and written assignments, presentations and reflective logs. This diversity enables you to develop a broad range of skills as preparation for professional life.

Career opportunities

As a graduate of this course you will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of core actuarial principles, and the numerical and analytical skills to succeed in this rapidly changing complex environment.

Graduates have entered successful careers in insurance, pensions, accountancy, risk management and consultancy. Job prospects are wide ranging and include careers as accountants, consultants, scheme and insurance actuaries, and employment in investment banking and risk management.

As a result of the high level of quantitative skills developed, you also gain an excellent grounding for PhD study in accounting, finance and economics.

Careers support

We help you to achieve your career ambitions by providing professional development support and training as part of the Masters programme. You benefit from the support of a Professional Development Tutor, who will work with you to develop the important professional skills that employers value.

We’re committed to offering a wide range of development and training opportunities. Recent activities have included CV building and interview sessions, professional risk management workshops and commercial awareness networking events.

Read more about our careers and professional development support.

The University of Leeds Careers Centre also provides a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate.

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This exciting new 2-year MSc programme is designed to kick-start your career as an actuary, preparing you to take a leading role in managing risk in financial institutions worldwide.

Entry to the actuarial profession is by a demanding series of examinations, but the rewards after qualifying are great. The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in the UK have four levels of examinations to qualify: The first level, the Core Technical (CT) subjects are taught in Stage 1 and lead to exemptions from CT1 to CT8. Students will typically study CT1, CT5 and can choose from some or all of the remaining CT subjects.

Stage 2 covers the more advanced actuarial subjects and offers exemptions from the syllabuses of the Core Application subjects CA1 and CA3 and Specialist Technical subjects ST2, ST4, ST5, ST6 and ST9. Students will typically study CA1, CA3 and up to three ST subjects (two ST subjects are needed to satisfy the profession's requirements).

Students who successfully meet the progression requirements will then go on to undertake a summer project after Stage 2.

Taking our MSc in Actuarial Science and Management is a great way to speed your progress to this most prestigious of careers - it's designed to take you almost all of the way to qualification. A student who graduates with a full set of exemptions from Heriot-Watt (CT, CA and ST subjects) will only have to pass three more examinations, and gain the necessary work experience, to qualify as a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

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The Financial and Actuarial Mathematics MSc incorporates all mathematical techniques, knowledge and skills required for careers in modern actuary.

This cutting edge MSc programme is oriented towards students who want to receive a high-profile education in quantitative finance and actuarial science. The MSc will equip you with the mathematical, financial and computational skills needed to quantify and manage risk effectively in today’s finance, investment and insurance industries.

Graduates of this program are qualified to assess and solve problems in the financial and actuarial industry, to analyse and develop sophisticated mathematical models as well as to implement them in practice.


Programme Structure

Semester 1
•Stochastic Modelling in Insurance and Finance (15 credits)
•Finance and Financial Reporting (15 credits)
•Statistical Methods in Insurance and Finance (15 credits)
•Mathematical Risk Theory (15 credits)


Semester 2
•Computational Methods in Finance (15 credits)
•Interest Rate Theory (15 credits)
•Life Contingencies (15 credits)
•Quantitative Risk Management (15 credits)

Semester 3
•Dissertation (60 credits)


Careers

Actuarial Science is a growing subject area with good career opportunities within insurance companies, banks and
consultancy. This programme is designed to prepare you for a career as a quantitative analyst or an actuary, combining financial and actuarial mathematics with statistical techniques and business topics. Our MSc prepares students to be professionals who use mathematical models to analyse and solve financial problems under uncertainty. Upon successful completion of the MSc you will be ideally equipped to work in investment banks, pension or investment funds, hedge funds, consultancy and auditing firms or government regulators. Where possible, summer projects will be designed in cooperation with industry partners, offering opportunities for students to further pursue a career as an actuary in insurance, reinsurance, risk management or asset-liabilities management as well

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If you want to study for a mathematics-related MSc course but don’t meet the full academic entry requirements, this programme will equip you with the mathematical knowledge and skills you need, specialising in financial and actuarial mathematics.

You’ll choose from a range of undergraduate modules offered in the School of Mathematics and Leeds University Business School, building a programme which fills the gaps in your knowledge and prepares you for postgraduate study in actuarial and financial mathematics. If you complete the GradDip and meet the required performance standard, you’ll be eligible to apply for a number of related MSc courses in the next academic year.

You could develop your understanding of corporate finance, survival analysis, financial statistics and many others in a supportive and stimulating research environment.

Course content

The programme is highly flexible and there are no compulsory modules, meaning you can build your own programme of study that suits your interests as well as the MSc programme you want to study after the GradDip. Your choices will be checked and approved by the Programme Leader, who might also suggest different choices according to your background.

Around half of the total number of credits you study should come from level 3 modules, including no more than one project module. You’ll need to pass at least 100 credits – including at least 60 credits at level 3 – and have an overall average of at least 40 to graduate with the GradDip.

For more information on typical modules, read Financial and Actuarial Mathematics GradDip in the course catalogue

Learning and teaching

The flexibility of this programme means that you can choose from modules that use a wide range of teaching and learning methods. These could include example classes, practicals, lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials among many others.

However, independent study is another vital element of the programme which allows you to develop your skills and prepare for taught sessions.

Assessment

You’ll also come across a variety of assessment methods which could include exams as well as problem sheets, essays, practicals, class tests and other forms of coursework.

Career opportunities

The GradDip is a stepping stone to a postgraduate qualification. If you complete the programme successfully, you’ll be eligible for entry onto a number of related MSc programmes in the following academic year.

Mathematicians can choose from a wide range of career options in diverse employment sectors, from software development and system modelling to finance, risk management and general and management positions in sectors such as manufacturing and retail.

Once you’ve completed a postgraduate qualification, you may be able to benefit from new opportunities at more senior levels, or even prepare for further research at PhD level.

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.

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About the MSc programme

The MSc in Risk and Stochastics offers in-depth instruction in advanced mathematical risk theory and its ramifications in finance, insurance, and risk management. It draws on world-class research in modern financial and actuarial mathematics within the Department. The programme is LSE’s timely response to the strong developments in the interface of finance and insurance, which is manifest in mergers across the industries.

It will provide you with instruction in theoretical as well as practical aspects of various techniques in risk management. It draws on diverse quantitative disciplines from mathematical finance and actuarial science to statistics. Students work with real financial data to receive hands-on training in real-world problems. You can expect high-level training in quantitative methods with applications in the management of financial and insurance risk and the interplay between finance and insurance sectors.

The programme aims to prepare candidates for a range of expert careers in financial and insurance industries, in regulatory bodies, and in applied and theoretical research.

Graduate destinations

The programme offers excellent prospects for employment and further study. Students can gain employment in the finance or insurance industries. They can also go on to do a higher degree. The Department has good relations with the financial services industry, particularly insurance and professional bodies.

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