Actuarial Science with a Year in Industry

Description

Actuaries evaluate and manage financial risks, particularly in the financial services industry. They form a small yet well respected, influential and relatively well-paid profession. If you are good at mathematics and you are curious about financial matters, you should enjoy studying actuarial science.

Our degree gives you the opportunity to gain exemptions from eight of the professional examinations set by the UK actuarial profession, and is one of the few programmes to achieve full accreditation from the profession. Once you qualify, employment prospects are good, and students from this course have also gone on to successful careers in other areas such as accountancy, banking or operational research.

The core actuarial modules are taught by professionally qualified actuaries with many years' industry experience. The course offers an optional year in industry and we run the Invicta Actuarial Society which provides good links with industry.

Our department is friendly and we make a point of getting to know our students on a one-to-one basis.

Careers

Our programme is fully accredited by the Actuarial profession and gives you the opportunity to gain practical work experience within the industry. Through your study, you acquire communication skills, the ability to work in a team and independently, and learn how to present information clearly and concisely.

Our graduates have found work as trainee actuaries in financial management, insurance companies and consultancy practices, the Government Actuary's Department, the stock exchange and other areas of financial management, or have gone on to further study.

Professional recognition

Our degree can give exemption from the core technical subjects (CT1 to CT8) of the professional examinations set by the UK actuarial profession, and gives a firm foundation for the later specialist technical subjects. Graduates may also get exemption from some of the examinations set by the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Detailed Course Facts

• GBP 9000 Year (EEA)
• GBP 12450 Year (Non-EEA)

Total Kent credits: 480

Total Kent credits: 480

• English

Course Content

The course structure below gives a flavour of the modules that will be available to you and provides details of the content of this programme. This listing 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 ‘wild’ modules from other programmes offered by the University in order that you may customise your programme and explore other subject areas of interest to you or that may further enhance your employability.

Stage 1

Possible modules may include:

• MA309 - Business Economics
• MA315 - Financial Mathematics
• MA319 - Probability and Statistics for Actuarial Science
• MA321 - Calculus and Mathematical Modelling
• MA322 - Proofs and Numbers
• MA326 - Matrices and Computing
• WSHOP097 - Mathematics Support Classes
• WSHOPMA1 - Core Stage 1 Tutorial Support

Stage 2

Possible modules may include:

• MA639 - Time Series Modelling and Simulation
• MA516 - Contingencies 1
• MA552 - Analysis
• MA553 - Linear Algebra
• MA501 - Statistics for Insurance
• MA527 - Corporate Finance for Actuaries
• MA528 - Financial Reports and their Analysis
• MA529 - Probability and Statistics for Actuarial Science 2

Year in industry

Students on this course spend a year working in industry between Stages 2 and 3. We can offer help and advice in finding a placement. This greatly enhances your CV and gives you the opportunity to put your academic skills into practice. It also gives you an idea of your career options. Recent placements have included IBM, management consultancies, government departments, actuarial firms and banks.

Stage 3

Possible modules may include:

• MA533 - Contingencies 2
• MA535 - Portfolio Theory and Asset Pricing Models
• MA537 - Mathematics of Financial Derivatives
• MA539 - Financial Modelling
• MA509 - Actuarial Practice
• MA636 - Stochastic Processes
• MA525 - Survival Models II
• MA531 - Industrial Placement

English Language Requirements

IELTS band : 6.5

To study at this university, you have to speak English. We advice you to

Requirements

Home/EU students

The University will consider applications from students offering a wide range of qualifications, typical requirements are listed below, students offering alternative qualifications should contact the Admissions Office for further advice. It is not possible to offer places to all students who meet this typical offer/minimum requirement.

Qualification, Typical offer/minimum requirement

A level

• AAA at including Mathematics grade A including the core syllabus of Pure Mathematics (Use of Maths is not accepted). Only one General Studies and Critical Thinking can be accepted against the requirements

Access to HE Diploma

• The University of Kent will not necessarily make conditional offers to all access candidates but will continue to assess them on an individual basis. If an offer is made candidates will be required to obtain/pass the overall Access to Higher Education Diploma and may also be required to obtain a proportion of the total level 3 credits and/or credits in particular subjects at merit grade or above.

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (formerly BTEC National Diploma)

• The university will consider applicants holding BTEC National Diploma and Extended National Diploma Qualifications (QCF; NQF;OCR) on a case by case basis please contact us via the enquiries tab for further advice on your individual circumstances.

International Baccalaureate

• IB Diploma 34 points overall or 17 at HL including 6 in HL Mathematics

International students

English language entry requirements

• 6.5 IELTS (with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading and Writing and 5.5 in Speaking and Listening)

Work Experience

No work experience is required.

Related Scholarships*

• Academic Excellence Scholarship

  "The Academic Excellence Scholarship can provide up to a 50 % reduction in tuition per semester. These scholarships will be renewed if the student maintains superior academic performance during each semester of their 3-year Bachelor programme. The scholarship will be directly applied to the student’s tuition fees."

• Access Bursary

  Bursary for UK students all subjects where the variable tuition fee rate is payable.

• Alumni Bursary

  Alumni Bursary for UK Undergraduate students

* The scholarships shown on this page are suggestions first and foremost. They could be offered by other organisations than University of Kent.

Funding

Kent offers generous financial support schemes to support eligible undergraduate students during their studies. Our 2015 entry support package has not been finalised. However, our 2014 financial support package included a £6,500 cash bursary. Find out more on our funding page.

General scholarships

Scholarships are available for excellence in academic performance, sport and music and are awarded on merit. For further information on the range of awards available and to make an application see our scholarships website.

The Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence

At Kent we recognise, encourage and reward excellence. We have created the Kent Scholarship for Academic Excellence, which will be awarded to any applicant who achieves a minimum of AAA over three A levels, or the equivalent qualifications as specified on our funding pages. Please note that details of the scholarship for 2015 entry have not yet been finalised and are subject to change.