MSc Actuarial Science at University of Essex

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 Masters 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.

Why we're great.

• Study the majority of the Core Technical subjects of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
• Work alongside expert academics and practicing actuaries.
• 86% of our mathematics graduates are in professional employment or further postgraduate study within six months of graduating from Essex (DLHE 2017).

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.