Actuarial & Financial Studies
If you enjoy studying Higher Level Mathematics for the Leaving Certificate or at A-Level and you have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, Actuarial & Financial Studies could be for you. An actuary is a professional who uses numbers to make judgements about the future. This course will prepare you for a professional career in the actuarial or financial professions, but it has also been designed to be broader and more diverse than most traditional courses in actuarial science.
Learn more about the course on the Actuarial & Financial Studies course via the following links:
- (opens in a new window)myUCD Actuarial & Financial Studies Subject Page
- UCD Science Undergraduate Courses Entry 2024 Brochure
If I complete the degree in DN230 Actuarial & Financial Studies, will I get exemptions from the professional exams?
The Actuarial & Financial Studies degree at UCD offers potential exemptions from the core subjects CS1, CS2, CM1, CM2, CB1, CB2 and CP1 of the professional examinations of the (opens in a new window)Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, UK.
Will DN230 Actuarial & Financial Studies include work experience?
Yes. Actuarial and Financial Studies offer a professional work placement in third year that is integrated as part of the course in a financial institution or insurance company and equates to half the year’s work.
Students have completed their work placement in a variety of companies and locations. The companies include Allianz, Aon, Deloitte, Irish Life, Mercer, Susquehanna (SIG) and Zurich. There is a wide choice of placements that last for 6-8 months, and these are secured through a competitive process.
What is the difference between Financial Mathematics in the common-entry Science course and the Actuarial and Financial Studies degree?
The Financial Mathematics degree is primarily a degree in mathematics and statistics, with some economics and finance included. This degree will give you an understanding of the mathematical and statistical theories that underpin financial models, as well as computational mathematical expertise in the algorithms that price financial products.
The Financial Mathematics degree leaves open many career options, including the financial sector (e.g. as a quant) and also all other careers open to mathematics and statistics graduates. The Actuarial & Financial Studies (BAFS) degree is a degree targeted towards qualification as an actuary, and includes the underlying mathematics and statistics needed for the study and calculation of actuarial risk in various contexts. This degree also has modules in finance and prepares students for jobs in the financial services. The difference is that Financial Mathematics is mostly mathematics and statistics, and BAFS is mostly actuarial science. There is some overlap.
