Actuarial Science BSc (Hons)

Overview

Our Actuarial Science degree is ideal if you’re interested in maths and looking for a course that offers a rewarding career – both intellectually and financially. As 30% of teaching staff are qualified actuaries, this degree also offers current teaching that’s always applicable to the real workplace and current economy. There are also opportunities for industry placements and an exchange year in Canada or Australia.

Results from the latest Destinations of Leavers of Higher Education (DLHE) survey show that 85% of our Mathematics and Statistics (including Actuarial Science) graduates are employed with a graduate position, or continuing further studies.

Student satisfaction

100% of our graduates reported in the National Student Survey that they were satisfied overall with their Actuarial degree.

Global College pathway for this degree

If you do not meet the entry requirements for this degree, have a look at Heriot-Watt Global College, where you can follow an accelerated pathway which will get you onto the second year of this degree.

Accreditation

2019/20: Our BSc in Actuarial Science is fully accredited for IFoA subjects CS1 and 2, CM1 and 2 and CB1 and 2.

The degree is accredited by the Royal Statistical Society.

Heriot-Watt University is recognised as a Center of Actuarial Excellence by the Society of Actuaries (SOA), North America. We are the only Center of Actuarial Excellence in Europe and one of only 30 other schools worldwide with this designation. With roots dating back to 1889, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) is the world's largest actuarial professional organization with more than 28,000 actuaries as members.

Students' Actuarial Society

Heriot-Watt has a very active Students' Actuarial Society (SAS) which won several awards at a recent Heriot-Watt 'Oscars' ceremony. This body is completely managed, enthusiastically and professionally, by our students. With over 250 members, it is one of the largest societies dedicated to actuarial studies in the UK. Regular conferences, professional development and networking events with leading actuaries keep students up-to-date with the profession and in a prime position to begin their careers.

SAS holds an Annual Actuarial Conference which brings together students and financial sector professionals, including many qualified actuaries, providing presentations and debates on topical actuarial issues. Last year's conference was attended by over 200 delegates, and included sessions on insurance investment strategy, insurance of terrorism risk, risk management in climate change, and the rising profile of pensions. The conference is also sponsored by the Scottish Board of the IFoA, which presents prizes for the best questions asked by student attendees.

Industry Prize Sponsors

A number of annual prizes, sponsored by employers, for overall student performance in each year, are available to our Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics students. These include:

• Standard Life Prize
• Worshipful Company of Actuaries Prize
• Scottish Widows Prize
• Longevitas Prize for Survival Models 
• IMA Prize

External Speakers

A range of external speakers from industry present to our students throughout the year. These talks are organised by academics within the Department, who have close links to the actuarial profession and the financial sector. Recent participants have included Standard Life, Munich Re, Deloitte, Lloyds Banking Group and Hymans Robertson. The talks allow students to learn first-hand about what they can expect in their work in the future. They also raise awareness of graduate and internship roles available within these companies.

Facilities

Students will have many opportunities to develop their skills in specialist mathematical and statistical software throughout their degree to solve real-world problems, learn programming and mathematical modelling skills and handle large, complex data sets. This software includes:

• R
• Excel
• Matlab
• SPSS

Practical, computer-based project work is an integral part of many of our courses, to help students prepare for the modern workplace.

Watch a video

Visit our YouTube channel to watch short videos from our students and graduates, and see an example of a lecture at Heriot-Watt.

Entry requirements