BSc (Hons) Actuarial Science and Diploma in Industrial Training

The course

UCAS code
5G5B
Duration
5 years
Location
Edinburgh
Delivery type
Full-time

Contact

Got questions about this programme?

Contact our enquiries team.

Overview

If you want to start your career with a year's work experience in hand, then you should consider this course. It combines the rigorous studies of the BSc (Hons) Actuarial Science with a year-long work placement in level 4. The work placement gives you experience of working in an organisation such as a life insurance company, a pension consultancy, an investment management firm or a bank. The Diploma in Industrial Training is gained through successful completion of this work placement. The work placement helps you to develop specific work-related skills, giving you the opportunity to apply and build upon the theory you learn in your studies. It allows you to take on real responsibilities, enhance your interpersonal skills through teamwork and communication and experience workplace culture.

The Diploma is available to all students, including those from overseas, as it does not require a work visa. If you are planning to come to the UK using a student visa you should check the Tier 4 Student Visa Policy Guidance to confirm you are permitted to undertake a work placement as part of your studies. It is your responsibility to find a suitable work placement; acceptance onto the course does not guarantee you a placement. If you are registered on the course and are unable to find a suitable work placement before the end of level 3 then you can transfer to the standard BSc (Hons) Actuarial Science degree. Organisations that recent students have secured placements with include Prudential, Aegon and Mercer. 

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

Center of Actuarial Excellence

2019/20: Our BSc in Actuarial Science and Diploma in Industrial Training 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.

Center of Actuarial Excellence

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 organisation with more than 28,000 actuaries as members.

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.

Students' Actuarial Society (SAS)

With over 250 members, our Students' Actuarial Society (SAS) is one of the largest societies dedicated to actuarial studies in the UK. 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.

Course content

Year 1

Introduction to Statistical Science; Calculus; Introduction to University Mathematics; Professional Development Planning; Finance; Economics and practical work.

Year 2

Probability and Statistics; Actuarial and Financial Mathematics; Linear Algebra; Real Analysis; Multivariate Calculus; Numerical Analysis and practical work.

Year 3

Financial Mathematics; Survival Models; Portfolio Theory; Life Insurance Mathematics; Statistical Models; Stochastic Processes and a project.

Year 4

12 month work placement.

Year 5

Risk Theory; Risk Management; Pension Funds; Life Office Practice; Financial Economics; Time Series; Bayesian Inference and other statistical topics.

More in-depth information on the content of the courses listed above, how they are assessed and the learning outcomes can be accessed via our current student portal.

Discover Uni course data

Discover Uni provides data on each university's degree courses across a range of measures including student satisfaction, graduate jobs and salaries.

Employability

Work and study

This is what our BSc (Hons) Actuarial Science and Diploma in Industrial Training students are doing 15 months after graduating:

  • 70% are working
  • 5% are studying
  • 15% are working and studying.

Salary

  • The average salary of students 15 months after graduating: £28000
  • The average UK salary of students 15 months after graduating from a similar course: £28000

Potential career paths

  • Information Technology Professionals
  • Business, Research and Administrative Professionals
  • Finance Professionals
  • Teaching Professionals
  • Business and public service associate professionals

Entry requirements

Year 1

Standard entry requirements

  • Highers AAAB including Mathematics at A
  • A-Levels AAB - AAA including Mathematics at B
  • Int. Baccalaureate 28 points with higher level Mathematics at 6
  • BTEC DDD including sufficient Mathematics

Minimum entry requirements*

  • Highers ABBC including Mathematics at A
  • A-Levels ABC including Mathematics at A

* Minimum: under our Fair Access Policy, we will relax our standard entry requirements for some Scottish students depending on their circumstances. Our minimum requirements will apply if you:

  • live in an area within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation lowest 20% (SIMD20), or
  • are care experienced.

We can also make exceptions for some Scottish students with grades above minimum but below standard. Read more about our Minimum and standard entry requirements

Year 2

  • Advanced Highers AAB including Mathematics at A plus excellent Highers
  • A-Levels AAA including Mathematics
  • Int. Baccalaureate 30 points with higher level Mathematics at 7
  • BTEC DDD including sufficient Mathematics
  • Global College Successful completion of our Technology with Accelerator Programme

Additional information

  • You may have the opportunity to transfer to our Malaysia Campus for one semester or for one academic year, subject to satisfactory academic progress. Learn more about campus transfer and exchange opportunities.
  • If you do not see your qualifications here please contact us at studywithus@hw.ac.uk
  • For all years, applications are welcomed from holders of non-school qualificationsmature candidates and overseas students.
  • Please check that you meet our University-wide National 5/GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths requirements.
  • To find out about the difference between the 3 and 4 year honours courses, please watch our video to help you decide which route is best for your qualifications and experience so far.

English language requirements

  • The minimum requirement for English language for all our undergraduate Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics courses is IELTS 6.5. Please see our English language requirements.

Fees

Tuition fees for 2024 entry
Status* Scotland England / Wales / N Ireland / Rep of Ireland International**
Fee Paid by SAAS £9,250 £24,048

* Your residency 'status' is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course. Find out more about tuition fees.

** 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above). Read more about the application process for EU nationals.

Additional costs

You may incur additional costs in the course of your studies at Heriot-Watt over and above tuition fees in an academic year. Depending on your programme of study, these may include: protective equipment, field trips, professional memberships, studio fees, required course texts or other study resources.

Scholarships and bursaries

Featured scholarships

Bursaries for students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales

In addition to government loans and grants towards the costs of fees and living costs, we are offering generous financial support to attract and support eligible undergraduate students from England, Northern Ireland or Wales:

  • Heriot-Watt University Bursary (up to £3,100 per year)
View details about the Heriot-Watt University Bursary

View our full range of undergraduate scholarships.