Actuarial Science

Actuarial Science is an elite program that leads to a professional designation as an actuary, a profession that analyses financial risk. One way to describe their work is that actuaries "put a price on risk," so that businesses can evaluate whether their risk decisions are within acceptable limits.

If you have a strong interest in business, economics and mathematics, actuarial science may be for you.

Degree offered: Bachelor of Science

Designated Actuaries are highly-sought and well-paid professionals. Actuaries work in many industries, including insurance, finance, pensions, health care and currency exchange.

The main area of practice for actuaries is in the insurance business (life and health insurance, property/casualty insurance, annuities), where they are involved with most aspects including the design, pricing and valuation of products; the solvency of the company; investment management; marketing; and administration.

As consultants, actuaries offer advice on various aspects of pension plans, employee benefit schemes and financial planning, and for government agencies they supervise insurance companies, design social security programs and project related costs. Actuaries also have careers in reinsurance companies, investment companies, banks, universities and large corporations.