Finance with Actuarial Science

The BSc (Hons) Finance with Actuarial Science degree is delivered by Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), one of Europe’s leading business schools. Part of City St George's, University of London, Bayes is ranked amongst the top 6 business schools in the UK*.

Actuarial science involves the application of quantitative skills to problems in finance that normally involve risk or uncertainty. If you are fascinated by the financial world and have a passion and talent for mathematics, particularly modelling and probability, the Finance with Actuarial Science degree might be the ideal course for you.

The BSc (Hons) Finance with Actuarial Science degree will equip you with financial risk management and analysis skills that will boost your career prospects in investment management, risk management or actuarial science. The focus on investment strategy and portfolio/equity investment management distinguishes this course from standard actuarial science degrees, including our own BSc (Hons) Actuarial Science.

Discover the different aspects of the financial world and in particular how assessing and managing risk is vital for success. To develop the skills you need to understand these ideas, you’ll take a mixture of financial, mathematical, statistical and actuarial modules. You will apply your new technical and analytical skills to solve a wide range of business problems.

In the first year your focus is on building a firm foundation in mathematics, statistics and economics as you begin to develop your understanding of financial risk.

In the second and third years you will broaden your understanding of the financial markets. This will include analysing the various types of financial instruments that are available, how they are valued and how they can be used to provide suitable solutions to financial problems involving risk and return. You will also produce a self-researched final-year project on an area that interests and reflects your ambitions.

Many of our lecturers are qualified actuaries and have worked in the finance sector and continue to consult for corporate organisations, so you will benefit from their first-hand knowledge and business experience. As we place a high value on teaching both theory and application, you will emerge from your degree with a good understanding of how to use your newly acquired knowledge in the workplace.

All Bayes undergraduate students will also choose from a range of professional experience modules so that when you graduate you are equipped with the knowledge and experience to make you an attractive candidate to employers. You will also take a career-focused module suitable for your chosen course to help you prepare for entering the job market.

A key part of this degree is the opportunity to gain professional work experience or a period of study abroad. Students are eligible to apply for a one-year paid work placement during the third year of a four-year sandwich degree course. Bayes students enjoy a wide range of opportunities in business areas such as insurance and risk management, actuarial investment pricing and capital management. Recent placements include: the Association of British Insurers, Aviva/Friends Life, Prudential and Legal & General.

Students can alternatively apply to spend one year studying abroad during the third year of a four-year sandwich degree course. Students can apply to study at a business school at one of our prestigious partner universities, including the University of Waterloo, Canada; and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

If you wish to study the BSc (Hons) Finance with Actuarial Science degree, but do not satisfy the entry requirements, the Foundation course can provide students with an entry route onto the programme.

• Financial Times European Business School Ranking 2022

​​You can find extensive information about the modules you can expect to study on this course on our website:
https://www.bayes.city.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/finance-with-actuarial-science

You will be assessed using a variety of methods, depending on module choices including:

• Coursework
• Unseen written examinations, taking place at the end of each term (or at the end of a year, if a module is taught over two terms)
• Class tests
• Online quizzes and tests, using the Virtual Learning Environment
• Presentation
• Group projects, individual projects.

Percentage of the course assessed by coursework:

The approximate percentage of the course assessment, is as follows:

Year 1
71% written, 4% practical, 25% coursework

Year 2
74% written, 0% practical, 26% coursework

Year 3
56% written, 0% practical, 44% coursework.