PhD Actuarial Science - Actuarial Science Degree

Program Overview

The PhD Actuarial Science at the University of Essex offers a research-intensive program covering specialized areas of actuarial science. Students engage in independent research under the guidance of experienced faculty, attend seminars, and publish papers. Graduates pursue careers in academia, research, and industry, contributing to the advancement of actuarial knowledge and practice.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The PhD Actuarial Science is a research degree within the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science at the University of Essex. The program provides students with the opportunity to conduct in-depth research in various areas of actuarial science, including survival analysis, forensic economics, risk management, Islamic finance and takaful, asset-liability management for pension funds, predictability of financial time series, and performance evaluation of funds.

Outline:

The program's structure involves a combination of research and coursework. Students are encouraged to attend conferences, publish papers, and give talks at departmental research seminars. They may also take taught modules, such as Research Methods, to enhance their research skills.

Assessment:

The assessment of students' progress is conducted through regular meetings with their supervisors. A supervisory board reviews students' progress every six months (or annually for part-time students) and makes recommendations on their registration status. Students who make satisfactory progress are typically confirmed as PhD students in the first term of their second year of study.

Teaching:

The program is taught by a team of experienced faculty members who are actively involved in research. Students have access to mathematical software packages on the University's High-Performance Computing cluster. The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science has an internationally excellent reputation in areas such as algebraic geometry, group theory, semigroup theory, differential equations, optimization, probability, applied statistics, bioinformatics, and mathematical biology.

Careers:

Graduates of the PhD Actuarial Science program have gone on to work as academics in prominent institutions worldwide, including the University of Cambridge, University of Nottingham, and other international universities. Some have remained at the University of Essex as postdoctoral research fellows, research impact officers, or lecturers. Others have joined organizations such as the Met Office, the Ministry of Defence, and companies based in the City of London.

Other:

The University of Essex offers a range of support services to PhD students, including Proficio, an innovative scheme that provides training courses and funding for conference attendance and external training courses. The University also has a dedicated Careers and Employability Service that provides support and guidance to students in their career development.

Home/UK fee £4,786 per year International fee £18,750 per year