Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctoral Program in Actuarial Sciences

The doctoral program in actuarial sciences at HEC Lausanne offers candidates the opportunity to acquire a high level of knowledge through intensive research training. The Faculty provides a stimulating and productive research environment where doctoral students work in close interaction with the professorial staff.

Why Choose Our Program?

The primary objective of the program is to attract the best candidates and train doctoral students who will be capable of conducting research independently. The Doctorate in Actuarial Sciences opens up a career path in academia, but also offers diverse opportunities in the finance, insurance, risk management, and consulting sectors.

Program Structure

The duration of the studies leading to the Doctorate in Actuarial Sciences is three to five years, full-time. The program consists of two main stages:

• The first stage includes the study of foundations related to the specific areas of interest for future research. This stage involves participation in various seminars, including the Summer School of the Swiss Association of Actuaries, allowing doctoral students to acquire in-depth knowledge of current topics and cutting-edge research in actuarial sciences.
• The second stage is dedicated to in-depth research and the preparation of the thesis in the chosen field. In parallel, annual participation in the Summer School, seminars, and the presentation of one's own work in the context of actuarial seminars is mandatory.

Research Areas and Publications

The potential research areas cover both theoretical subjects (e.g., risk theory, credibility theory, financial mathematics, statistics) and applied subjects (e.g., evaluation of insurance companies and pension funds, financial markets and services, insurance products). The doctoral program plays a crucial role in involving doctoral students in the production of original research. Many students succeed in publishing their work in top journals in their field during their studies.

Admission Requirements

Candidates must hold a master's degree in actuarial sciences or a closely related discipline at the time of enrollment. The thesis is generally written in English, but knowledge of French may be required if teaching or other tasks related to the type of funding (assistantship or scholarship) demand it.

Financing Options

There are essentially three ways to finance the doctorate:

• Assistantship
• Scholarship
• Job/Internship The assistantship and the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) scholarship are currently the most common means of financing doctoral students in our program.

Current and Past Doctoral Students

Information about current and past doctoral students, including their research topics and thesis titles, is available.

Faculty and Research

The Faculty of Actuarial Sciences at HEC Lausanne enjoys a solid international reputation. Our professors and students publish in top journals in actuarial sciences, statistics, risk management, and insurance economics.

Faculty Members

• Prof. Hansjörg Albrecher
• Prof. Séverine Arnold
• Prof. Enkelejd Hashorva
• Prof. Yevhen Havrylenko
• Prof. Peter Hieber
• Prof. Joël Wagner

Contact

For more information about the doctoral program in actuarial sciences, please contact: Catherine Lombard Vonlanthen Programme doctoral en sciences actuarielles Université de Lausanne HEC Lausanne Extranef 255 Quartier Chamberonne CH-1015 Lausanne