Actuarial Science and Diploma in Industrial Training

Actuarial science is one of the most technically demanding and financially rewarding of graduate disciplines, applying mathematical, statistical, and financial methods to the assessment and management of risk, particularly in insurance, pensions, and investment. Actuaries are central to the financial services industry, helping organisations understand and price uncertainty in ways that are both mathematically rigorous and commercially sound. The professional examinations for actuarial qualification are among the most challenging in any profession, and a strong undergraduate preparation is essential.

At Heriot-Watt University, this five-year full-time programme combines the rigorous academic content of the BSc Actuarial Science with a year-long industrial training placement in the fourth year. If you love mathematics and want to enter your actuarial career with substantive work experience already completed, this programme is designed precisely for that purpose. You will study probability, statistics, financial mathematics, economics, and the actuarial methods used in life insurance, general insurance, and pensions, alongside the business and professional context of actuarial practice.

The placement year gives you professional experience in an actuarial employer before you complete your degree, which is a significant advantage in a competitive profession.

The typical entry tariff is 256 UCAS points, reflecting the exceptional mathematical ability required. Graduates from actuarial science programmes at Heriot-Watt gain exemptions from a number of the professional examinations of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, accelerating the route to qualification. Career paths include actuarial consultancy, insurance, reinsurance, pensions, investment, and financial regulation.

Further study and professional examination success lead to Fellowship of the actuarial professional bodies.