Master of Science in Actuarial Science
Southampton, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
GBP 26,500 *
STUDY FORMAT
* EU and international students pay
Key Summary
About: Southampton's Master of Science programme in Actuarial Science prepares you for actuarial careers. It covers mathematics, statistics, probability, economics, accounting, finance and survival models. Recognized by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA). You can study full-time over 12 months, part-time over 2+ years, or exit with a Postgraduate Diploma after ~30 weeks. The university offers merit and competitive scholarships and connects students with employers in a coastal city.
Career Outcomes: Graduates can work as actuaries, quantitative analysts and risk managers across insurance, pensions and banking. It supports progression toward IFoA professional qualification and quantitative modelling and risk-assessment roles.
Southampton's Actuarial Science MSc gives you an early advantage in your actuarial career with a degree recognised by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. Actuaries are specialists who identify, analyse and manage risks with long-term financial consequences, expertise vital across financial services.
This broad master's covers actuarial mathematics, statistics and probability, economics, accounting and finance, and survival models and analysis. You'll learn how to assess and manage risk using advanced actuarial science methods and apply these skills as an analyst or in other quantitative roles.
The course is genuinely flexible. If you don't have an actuarial background, you'll receive module guidance tailored to your needs. You can study full-time over 12 months, part-time over 2+ years, or exit early with a Postgraduate Diploma after around 30 weeks without completing a dissertation.
Full-time study over 12 months (September to September). Semesters 1 and 2 (8 months) comprise taught modules combining core requirements and optional choices, with exams at the end of each semester. Modules include: Accounting and Finance for Actuarial Science, Actuarial Mathematics I and II, Actuarial Science Case Study 1 and 2, Economics, Financial Mathematics, Mathematical Finance, Probability and Mathematical Statistics, Statistical Methods in Insurance, and Stochastic Processes. You begin planning your final project during semester 1 and continue during semester 2. The final 4 months (summer) are dedicated to an independent MSc Actuarial Science Project with one-to-one supervisor meetings.
What graduates are qualified to do
By the end of your studies, you'll be able to assess and manage risk using advanced actuarial science methods. You'll be qualified to work as an actuary, analyst, or in other roles requiring strong quantitative skills. The degree is recognised by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, supporting progression toward professional actuarial qualification and credentials.
Career paths and typical employers
Graduates are qualified for careers as actuaries, quantitative analysts, and risk managers across financial services and insurance sectors. Actuarial expertise applies to insurance, pension fund management, banking, and broader roles requiring risk assessment and financial modelling skills. The professionally recognised degree supports entry into or advancement within the actuarial profession.
You're a strong fit if you hold a 2:1 degree in a quantitative subject like mathematics, statistics, or economics, and want to launch or advance an actuarial career. You should have solid mathematical and analytical foundations. The programme welcomes both those already working towards actuarial qualifications and those discovering actuarial science for the first time. You thrive on practical problem-solving and want expertise that's immediately valuable in financial services.
Full-time classroom-based teaching over 12 months. Semesters 1 and 2 (8 months) combine taught modules, exams, and project planning. Final 4 months (summer) involve independent research project work with one-to-one supervisor support. Taught in English. Based at Highfield campus.