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Actuarial & Financial Studies

BAFS (NFQ Level 8)
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If you enjoy studying Higher Level Mathematics for the Leaving Certificate or at A-Level and you have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, Actuarial & Financial Studies could be for you. An actuary is a professional who uses numbers to make judgements about the future. This course will prepare you for a professional career in the actuarial or financial professions, but it has also been designed to be broader and more diverse than most traditional courses in actuarial science.

About This Course

If you enjoy studying Higher Level Mathematics for the Leaving Certificate or at A-Level and you have strong analytical and problem-solving skills, Actuarial & Financial Studies could be for you. An actuary is a professional who uses numbers to make judgements about the future. This course will prepare you for a professional career in the actuarial or financial professions, but it has also been designed to be broader and more diverse than most traditional courses in actuarial science.

A good actuary requires a multidisciplinary education in fields such as mathematics, economics, finance, statistics, risk management and professionalism. It takes a combination of strong analytical skills, business knowledge and understanding of human behaviour to design and manage programmes that control risk and guarantee sufficient funds for the insurance and pension sectors. Actuaries have traditionally worked mostly in the insurance and pensions industries but are increasingly moving into wider fields, where they can employ their range of skills.

The course also opens up options to work in finance, investment and trading.

Information on all our courses including pathways, internships and career information is available in the UCD Science Undergraduate Courses Entry 2025 Brochure (PDF).

This is a sample set of modules that an Actuarial & Financial Studies student could study each year in UCD.

First Year

Introduction to Programming • Foundations of Finance • Numbers & Functions • Linear Algebra with Applications to Economics • Introduction to Analysis • Introduction Actuarial & Financial Studies • Financial Accounting • Differential Equations • Advanced Calculus • Statistical Modelling Fundamentals of Actuarial Business Theory • Elective Module

Second Year

Corporate Financial Management • Fundamentals of Actuarial Mathematics • Introduction to Probability • Professional Ethics • Modern Regression Analysis • Economic History • Inferential Statistics • Introduction to Bayesian Analysis • Elective Modules

Third Year

Information Management for Actuaries • Time Series Analysis • Models - Survival • Stochastic Models • Workplace Skills for Actuarial & Financial Studies • Investment & Trading Six month professional placement in an insurance and financial institution in Ireland (or in some cases abroad)

Fourth Year

International Financial Management • Actuarial Statistics • Financial Mathematics • Actuarial Mathematics • Core Actuarial Principles • Statistical Machine Learning

Assessment varies across modules but typically comprises of written exams, individual and group assignments, and mid-term tests.

Most graduates take positions as actuarial trainees in life insurance, pensions, health insurance, general insurance or investment. The

Actuarial & Financial Studies degree at UCD offers potential exemptions from the core subjects CS1, CS2, CM1, CM2, CB1, CB2 and CP1 of the professional examinations of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, UK.

Some graduates also work in banking or finance as business or financial analysts. As an Actuarial & Financial Studies graduate, you are also eligible to pursue graduate study in statistics, computer science, economics, mathematics, management science, finance and other specialist business subjects.

Students complete an internship in the Spring Trimester of Third Year. There is a wide choice of placements that last for 6-8 months, and these are secured through a competitive process.

Students have completed their work placement in a variety of companies and locations. The companies include Allianz, Aon, Deloitte, Irish Life, Mercer, Susquehanna (SIG) and Zurich. The locations include Dublin, London, Boston and New York.

The internships listed are examples of past placements and are subject to change each year.



More information about the internship module and application process.


UCD Science Office

You can contact the UCD Science Office in the following ways:




  • Submit your query using our dedicated Contact Form.

  • Drop into the office in the UCD O'Brien Centre for Science, Science East, Room E1.09. Our office opening hours are 10am to 4pm (during term time).


Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
COMP10010 Introduction to Programming I Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
FIN20040 Foundations of Finance Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
MATH10040 Numbers & Functions Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
MATH10120 Linear Algebra with Applications to Economics Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
MATH10130 Introduction to Analysis for Economics and Finance Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
STAT10420 Intro Actuarial & Fin Studies Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
ACC10040 Financial Accounting 1 Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
ACM10100 Differential & Difference Equations: Applications to Econ & Fin Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
MATH10140 Advanced Calculus for Economics and Finance Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
STAT10060 Statistical Modelling Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
STAT10410 Fund Actuarial Business Theory Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
FIN30170 Corporate Financial Management Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
MATH20130 Fundamentals of Actuarial and Financial Mathematics I Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
STAT20110 Introduction to Probability Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
STAT20190 Professional ethics Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
STAT20230 Modern Regression Analysis Autumn  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
ECON20130 Economic History: From the Middle Ages to the Second World War Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
MATH20210 Fundamentals of Actuarial and Financial Mathematics II Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
STAT20100 Inferential Statistics Spring  5
Stage 2 Core Modules
STAT20180 Introduction to Bayesian Analysis Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - Min 1OF
Select at least 1 of
ECON30290 Advanced Microeconomics Autumn  5
Stage 2 Options - Min 1OF
Select at least 1 of
ECON30190 Public Economics: Government Spending, Taxation and Public Choice Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - Min 1OF
Select at least 1 of
MATH10320 Mathematical Analysis Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - Min 1OF
Select at least 1 of
MATH20260 The Mathematics of Google Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - Min 1OF
Select at least 1 of
MATH20270 Theory of Games Spring  5
Stage 2 Options - Min 1OF
Select at least 1 of
MST30070 Differential Geometry Spring  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
MIS30080 Information Management for Actuaries Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
STAT30010 Time Series Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
STAT30080 Models - Survival Models Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
STAT30090 Models - Stochastic Models Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
STAT30290 Workplace Skills for BAFS Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
STAT30320 Investment and Trading Autumn  5
Stage 3 Core Modules
STAT30150 BAFS Professional Work Placement Spring  30
Stage 4 Core Modules
FIN30030 International Financial Management Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT40020 Actuarial Statistics I Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT40060 Actuarial Mathematics 1 Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT40920 Financial & Actuarial Maths I Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT41000 Core Actuarial Principles 1 Autumn  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT30270 Statistical Machine Learning Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT40070 Actuarial Statistics II Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT40100 Actuarial Mathematics 2 Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT40930 Financial & Actuarial Maths II Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT40980 Core Actuarial Principles 3 Spring  5
Stage 4 Core Modules
STAT40990 Core Actuarial Principles 2 Spring  5

I really enjoyed maths in school and problem solving has always been fun for me. This course is great as it covers a range of topics from actuarial to financial to data science using a hands-on approach, applying what you learn in class to real world scenarios. What I enjoyed the most was my work placement in third year. While the majority of students work in insurance companies, I took a different route and did my placement in an investment bank. Firsthand industry experience is so important, and I plan on following this path after I graduate.

Hugh Quigley, Student

"I really enjoyed maths in school and problem solving has always been fun for me. However, I did not know exactly what type of career I wanted. This course is great as it covers a range of topics from actuarial to financial to data science using a hands-on approach, applying what you learn in class to real world scenarios. What I enjoyed the most was my work placement in third year. While the majority of students work in insurance companies, I took a different route and did my placement in an investment bank. First-hand industry experience is so important, and I plan on following this path after I graduate. The Actuarial and Financial Society in UCD is also great as they sponsor events throughout the year such as the Actuary Pub Quiz and the Actuary Ball."

Hugh Quigley, Student

Non-EU Undergraduate Fee information can be found here.

UCD offers a number of competitive undergraduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD undergraduate degree programme. For information on Undergraduate Scholarships, please see the UCD International Scholarships webpage.

General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Actuarial & Financial Studies:

ROWCLASS Apply to   Application Type  
showAudience-audienceInt BSS3
Actuarial & Financial Studies
Bachelor of Actuarial and Financial Studies
Full-Time
Commencing September 2024
Undergraduate Degree (Non EU)
Non EU Undergraduates
Closed
showAudience-audienceInt BSS3
Actuarial & Financial Studies
Bachelor of Actuarial and Financial Studies
Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Undergraduate Degree (Non EU)
Non EU Undergraduates
Apply
showAudience-audienceEU DN230
Actuarial & Financial Studies
Bachelor of Actuarial and Financial Studies
Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Application through CAO Apply via CAO
* you can change options at the top of the page