Bridge in the fog.

Actuarial Science

Master of Science (MSc)

Apply now

  1. Thesis-based

    Academic background: Details can be found here.

    Course load: One seminar course and five courses at graduate level which must include two courses from List C and two from List D.

    Thesis or project: A thesis has to be written and defended orally in front of an exam committee.

    Completion time: Two years. If the program is completed in one year, the five required courses will be reduced to four. The maximum time allowed is four years.

    Is part-time available: Yes. The maximum time allowed is six years.

    Course performance level: Should maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 calculated on a four-point scale at the end of each registration year and attain at least a B- on each course taken for credit.

    Funding: Funded for up to two years or sponsored.

  2. Course-based

    Academic background: Details can be found here.

    Course load: One seminar course and eight courses which must include two courses from List C and two from List D.

    Thesis or project: Must register and attend ACSC 600A in Fall and ACSC 600B in Winter and obtain a pass grade.

    Completion time: 1-2 years. The maximum time allowed is six years.

    Is part-time available: Yes. The maximum time allowed is six years.

    Course performance level: Should maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 calculated on a 4-point scale at the end of each registration year and attain at least a B- on each course taken for credit.

    Funding: Unfunded.

  • Rohana Ambagaspitiya: Renewal risk processes, statistics, probability theory and stochastic processes
  • Alexandru Badescu: Mathematical finance, actuarial science
  • Jinniao Qiu: Actuarial science, analysis and partial differential equations, stochastic calculus, mathematical finance, portfolio optimization, stochastic optimal control, etc.
  • David Scollnik: Actuarial science, Bayesian statistics and computation, Markov chain Monte Carlo and related simulation methods, mathematical finance

  1. List C courses

    STAT 701 Theory of Probability I 
    STAT 721 Statistical Inference 
    STAT 631 Computational Statistics 
    STAT 633 Survival Models
    STAT 635 Generalized Linear Models
    STAT 641 Statistical Learning

  2. List D courses

    ACSC 611 Generalized Linear Models for Actuaries 
    ACSC 617 Estimating Unpaid Claims in General Insurance 
    ACSC 619 Quantitative Financial Risk Management 
    ACSC 627 Advanced Life Contingencies 
    ACSC 637 Credibility Theory 
    ACSC 639 Conference Course in Actuarial Modelling

A master’s thesis-based student must complete a thesis on a topic to be agreed to by the student and their supervisor.

  • After completion of the thesis, the student must pass a thesis oral examination.
  • A master's thesis oral exam committee contains a supervisor, a co-supervisor (if it is applicable), an examiner (an additional member of the University of Calgary academic staff), and an internal examiner (a member of the University of Calgary academic staff whom programs may require to be external to the program).
  • The exam must be scheduled at least four weeks prior to date of oral exam.
  • Examiners must have a copy of the thesis at least three weeks prior to the date of oral exam.
  • Final thesis oral examinations are open.

More information can be found on the Faculty of Graduate Studies site under examinations.