Actuarial Science

Admission details can be found here. For details on preliminary examinations, please see the University Calendar.

• 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

The course requirements for a doctorate are determined on an individual basis and must include eight half courses in the student’s combined master's and doctorate program in addition to actuarial science 600 seminar course which must be taken in the first or second year of the program.

Performance level:

The student should maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (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.

Course selection:

• ACSC 600 Research Seminar (this course is not one of the eight required courses).
• STAT 721
• At least one additional course from List C
• At least two courses from List D

Our doctorate program is a full-time degree with an expected completion time of four years. The maximum time allowed is six years.

• Supervisors will decide with their students on what courses the students have to take, and what preliminary exams the students have to write. 
• A supervisory committee must be established within three months of the program starting. The supervisory committee includes a supervisor (and a co-supervisor if there is one) and two supervisory committee members.
• The supervisory committee should meet with the student regularly to provide guidance through the program.

Written preliminary exams

Actuarial science PhD students must pass two written preliminary examinations on material for two courses from List C or D usually during first year but no later than 18 months from the beginning of their doctoral programs.

Written candidacy proposal and oral candidacy exam

• Program course work and examination requirements completed (prior to candidacy oral examination)
• Written proposal submitted to supervisory committee (recommended six months, minimum four months in advance of expected oral examination date)
• Reading list approved by the graduate program director (at least three months prior to scheduling oral examination)
• Written research proposal approved (at least two months prior to scheduling oral examination)
• The oral candidacy examination must be taken no later than 28 months from the start of the doctoral program. Prior to the oral examination, the student must have completed all the course work and the written preliminary examinations
• The oral candidacy exam must be scheduled at least four weeks before the intended date.
• The exam committee contains a supervisor, a co-supervisor (if applicable), supervisory committee members (usually two), and two examiners (outside of student’s program, within the department or within the university)

More information can be found under the following links:

University of Calgary Calendar candidacy regulations

Departmental guidelines for candidacy examinations

Thesis and thesis oral examination

The 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 thesis oral exam committee contains a supervisor, a co-supervisor (if applicable), supervisory committee members (usually two), an examiner (outside of student’s program, within the department or within the university) and an external examiner (from outside of the university)
• The external examiner must be applied for approval from Faculty of Graduate Studies six weeks prior the intended examination date
• 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 website under examinations.