Actuarial Science

Interested in becoming an expert in long-term financial calculations, solvency of life assurers, and pension and provident funds? Then this 1 year full-time BSc Honours degree in the field of Actuarial Science is for you.

Overview


The curriculum of the degree includes Actuarial Liability Management, Actuarial Marketing & Product Development, Investment & Asset Management, a Research Project, Seminars on current Actuarial Topics, and any two electives from Actuarial Practice in Health Care, Actuarial Practice in Life Assurance, Actuarial Practice in General Insurance, Actuarial Practice in Retirement Funds, Actuarial Financial Theory and Application, and Actuarial Practice in Banking.

All 6 elective options are only offered if there is sufficient demand. The material covered offers the successful student exemption from the Actuarial Society A311 subject and the two subjects chosen from F101-F105 and F107.

Career Opportunities


An actuary is a professional who applies analytical, statistical and mathematical skills to financial and business problems.

Actuaries are able to provide realistic solutions to complex problems with a long term forward view. They are recognised to be pragmatic, innovative and numerate, and they operate within a strict professional and ethical framework, advancing equity across all stakeholders and promoting the public interest. Actuaries have careers in finance, insurance, investments, asset management, health care, retirement funding, banking, consulting, government service and academia. Their skills are increasingly sought after in advanced data analytics, risk management and climate change modelling.

Entry Requirements


Minimum Actuarial Science Honours entry requirement for students currently in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree is a completed Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science that covered the A100 and A200 subjects of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA).

In addition, students must have obtained at least five A100 and A200 ASSA exemptions, and have passed N211 (or equivalent).

Students who completed their degree in a prior calendar year will be expected to have more exemptions or ASSA passes.

University Application Process


  • Applications are handled centrally by the Student Enrolment Centre (SEnC). Once your application is complete in terms of requested documentation, your application will be referred to the relevant School for assessment. Click here to see an overview of the Wits applications process.
  • Please apply online. Upload your supporting documents at the time of application, or via the Self Service Portal.
  • Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications via the Self Service Portal.
  • Selections for programmes that have a limited intake but attract a large number of applications may only finalise the application at the end of the application cycle.

Please note that the Entry Requirements are a guide. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee a place. Final selection is made subject to the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements where applicable.

International students, please check this section.

For more information, contact the Student Call Centre +27 (0)11 717 1888, or log a query at www.wits.ac.za/askwits.

University Fees and Funding


Click here to see the current average tuition fees. The Fees site also provides information about the payment of fees and closing dates for fees payments. Once you have applied you will be able to access the fees estimator on the student self-service portal.

For information about postgraduate funding opportunities, including the postgraduate merit award, click here. Please also check your School website for bursary opportunities. NRF bursaries: The National Research Foundation (NRF) offers a wide range of opportunities in terms of bursaries and fellowships to students pursuing postgraduate studies. External bursaries portal: The Bursaries South Africa website provides a comprehensive list of bursaries in South Africa.