Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Actuarial Science
The Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Actuarial Science provides advanced training in actuarial science and related quantitative disciplines, while covering subjects aligned with the professional curriculum of the Actuarial Society of South Africa. The programme includes compulsory modules in actuarial risk management and research.
The programme is offered on a full-time, face-to-face basis and extends over a minimum period of one year.
Contact information
Programme overview
More information
When applying
Please note that selection for postgraduate programmes is highly competitive. Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the programme.
Minimum admission requirements
Admission requirements
• A BCom (Actuarial Science) or equivalent degree with Actuarial Science and Mathematical Statistics as majors; and
• Passes in university modules equivalent to at least six of the seven foundation and intermediate technical subjects of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (or core principles subjects of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries); and
• Exemptions from (or passes in the profession’s examinations for) at least five of the foundation technical and intermediate technical examinations of the Actuarial Society of South Africa (or core principles examinations of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries). Your five subjects must include at least A211 or A213 (CM1).
Please note:
1. If you did not complete your bachelor’s degree in the minimum time of three years, you must have an additional exemption for each additional year.
2. If you only have four exemptions (after a three-year bachelor’s) or five exemptions (after a four-year bachelor’s) you may be considered for an extended (two-year) honours programme.
3. It is expected that you should have an average mark for both third-year Actuarial Science and third-year Mathematical Statistics of at least 60%.
Selection
The number of students selected will be influenced by, among other things, staff capacity and the availability of resources within the Department, as well as academic merit and University transformation objectives. As staff capacity and resources may fluctuate from year to year, the number of students selected can also differ from year to year.
Should the applicants who meet the admission requirements exceed the capacity of the Department, the criteria of the admission requirements will be used to rank the applicants in order of suitability, and to finalise the list of selected applicants.
Programme structure
Programme content
You must earn a total of at least 120 credits for this programme.
Please note:
Some of the elective modules listed below may not be offered every year. Please contact the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science to find out which modules will be available.
Compulsory modules (90 credits)
Code | Module | Credits | Module Name | Semester
12302 774 60 Actuarial Risk Management (A311) Both
12991 791 30 Research Assignment: Actuarial Science Both
Elective modules (at least 30 credits)
Code | Module | Credits | Module Name | Semester
14224 741 6 Capita Selecta: Actuarial Principles A Both
14225 742 15 Capita Selecta: Actuarial Principles B 2
14226 743 30 Capita Selecta: Actuarial Principles C 2
10371 773 6 Communications (N211) 2
• Choose modules totalling at least 24 credits from topics offered in the Mathematical Statistics or Financial Risk Management honours programmes (as approved by the Head of Actuarial Science from time to time).