Actuarial and Mathematical Finance Project - 2025 entry

In this module you will gain experience of independent work by in-depth research into an open-ended problem agreed with your Project Supervisor and building on the taught course content. Part way through the project, you will present your work to date to a group of academics and fellow students in order to obtain feedback on your progress and at the end of the project, you will write a coherent and comprehensible account of your work in the form of a dissertation. Computational work using MATLAB, or other appropriate software, may form part of the Actuarial and Financial Mathematics Project.

Pre-requisite Modules: Specific to the project topic concerned.

This module provides the opportunity for you to produce a well-researched project in actuarial and/or mathematical finance, either complementing or extending material in the taught part of the programme. By taking this module, you will develop your research skills and become familiar with current research literature.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge

Term 1: You will choose your project from a list of staff-proposed topics, ranking five preferences by the end of Week 11. A Project Forum in Week 6 will help you explore options and discuss with supervisors. Allocations will be confirmed by the end of term, based on preferences, motivation, and prerequisites.

Term 2, Term 3 and Summer: You will research and write your project, supported by regular meetings with your supervisor and entries in a student-supervisor logbook. A seminar series will develop your research and presentation skills. You will submit a 1-page project skeleton at the start of Term 3 and receive formative feedback from your supervisor and an independent marker. You will give a public oral presentation in June following the exam period, and submit your final dissertation by the due date (around September 1st) in accordance with the University’s submission requirements.

Reassessment will be by resubmission of the written dissertation only. For referred candidates, the mark will be capped at 50%. For deferred candidates, the mark will be uncapped.

• Research papers and relevant sections of textbooks as appropriate to the topic of the individual project. Suitable references will be suggested by the programme coordinator in advance of the projects commencing.

Web-based and electronic resources:

• ELE

Other resources:

• Bowden, J., Writing a report: how to prepare, write and present really effective reports, Library online, 8th ed., Oxford: How To Books, 2008, 1848032889, 9781848032880
• Katz, M.J., From research to manuscript: a guide to scientific writing, Library online, Springer, 2009, 1402094671, 9781402094675
• McMillan, K. and Weyers, J.D.B., How to write dissertations & project reports, Library online, 2nd ed., Harlow: Pearson, 2011, 9780273743842, 9780273743835
• McMillan, K. and Weyers, J.D.B., How to write essays & assignments. Library online, 2nd ed., Harlow: Pearson, 2011, 0273743813, 9780273743811

Reading list for this module: