Our degree programmes
Actuarial Science
The Actuarial Science degree applies mathematical skills to a range of applied subjects, and helps to solve important problems for insurance, government, commerce, industry and academic researchers.
Recent graduates have gone on to work in the areas of insurance (life and general), as well as banking, finance and statistics.
Business Mathematics & Statistics
The BMS degree is a quantitative programme with a strong business-related component. Our students receive a thorough grounding in mathematics and statistics, and can choose to specialize in a variety of fields such as economics, finance, information systems, accounting, or demography. BMS graduates are broadly employable, and recent graduates have gone on to work in the areas of insurance, banking, accounting, statistics, civil service, postgraduate studies and business consultancy.
Statistics with Finance
The Statistics with Finance degree provides students with in depth understanding of statistics, mathematics, finance and the interaction among the three and prepares students for further study, or for financial or banking careers, particularly in areas requiring the application of quantitative skills. In addition to the knowledge obtained in statistics, mathematics and finance, a broad range of knowledge useful in the business environment is also included, covering topics at an intermediate or advanced level in some or all of the following areas: accounting, economics, actuarial science and market research.
People
Head of Department: Dr. Irini Moustaki
Departmental Tutor (Actuarial Science): Dr. Angelos Dassios
Departmental Tutor (BMS): Dr. Wicher Bergsma
Departmental Tutor (Statistics with Finance): Dr. Wicher Bergsma
Departmental Manager: Imelda Noble
Undergraduate Administrator: Tom Hewlett
Staff |and research students| in the Department of Statistics
Administrative Office
COL 6.11 (6th Floor Columbia House)
Office Hours: Monday - Friday 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm
e-mail: Tom Hewlett|
Phone: +44 (0)20 7955 7650
Fax: +44 (0)7955 7416
Study information
Office Hours - Statistics Department Lecturers and Class Teachers
Office Hours are held by lecturers and class teachers each week during term time. Students can drop in without an appointment to ask questions they may have regarding the course. Office Hours are available on-line as well as posted on academics' doors. If you wish to make an alternative appointment with your lecturer or class teacher, please e-mail them. Please do make use of office hours - if you are having problems understanding a concept, they are there to help you!
Office Hours|
Academic Advisers
On joining the School, you will be assigned a member of academic staff in the department as an academic adviser. The onus is on you to make arrangements to see your adviser. You will be expected to keep in regular contact with your academic adviser as you will need their approval for course choices. You can also contact them should you have any difficulties with your course, finances, life at university or even to let them know that everything is fine!
Staff Student Liaison Committees
These are committees in which students and staff can discuss issues related to their degree and to studying. Both the Actuarial Science and BMS SSLCs meet once a term during Michaelmas and Lent terms. Students are also allowed to call an Extraordinary Meeting in addition to these times if it is deemed necessary. Year representatives are elected at the beginning of Michaelmas Term and are expected to attend all meetings. Representatives are also eligible to join other committees within the School such as the Undergraduate Students' Consultative Forum. Minutes of meetings are e-mailed to all students on the degree course and held on Moodle.
Comments from the External Examiner
Each year all courses included in our degree programmes are assessed, the majority by exam. In order to maintain standards and as a form of check and balance to ensure that all exam papers are written and marked fairly and consistently in accordance with School regulations, an External Examiner is employed to review the examination process from start to finish. Some comments made by previous years External Examiners are included below:
David Bowie, Head of Quantitative Analysis, Hymans Robertson LLP (Actuarial Science)
"The programme provides a high quality introduction to many of the technical aspects of actuarial science and an opportunity to gain exemptions from the professional examinations in the UK. The standards set and maintained in the department are (at least) comparable to those in other universities offering similar courses. The nature of the programme is strongly mathematical compared with many other courses. The assessment processes are entirely appropriate to the course and are fairly implemented. Many students do exceptionally well, as may be expected by the high quality of the intake."
Professor Malcolm Brown, Head of School and Director of Actuarial Science, University of Kent (Actuarial Science)
"Actuarial Science courses generally attract extremely able students and the calibre of students taking this type of programme at LSE is consistent with those students at comparable institutions."
Professor A.T.A. Wood, University of Nottingham (Business, Mathematics and Statistics)
"Strengths of the BMS programme include: a broad range of options available, with a good coverage of basic statistical concepts and methods, and plenty of opportunities for focusing on applications, e.g. through project work. The standard of work achieved by most students on the BMS degree is (at least) good, with excellent performances from some students. The methods of assessment (mainly by exam, but with project work too) are standard and are appropriate for a quantitative business/statistics degree of this type."
Professor G. Alastair Young, Imperial College London (Business, Mathematics and Statistics)
"The BMS programme is a strong one, intellectually rigorous and well taught. It provides a solid, basic foundation in probability and statistical theory and methods. It incorporates a reasonable range of options, including some at a very advanced level. The programme incorporates good opportunities for development of transferable skills and focus on applications of statistical thought, through very effective project and coursework components. Judging by standards achieved by students in examination and project work, methods and standards of teaching are highly effective. Many examination performances are excellent, and overall high standards of performance are indicative of highly motivated and well taught students. I note, in particular, that even weaker students, performing at the lower end of the classification range, display levels of basic competence in mathematics and statistical reasoning that are, in my experience, higher than those seen on similar programmes at comparable institutions. Methods of assessment are quite standard for a quantitative degree programme of this type. The emphasis is on formal, written examinations, all of which provide a rigorous and effective test of learning outcomes, supplemented by project work, where the evidence is of very high levels of achievement, with a more limited use of coursework."
Actuarial Exemptions
You may be able to gain exemptions from the Core Technical series of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries examinations if you reach a sufficient standard in the relevant LSE courses. This is normally well above a pass mark. More information and how to apply for Exemptions can be found here:
http://www2.lse.ac.uk/statistics/study/prospective/exemptions.aspx|
Disability Support
The Disability and Well-Being Service supports students with disabilities and/or dyslexia, in accordance with LSE Policy on Disability Equality and the Disability Discrimination Act, Part IV.
Nicola Martin is the Head of Disability and Well-Being Service within the School. She and the rest of the Disability and Well-Being Team can be found in room OLDG.23 (e-mail: n.martin@lse.ac.uk|, tel. 020 7955 6034). Students are encouraged to disclose a disability as soon as possible during the admissions and registration process. This enables the Department and School to arrange any reasonable adjustments which may be necessary at the earliest opportunity. This is recorded in an Individual Students Support Agreement (ISSA) which is copied to relevant School personnel, with explicit permission of the student.
Services available include:
- weekly study skills support programme during term time from the Teaching and Learning Centre
- additional library services can be arranged: photocopying, help with book fetches, longer loans, CCTV scanner and JAWS software
- study support from students and staff in the LSE Circles Network to provide readers, note takers and scribes if necessary
- support from a Community Service Volunteer (CSV)
- access to specific software in a dedicated study room
- access to rest room with lockers and to dedicated study facilities
- special arrangements in exams and assessment, including up to 25% extra time and the use of a word processor or amanuensis
- information systems with clear guidelines
For more information, go to: Information for Disabled Students|