Description: Actuarial science is at a cross roads. Many are urging that our highly successful examination process be partially abandoned in favour of accepting university courses in a number of basic subjects. This drive is based in part on the difficulties in supporting the present system, the experience elsewhere and a misplaced confidence in the quality of the university system. This paper explores where the university system is and where it needs to go in order to adequately serve the interests of the actuarial community.

Description: In the past, discussion of actuarial education has focused on curriculum content [what is to be learned] and mode of delivery [university course versus part-time correspondence course]. Little attention has been paid to how students learn, and how that learning can be facilitated to develop actuaries with the knowledge, skills and values the profession needs. This paper deals with the university-related content of a more comprehensive paper prepared by the authors for the 1993 Convention of The Institute of Actuaries of Australia. It concentrates on students' learning in the undergraduate actuarial program at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, but it is likely that many of its findings and conclusions would apply equally to university actuarial courses elsewhere. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1994, Vol. 1.

Description: The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the undergraduate research in actuarial science at Ball State University. Abstracts of 23 honors theses, with brief comments about the students' careers, are given. Common characteristics of the theses are described. Helpful techniques for advising thesis writing students are provided. From Actuarial Research Clearing House 1996, Vol. 1.