Essentials pack (Combined Materials Pack)

  1. Purpose
  2. Contents
  3. Format
  4. Complementary products
P
L
C
R
A

ActEd's Combined Materials Pack (CMP) contains an essential package of products spanning all five phases of exam preparation. It has been created primarily for students who are sitting the subject for the first time.

Contents

The CMP contains these products.

Phase Products
Prepare
Study Guide
Learn
Course Notes, including the Core Reading
Check
Rehearse
Assignments (and for CM and CS subjects only, PBOR including the Series Y Assignments)
Rehearse
Assess
Mock Exam

The Course Notes, Assignments, PBOR and Mock Exam products can also be purchased separately.

Learn more about the different phases of exam preparation here.

Format

CMPs are available in print or as an eBook.

You will be given access to a 'Studying Subject' course within our virtual learning environment, The Hub. Each course contains information, guidance and resources subdivided into what you will need before you start studying the subject and while you are studying the subject.

In Subjects CB2, SP6 and SP9 (only), some textbooks are referenced by the Core Reading, and the full-price CMP includes these key textbooks. Printed textbooks are included with the printed CMP. The CMP eBook includes the relevant eTextbook(s) which are accessible only through VitalSource Bookshelf. More information can be found here.

Complementary products (not included in the CMP)

  1. Purpose
  2. Contents
  3. Format
P

ActEd's Study Guides have been designed to give you all the information you need to know before you start studying a particular subject.

Contents

Each Study Guide includes, for that subject:
  • the full Syllabus
  • an index to the Course Notes
  • a guide as to how the Assignments and Tutorials associate with the various parts of the course
  • signposting to further sources of help and support.

Format

A Study Guide is included within each Combined Materials Pack and is also available from within each subject's 'Studying Subject' course in our virtual learning environment The Hub.

  1. Purpose
  2. Format
  3. Complementary products
L

The Core Reading has been produced by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries. It supports students in their learning and development of the subject by providing information and explanation of the topics and objectives in the Syllabus. The Core Reading supports coverage of the Syllabus in helping to ensure that both depth and breadth are re-enforced.

Format

ActEd's Course Notes include the Core Reading in full, integrated throughout the course. However, the Course Notes include additional tuition material, written by ActEd, which enhances it by giving examples and further explanation of all the key points.

Core Reading can also be ordered as a stand-alone product in all subjects with the exceptions of Subjects CB2, CP2, CP3, SP6 and SP9.

Complementary products

  1. Purpose
  2. Contents
  3. Format
  4. Samples
  5. Advice for students studying CB2, SP6 and SP9
  6. Complementary products
L

ActEd's Course Notes (CN) have been designed to help you develop the knowledge and understanding of the principles needed to pass the exam.

Contents

The Course Notes contain:
  • the complete Core Reading
  • full explanation of all the syllabus objectives
  • worked examples and practice questions (including some past exam questions) to test your understanding.
Each chapter includes:
  • the relevant syllabus objectives
  • a chapter summary
  • practice questions with full solutions.
In Subject CB2, SP6 and SP9, students are also required to read material in textbooks, which do not form part of the Course Notes. Further Information on these textbooks can be found here.

Format

Course Notes are available in print or as an eBook.

Samples

Please note that our all our printed products are printed in greyscale and not in colour. The colour in the above samples will only be visible in our eBooks.

The sample chapters are in Adobe Acrobat format, and you will need the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print it. If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it here.

Advice for students studying CB2, SP6 and SP9

Contents

The majority of the Core Reading for Subjects CB2, SP6 and SP9 consists of references to the textbooks listed in the table below. As a result, ActEd's Course Notes in these subjects are not intended to be used as stand-alone courses. Instead, in Subjects SP6 and SP9, the notes aim to summarise the key principles and results and to explain in more detail the most difficult topics in the Syllabus.

In Subject CB2, the notes provide guidance through the reading, along with advice and question practice in preparation for the examination. End of chapter/module Practice Questions and a set of Series X Assignments have also been produced.

Format

Printed textbooks are included with the printed CMP. The CMP eBook includes the relevant eTextbook(s) accessible only through VitalSource Bookshelf. More information about Bookshelf can be found here.

Pricing

ActEd's full-price Combined Materials Pack in each subject will include the relevant textbooks, as well as the Course Notes, X Assignments and Mock Exam in the bundled price. However, all of these items may also be purchased individually. ActEd's prices for purchasing the textbooks separately can be found in the table below and the prices of ActEd's other materials can be found here.

CB2 Economics by J. Sloman, J Guest and D Garratt (11th Ed),
ISBN 978-1-292-40533-9 (print)
ISBN 978-1-292-40540-7 (eBook, reflowable format)

£63
£50
SP6 Options, Futures and other Derivatives by J. C. Hull, (11th Ed),
ISBN 978-1-292-41065-4 (print)
ISBN 978-1-292-41062-3 (eBook, fixed format)
Financial calculus: an introduction to derivative pricing by M. Baxter and A. Rennie,
ISBN 978-0-521-55289-9 (print)
ISBN 978-1-139-63618-6 (eBook, reflowable format)

£65
£45

£74
£55
SP9 Enterprise Risk Management From Incentives to Controls by J. Lam (2nd Ed),
ISBN 978-1-118-41361-6 (print)
ISBN 978-1-118-83443-5 (eBook, reflowable formats)
Financial Enterprise Risk Management (2nd Ed), by Paul Sweeting,
ISBN 978-1-107-18461-9
ISBN 978-1-316-88484-3 (eBook, reflowable format)

£80
£75

£90
£85
Please be aware that:
  1. If you order the CMP at the repeat-purchase price you will not receive the textbooks.
  2. Reduced-rate materials discounts are not available for the CB2, SP6 or SP9 textbooks (unless purchased as part of the relevant CMP).
  1. Purpose
  2. Contents
  3. Format
  4. Answer templates and data files
  5. Complementary products
C
R

ActEd's Assignments have been designed to give you opportunities to check your understanding, and ability to apply that to answering exam-style questions, as you progress through the Course Notes. They are ideal for first-time sitters, as they are coordinated with each part of the course.

ActEd's PBOR (for CM and CS Subjects only) has been designed to help you prepare specifically for the associated Excel- or R-based exam paper.

Contents

Series X Assignments
CS1A 2 x 80 mark and 2 x 100 mark
CS2A 3 x 80 mark and 2 x 100 mark
CS1A 2 x 80 mark, 2 x 100 mark
CS2A 3 x 80 mark, 2 x 100 mark
CM1A 3 x 80 mark, 2 x 100 mark
CM2A 2 x 80 mark, 2 x 100 mark
CB1 3 x 100 mark
CB2 2 x 70 mark and 2 x 80 mark
CP1 3 x 80 mark, 3 x 100 mark
CP2 2 x 50 mark, 1 x 100 mark
CP3 3 x 100 mark
SP Subjects 3 x 80 mark, 3 x 100 mark
SA Subjects 6 x 100 mark
PBOR includes:
  • worked examples and practice questions
  • the Series Y Assignments.
Series Y Assignments
CS1B 2 x 100 mark
CS2B 2 x 100 mark
CM1B 2 x 100 mark
CM2B 2 x 100 mark

Assignments can be purchased with or without marking.

Format

The Series X Assignments (without marking) are included within each Combined Materials Pack (CMP). CMPs are available in print or as an eBook.

PBOR is accessed online via The Hub.

We typically provide full solutions with the Assignments (via The Hub for Series Y). However, if you order Series Marking at the same time as you order the Assignments, you can choose whether or not to receive a copy of the solutions in advance. If you choose not to receive them with the study material, you will be able to download the solutions via a secure link on the internet when your marked script is returned (or following the final deadline date if you do not submit a script). Solutions are always sent in advance to students who have not ordered marking or who are using Marking Vouchers.

To complete assignments in some subjects, you will need to work from a template and/or refer to data files.

For the X Assignments, these are available from within each subject's 'Studying Subject' course in our virtual learning environment, The Hub.

For the Y Assignments, these are available from the PBOR course in The Hub.

  1. Purpose
  2. Contents
  3. Format
  4. Answer templates and data files
  5. Complementary products
R
A

ActEd's Mock Exams have been designed to:

  • give you practice at answering exam-style questions
  • enable you to rehearse the exam experience
  • help you assess your exam readiness by benchmarking against the passing standard.

A Mock Exam is included in each Combined Materials Pack (CMP).

Contents

CM1, CM2
CS1, CS2
CP1, CP2 		One mock exam, consisting of two papers
All other subjects One mock exam, consisting of a single paper

Format

Mock Exams are only available in eBook format, not print.

Answer templates and data files

To complete a mock exam in some subjects you will need to work from a template and/or refer to data files. These are available from within each subject's 'Studying Subject' course in our virtual learning environment The Hub.

Complementary products (not included in the CMP)

  1. Purpose
  2. Format
  3. Contents
  4. Accessing The Hub

The Studying Subject course, available through The Hub, BPP's tailor-made virtual learning environment, is designed to support you efficiently and effectively through all the phases of your exam preparations.

After you have made a relevant purchase from us in a particular subject, you will be given access to the appropriate Studying Subject course within The Hub.

Each Studying Subject course contains information, guidance and resources subdivided into what you will need:
  • before you start studying the subject (eg Study Guide, study skills, how to book tutorials) and
  • while you are studying the subject (eg files you will need to complete assignments, how to organise marking, exam skills, useful acronyms / mnemonics).
  1. Purpose
  2. Format
P

The CMP Upgrades are designed for anyone who has purchased a previous version of the CMP in a subject. They enable you to find out how the Syllabus and Core Reading have changed and to amend your version of the CMP to make it suitable for current study.

CMP Upgrades are available from within each subject's 'Studying Subject' course in our virtual learning environment The Hub. For further details, please see advice for students retaking a subject