Useful Masters degree

Hi

I need some advice on taking up a relevant masters course.
I am an under graduate in economics with a year of actuarial experience in GI. I have cleared the CT level papers.
.I am not much interested in taking up a masters in actuarial as most of them deal with the CTs and hence I am quite doubtful about its value add.
Any suggestions on which courses would be relevant and also beneficial?

 

Why do you need to do a masters at all? If you're not doing it for exemptions, surely you should just do it in something that you're interested in. If not, I don't see why you don't just go and get a job?

 

As I see it..for an actuary, the only types of degrees that can add value are

• any MBA at the top schools Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, INSEAD or London Business School. These can provide entry to inv. banks, investment firms/funds or a generalist role in an insurance company
• any other Financial Engineering/Maths Masters at a "top 10 in the world" University
• or a PhD ( if you are masochist)

However I think you should stick it out and qualify and then consider your options.

 

That sounds really good.But I don't think I can get into any of them with only a year of experience.

Hopefully I'm not!!

Exactly!! I have been bombarded by advices from people that having a masters is "recommended" and it somewhat threw me off track.

 

A course in Financial Engineering may add value, provided that you are interested in investments.

 

It depends a lot where you are in the world, what career path you are pursuing and what the local market expects of candidates for particular roles. So consider these things carefully first!

In the UK, there are MSc courses, usually called something like "Actuarial Management" - Cass and Heriot Watt do them and I think Kent does as well - which cover much of the post-CT material which you *may* find interesting. If you want to pursue the GI route I would check carefully how applicable the teaching material will be, given that the historical thrust of academia is in life contingencies.

It may be worth talking to your employer about what they would see as useful as well. A well-chosen MBA - not necessarily from the traditional top tier - might well be valuable to you personally.

And as others have said I don't see much of a disadvantage to sitcking with the exams and qualifying before tackling anything else.

 

That is one good reason to wait and qualify. Remember FIA trumps Masters http://www.acted.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=4239

 

Did hear about that.But I would prefer GI and modelling...

 

Wow that's a really good survey!!

 

Very true.I did contact some students and I doubt if it is suitable for GI.