Students walk up the stairs at the Asper School of Business.

Programs of study

The actuarial profession involves the application of mathematical disciplines, particularly probability, statistics, and risk theory, to real life financial problems involving future uncertainty.

The analysis involved helps people and organizations plan for and reduce financial risk in areas as diverse as life, health, disability, property and casualty insurance, annuities, pension plans, and employee benefit plans.

Student experience

The actuarial profession

The actuarial profession involves the application of mathematical disciplines, particularly probability, statistics, and risk theory, to real life financial problems involving future uncertainty.

The analysis involved helps people and organizations plan for and reduce financial risk in areas as diverse as life, health, disability, property and casualty insurance, annuities, pension plans, and employee benefit plans.

Professional structure

The Canadian Institute of Actuaries (Canada), and the American Academy of Actuaries (USA) oversees the qualification and conduct of the 18,000 actuarial professionals in North America.

You are qualified to work as an actuary when you successfully complete the professional examinations conducted by the Society of Actuaries (life, health and pension actuaries) and the Casualty Actuarial Society (property, marine and casualty actuaries). The first examinations test skills and knowledge that all actuaries must have, regardless of the field in which they choose to practice - later, candidates undertake practice-specific examinations. Completion of examinations combined with related professional development and training lead to two membership designations: associate and fellow. The fellowship designation is the highest designation an actuary can receive in North America.

Careers

Actuaries find fulfilling work in:

  • life insurance
  • health insurance
  • property insurance
  • casualty insurance
  • government agencies
  • pension and employee benefits consulting
  • education, as teachers and researchers
  • banks and other relative newcomers into the insurance field

About our founder

  • Dr. L.A.H. Warren The Warren Centre was created in honour of Lloyd A. H. Warren, the founder of the actuarial program in Manitoba. Warren was born November 18, 1879 in Balderson, Ontario. He graduated from Queen's University in 1902 with a Master of Arts degree and obtained his PhD from the University of Chicago in 1913. He joined the Faculty at the University of Manitoba in 1910 as an instructor of mathematics. In 1931, Warren was appointed professor of mathematics. In 1935, Warren became the first professor of actuarial science in Manitoba. Warren was also a fellow of the American Institute of Actuaries (1935), fellow of the Actuarial Society of America (1939), fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. As a consulting actuary, Warren helped to establish the pension fund for teachers in Winnipeg schools.

    Warren was a Past Member of the Assiniboine Lodge, A.F. and A.M. and a 32nd degree member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonary. Warren was a devout churchgoer. He filled many offices in St. Luke's Church and at the time of his death was a lay delegate to the General Synod of the Church of England in Canada.

    He died in Winnipeg on October 7, 1949.

  • Lloyd Warren.

Contact us

Warren Centre for Actuarial Studies and Research
Room 618 Drake Centre
181 Freedman Crescent
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 5V4

204-583-4063