According to the Actuaries Insitute:

The future is always uncertain. That’s why actuaries have such an important role to play. Our mastery of data, ability to harvest its insights, and our commercial mindset, means we can help organisations, government, and communities with advice that drives change and solutions that work. 

How do we do that? Actuaries evaluate risk and opportunity – we apply mathematical, statistical, economic and financial analyses to a wide range of business problems.

We work in new, high-growth fields, such as data science, energy resources, and climate risk in addition to more readily recognised fields like insurance, superannuation, wealth management, investments, health financing, and banking. Many actuaries also hold executive positions in the operational management of financial institutions.  

Whichever actuarial career you choose, skills in data analysis and management, risk management, and data-based decision making are vital in many industries

About Actuarial Science:

Actuarial science is a blend of finance, economics, mathematics and statistics. In the course you will learn how to analyse data to predict and evaluate (financial) risks.

Becoming an Actuary:

Am I an Actuary when I graduate?

Not quite. There's 3 stages to becoming an Actuary - the Foundation Program, Associate Program and Fellowship Program. At Curtin, the undergraduate Actuarial Science Major provides you with the opportunity to obtain exemptions from the Foundation Program (previously known as Part 1s).

Exemptions Explained:

Exemptions mean you don't have to sit the Actuarial Institute exams, for the six subjects that make up the Foundation Program (CS1, CS2, CM1, CM2, CB1, CB2).

Each exemption is made up of multiple units at Curtin, of varying weight. To receive the exemption you must average 73% across all the units that make up said exemption, and receive no less then 65% in any one of the exemption's units.