Bachelor of Actuarial Studies/Law

5 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of New South Wales

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Actuarial Studies / Law at University of New South Wales is a highly specialised five-year double degree that combines quantitative financial risk analysis with professional legal education, preparing students for careers at the intersection of finance, regulation, insurance, and corporate law. Campus: Kensington Campus, Sydney, Australia — the program is ideal for students who enjoy mathematics, analytical problem-solving, business strategy, and legal reasoning while wanting to develop expertise in risk management, financial systems, and legal frameworks.

This degree suits students interested in actuarial consulting, corporate law, insurance, banking, investment analysis, compliance, or financial regulation. Students study actuarial mathematics, statistics, finance, and data analysis alongside core law subjects, graduating with a rare combination of technical quantitative capability and professional legal expertise highly valued across global financial and legal industries.

Curriculum Structure

First Year

In the first year, students develop strong foundations in mathematics, business, actuarial theory, and legal studies while learning how financial systems and legal frameworks operate together. Courses such as Foundations of Law, Business Economics, and Actuarial Models and Statistics introduce students to legal reasoning, financial analysis, probability, and quantitative problem-solving. Students also begin building communication and analytical skills essential for actuarial and legal practice.

Second Year

Second-year study deepens students’ technical actuarial knowledge while expanding their understanding of legal systems and obligations. Students may study subjects such as Financial Mathematics, Probability Models, and Accounting for Actuaries alongside law courses including Contracts, Torts, and Criminal Law. The year focuses on interpreting financial risk, understanding legal liabilities, and applying quantitative reasoning to business and regulatory environments.

Third Year

By third year, students engage with more advanced actuarial modelling and specialised legal subjects connected to governance, regulation, and commercial practice. Courses such as Life Contingencies, Regression and Time Series, and Risk Management Models strengthen students’ analytical expertise, while law subjects including Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Equity and Trusts deepen understanding of legal institutions and regulatory systems. Students also begin exploring how actuarial decision-making is shaped by legislation and corporate governance.

Fourth Year

Fourth year combines advanced actuarial applications with professional legal education and strategic financial analysis. Students study areas such as Actuarial Control Cycle, Investment and Asset Liability Management, and Enterprise Risk Management while completing law subjects including Corporations Law, Evidence, and Private International Law. Practical projects and case-based learning help students connect financial modelling with legal compliance and business strategy.

Fifth Year

In the final year, students tailor their studies through advanced actuarial and law electives aligned with their professional interests. Students may explore subjects such as Insurance Law, Taxation Law, Banking and Finance Law, or specialised actuarial analytics while completing major research projects and professional development activities. By graduation, students possess advanced quantitative, legal, and strategic problem-solving skills suited to leadership roles across finance, consulting, insurance, and legal sectors.

Focus areas

Actuarial science, financial risk management, insurance analytics, investments, statistics, enterprise risk management, corporate law, banking and finance law, taxation law, regulatory compliance, business analytics, financial modelling, governance, probability, and legal analysis.

Learning outcomes

Graduates develop advanced quantitative analysis, actuarial modelling, legal reasoning, financial problem-solving, communication, and strategic decision-making skills. Students learn to assess financial and operational risk, interpret legal and regulatory frameworks, conduct evidence-based analysis, and apply actuarial and legal expertise within complex business and financial environments.

Professional alignment (accreditation)

The actuarial component is professionally aligned with the Actuaries Institute and provides pathways toward actuarial qualification exemptions subject to academic performance requirements. The Law component is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board and satisfies the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, subject to completion of Practical Legal Training (PLT).

Reputation (employability rankings)

UNSW is internationally recognised for excellence in actuarial studies, business, and law, with strong employer reputation and graduate employability across finance and professional services sectors. UNSW Business School and UNSW Law & Justice are highly regarded for industry engagement, quantitative education, innovation, and graduate career outcomes connected to global financial and legal industries.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Students in the Bachelor of Actuarial Studies / Law at the University of New South Wales gain practical experience through quantitative modelling projects, financial analytics training, legal clinics, industry engagement activities, and collaborative case-based learning. The program combines technical actuarial education with professional legal training, allowing students to work with financial risk models, statistical software, business simulations, and legal research tools while developing strong analytical, communication, and strategic decision-making skills.

UNSW’s experiential learning environment gives students access to advanced business analytics resources, financial databases, legal practice opportunities, and industry-connected learning experiences that prepare graduates for careers across actuarial consulting, insurance, banking, corporate law, and financial regulation:

Actuarial Modelling & Analytics Projects : Students complete practical actuarial modelling assignments and quantitative projects involving probability analysis, financial forecasting, risk assessment, and investment modelling using real-world financial datasets and case studies.
Industry-Standard Software & Financial Tools : Students gain experience with professional actuarial and analytics software including Excel modelling tools, R, Python, statistical analysis platforms, financial databases, and quantitative risk modelling systems commonly used in actuarial and financial industries.
Business Analytics & Quantitative Learning Labs : UNSW Business School provides access to collaborative analytics learning spaces and technology-enabled business labs where students strengthen technical modelling, forecasting, and decision-making skills through practical workshops and simulations.
Legal Clinics & Practical Law Experience : Through the Kingsford Legal Centre, law students gain hands-on legal experience by assisting real clients under professional supervision. Students develop advocacy, legal writing, client communication, and case analysis skills through community legal engagement activities.
Corporate & Financial Case Studies : Many actuarial and law subjects incorporate industry-based case studies involving insurance markets, investment risk, corporate governance, financial compliance, and legal liability analysis. Students learn to evaluate complex financial and legal scenarios in multidisciplinary teams.
Research Institutes & Industry Exposure : Students benefit from exposure to UNSW research centres and initiatives connected to risk management, business analytics, financial systems, behavioural economics, and regulatory policy, helping students engage with current financial and legal industry developments.
Professional Networking & Industry Events : UNSW Business School and Law & Justice host employer networking sessions, actuarial career panels, consulting workshops, finance competitions, and professional engagement events with industry leaders from insurance firms, banks, consulting companies, and legal organisations.
Internship & Employability Opportunities : Students may participate in internships, vacation programs, consulting projects, and professional placements with organisations connected to actuarial consulting, banking, insurance, financial services, and commercial law sectors.
Legal Research Databases & Financial Resources : Students access professional legal research platforms including LexisNexis, Westlaw, and HeinOnline alongside financial databases, quantitative research resources, and digital business intelligence tools used across finance and legal industries.
Collaborative Group Projects : Many subjects involve teamwork, business presentations, risk simulations, and analytical reporting exercises that mirror professional actuarial consulting and corporate legal environments. These projects strengthen leadership, communication, and problem-solving capabilities.
Libraries & Technology-Enabled Study Spaces : Students have access to specialised business and law libraries, collaborative study areas, advanced computing resources, and digital learning environments designed to support quantitative analysis, legal research, and interdisciplinary learning.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Actuarial Studies / Law at the University of New South Wales are highly valued for their rare combination of advanced quantitative expertise, financial risk analysis capability, and professional legal knowledge. The degree prepares students for careers across actuarial consulting, insurance, banking, investment management, corporate law, financial regulation, and strategic risk advisory by equipping them with both technical modelling skills and strong legal reasoning abilities. Typical career pathways include actuary, risk analyst, corporate lawyer, insurance consultant, compliance adviser, investment analyst, banking specialist, and financial regulatory consultant.

UNSW strengthens graduate employability through professional accreditation pathways, industry engagement, employer partnerships, and career-focused learning opportunities:

Dedicated Employability & Career Support : UNSW Business School and UNSW Law & Justice provide specialised career mentoring, internship support, résumé workshops, actuarial networking events, clerkship preparation, employer presentations, and interview coaching tailored to actuarial, finance, consulting, and legal industries.
Strong Industry Partnerships : Students benefit from UNSW’s industry connections with organisations including Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG, Allianz, TAL, AMP, Commonwealth Bank, Macquarie Group, and major commercial law firms. These partnerships support internships, graduate recruitment, industry projects, and professional networking opportunities.
Professional Actuarial Accreditation Pathway : The actuarial component aligns with the Actuaries Institute accreditation framework and may provide exemptions from professional actuarial qualification subjects depending on academic performance. This creates a direct pathway toward becoming a qualified actuary in Australia.
Professional Legal Qualification : The Law component satisfies the academic requirements for admission to legal practice in Australia, subject to completion of Practical Legal Training (PLT). Graduates therefore gain long-term flexibility across both legal and financial sectors.
High Graduate Employability Reputation : UNSW is consistently recognised as one of Australia’s leading universities for graduate employability, particularly across business, finance, actuarial studies, and law disciplines. Employers value UNSW graduates for their analytical capability, industry readiness, and interdisciplinary problem-solving skills.
Median Graduate Salary : Graduates from actuarial studies and law-related disciplines commonly achieve strong graduate outcomes, with median full-time salaries frequently ranging between approximately AUD $90,000–$110,000 depending on industry sector, actuarial qualification progress, and professional role.
Demand Across Financial & Regulatory Sectors : Growing demand for specialists in enterprise risk management, insurance analytics, regulatory compliance, investment modelling, and financial governance continues to strengthen employment opportunities for graduates with combined actuarial and legal expertise.
Graduation Outcomes : Graduates leave the program with advanced quantitative modelling skills, legal research capability, financial analysis expertise, communication skills, and strategic decision-making abilities developed through industry-focused coursework, analytics projects, legal clinics, and collaborative case studies.
Global Career Opportunities : The internationally recognised actuarial and legal training prepares graduates for opportunities in multinational consulting firms, insurance companies, investment banks, regulatory agencies, global financial institutions, and international professional services organisations.
Long-Term Career Flexibility : The interdisciplinary structure of the degree allows graduates to transition across actuarial consulting, corporate strategy, commercial law, fintech, governance, financial regulation, and executive leadership roles throughout their careers.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this double degree, graduates may continue into postgraduate qualifications such as a Master of Laws (LLM), Master of Actuarial Studies, Master of Finance, Master of Financial Mathematics, Master of Risk Management, or specialised postgraduate studies in insurance law, banking and finance law, quantitative finance, investment analytics, or corporate governance. High-achieving graduates may also pursue research-focused programs including Honours or PhD studies in Actuarial Science, Finance, Law, Statistics, Risk Management, or Financial Economics, leading to careers in academia, advanced quantitative research, financial policy development, or executive advisory roles.