Specialisations

What’s it all about? 

Floods, earthquakes, diseases, car accidents - the world is a risky place. In most cases, it’s hard to estimate how risky the world really is because we don’t know exactly when an area will be flooded or when we’ll need a doctor, for example. And yet in the Actuarial Sciences specialisation, you'll learn to predict just these types of events:

• learn to estimate risks and calculate the financial consequences
• study market demand and manage return on investment, both in the short and long term
• complete some of the compulsory study material you’ll need to pursue a Dutch actuarial qualification
• be exempted from part of the actuarial qualification programme offered by the Dutch Actuarial Institute, and from part of the content of the German Deutsche Aktuarvereinigung e.V.

What you’ll actually do:

• study the financial models that form the basis of insurance and pensions
• learn to communicate your opinions and solutions professionally and clearly in order to persuade others
• break down financial problems into smaller components in order to solve them
• use a two-sided approach to look at problems, from both an asset and liability point of view
• demonstrate financial expertise in the pension and insurance sectors

Student profile

Actuarial Science is a good fit if you:

• enjoy solving economic problems
• have a background in mathematics, especially statistics
• are an analytical thinker
• work in insurance or pension funds and want higher qualification

What’s it all about? 

Advances in computer science and technology have made novel datasets of unprecedented size available for companies and governmental institutions, that allow for rich and deep analysis. However, to analyse such ‘Big Data’, specialised techniques are needed. The Data Science profile provides you with the tools to analyse such modern datasets. Specifically, you will learn how to:

• deal statistically with high-dimensional datasets, where the number of variables may exceed the number of observations
• use novel methods from the field of machine learning in an economics and business context
• use optimisation methods to solve complicated estimation problems, and assess their computational efficiency

What you’ll actually do:

• learn techniques for the analysis of Big Data
• study the mathematical foundations of statistical and machine learning techniques
• implement data science techniques in statistical software such as R or Python

Student profile

Data Science is a good fit if you:

• want to learn about modern tools for complex data analysis
• want to apply data science to problems in economics and business
• have a background in mathematics or statistics
• want to build statistical models for Big Data

What’s it all about? 

Complex economic and financial issues faced by policy makes, companies and investors require rigorous and advanced data analysis. The econometrics specialisation provides you with the tools to perform such an analysis in a variety of fields. These techniques allow you to determine relationships between economic variables, to quantify the effects of policy interventions, and to predict future developments, as well as to quantify uncertainty surrounding your outcomes. Specifically, you will learn how to:

• analyse economic and financial data gathered over time
• conduct analyses for economic datasets collected over a large number of individuals or companies (possibly also over time), such as surveys
• empirically analyse financial markets

Graduates of this programme are highly sought-after by industry, banks, insurers and governmental and commercial organisations.

What you’ll actually do:

• learn statistical techniques for the analysis of economic and financial datasets
• study the mathematical foundations of econometric techniques
• critically assess statistical techniques and develop modifications for particular applications
• implement econometric techniques in statistical software, and apply them to economic and financial data

Student profile

Econometrics is a good fit if you:

• want to develop a quantitative understanding of developments in macroeconomics or microeconomics
• want to predict financial and economic developments
• have an interest in economic problem-solving
• have a background in mathematics or statistics

What’s it all about? 

Mathematical methods can be used to solve a whole range of business problems, from a company’s finances to the organisation of its people. In order to do this strategically, the Mathematical Economics track looks at theories and models that can help you make the right decisions. With a unique blend of theory and practice, you will become indispensable in making decisions about the internal and external organisation of a company and its finances. 

What you’ll actually do:

• apply theoretical models to solve business problems
• make informed decisions on resources, finances and organisational structure
• learn to analyse problems quickly and assess them accurately

Student profile

Mathematical Economics is a good fit if you:

• have an interest in mathematical analysis
• have a theoretical mind
• are curious about how economic developments play out
• enjoy creating models and theories in order to solve problems