SDST4711 Capstone experience for actuarial science undergraduates (6 credits) Academic Year 2025
Offering Department SCDS (Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science) Quota 50
Course Co-ordinator Prof K C Cheung, SCDS (Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science) < ugenq@hku.hk >
Teachers Involved (Various teachers as the assessors of oral presentations and written reports,Statistics & Actuarial Science)
Course Objectives This project-based course aims to provide students with capstone experience to formulate and investigate practical problems in actuarial science by integrating and applying actuarial theories and techniques learnt in their university years. It aims to help the students to establish a good and solid foundation of self-learning skills, and to enable students to equip with hands-on experience in solving practical problems including definition of the problem, designing the solution, and presentation of the results.
Course Contents & Topics No formal teaching will be given for this course. Students are expected to devote 120-140 hours working on this project.  Students will work in groups of three to five under the supervision of a teacher and/or an industry supervisor. Students are required to give a presentation on their work two to three weeks before the end of the semester, and submit their final report at the end of the semester.

Topics acceptable for projects in this course can be related to any of the traditional actuarial areas of practice such as life insurance, pension, finance, investment, enterprise risk management and general insurance. Students are also encouraged to suggest topics in non-traditional actuarial areas provided they can find a suitable teacher and/or industry supervisor. All topics for this course will be subject to final approval by the Department to ensure relevance to actuarial science.  

Students will need to decide on the topic for a practical project, conduct market research regarding industry activities related to the topic, and make suggestion on a solution of the problem identified in their project.
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

CLO 1 define a practical problem, discuss the issues faced by different stakeholders, and design workable solutions for the problems
CLO 2 integrate theoretical results and practical approaches, and to specify limitations of current developments
CLO 3 work in a team and to collaborate with members with different background
CLO 4 deliver actuarial results effectively in a written report and in oral presentations
CLO 5 develop further logical, critical thinking, creativity, technical report writing, communication and consultation skills
CLO 6 explain to a non-actuarial audience the approaches of actuarial science as applied to problems in a financial security system
Pre-requisites
(and Co-requisites and
Impermissible combinations)		 Pass in at least 24 credits of advanced level disciplinary core/elective courses in BSc(Actuarial Science) programme including (Pass in SDST3901, or already enrolled in this course; or
Pass in SDST3909, or already enrolled in this course); and
This capstone course is only for BSc(Actuarial Science) students, and is mutually exclusive with SDST4767 and SDST4798.
The earliest that a student is allowed to take this capstone course is their year 3 study.
Only for students admitted in 2025 and thereafter.
Course Status with Related Major/Minor /Professional Core 2U000C00 Course not offered under any Major/Minor/Professional core
2024 BSc in Actuarial Science ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 BSc in Actuarial Science ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 BSc in Actuarial Science ( Disciplinary Elective )
2021 BSc in Actuarial Science ( Disciplinary Elective )
Course to PLO Mapping 2024 BSc in Actuarial Science < PLO 1,2,3,4,5,6 >
2023 BSc in Actuarial Science < PLO 1,2,3,4,5,6 >
2022 BSc in Actuarial Science < PLO 1,2,3,4,5,6 >
2021 BSc in Actuarial Science < PLO 1,2,3,4,5,6 >
Offer in 2025 - 2026 Y        1st sem    2nd sem    Examination No Exam     
Offer in 2026 - 2027 Y
Course Grade A+ to F
Grade Descriptors
A Demonstrate thorough mastery at an advanced level of extensive knowledge and skills required for attaining all the course learning outcomes. Show strong analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, with evidence of original thought, and ability to apply knowledge to a wide range of complex, familiar and unfamiliar situations. Apply highly effective organizational and presentational skills.
B Demonstrate substantial command of a broad range of knowledge and skills required for attaining at least most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge to familiar and some unfamiliar situations. Apply effective organizational and presentational skills.
C Demonstrate general but incomplete command of knowledge and skills required for attaining most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of some analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge to most familiar situations. Apply moderately effective organizational and presentational skills.
D Demonstrate partial but limited command of knowledge and skills required for attaining some of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of some coherent and logical thinking, but with limited analytical and critical abilities. Show limited ability to apply knowledge to solve problems. Apply limited or barely effective organizational and presentational skills.
Fail Demonstrate little or no evidence of command of knowledge and skills required for attaining the course learning outcomes. Lack of analytical and critical abilities, logical and coherent thinking. Show very little or no ability to apply knowledge to solve problems. Organization and presentational skills are minimally effective or ineffective.
Communication-intensive Course N
Course Type Project-based course
Course Teaching
& Learning Activities
Activities Details No. of Hours
Reading / Self study Tutorials, group work/project, reading/self-study 120.0
Assessment Methods
and Weighting
Methods Details Weighting in final
course grade (%)		 Assessment Methods
to CLO Mapping
Oral presentation oral presentation, progress, attendance and in-class discussion 50.0 1,2,3,4,5,6
Research report written report 50.0 1,2,3,4,5
Required/recommended reading
and online materials
Course Website http://moodle.hku.hk
Additional Course Information