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Upfront Curriculum 2019 transition: what the changes mean for you replaced by personal and professional development (PPD).
With the September exam session results due to be released, now is the time for you to start planning what you should sit over the next four exam sessions, and which subjects to tackle next on your route to qualification. Information on the Curriculum 2019 transition arrangements was published in October 2016, and a summary of the changes are as follows.
Qualifying To qualify as an Associate under the new curriculum, you will be required to complete all Core Principles and all Core Practices subjects, in addition to two years of PPD. To qualify as a Fellow under the new curriculum, you will be required to complete all Core Principles and all Core Practices subjects, two Specialist Principles subjects, one Specialist Advanced subject and three years of PPD.
Curriculum 2019 The curriculum covers the three main components to an actuarial qualification: examinations, professionalism and work-based experience. We’ve designed it to ensure that our members are well prepared for the future, and it sees a number of changes to the structure, content and delivery of the IFoA’s examinations. Stages There are still four key stages to our examination structure. However, there have been some changes to better reflect what is required at each stage. ● The Core Technical (CT) series becomes the Core Principles series and focuses on three modules: statistics; mathematics; and business. ● The Core Applications (CA) series becomes the Core Practices series and also has three key modules: actuarial practice; modelling; and communication.
CPD: do it your way As the CPD scheme focuses on your own learning, when attending an event, it is left to your discretion to determine the learning gained and time spent doing so. Each member will gain something different from an event attended, therefore we rely on you to record the actual time spent engaged in learning, ensuring that it is relevant to your work or role, and meets a personal development need. CPD 2016/2017 scheme: bit.ly/2f4OTCL
● The Specialist Technical (ST) series becomes the Specialist Principles series, and continues to require you to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the concepts of the specific specialist subject. ● The Specialist Applications (SA) series becomes the Specialist Advanced series, and continues to require you to apply specific knowledge of actuarial practice to the provision of defined practice areas. Alongside the outlined changes to the four examination stages, the work-based skills (WBS) requirement of your study path will be
Dates The first exam session of the new curriculum will take place in April 2019. This gives current and future students over two years to continue sitting exams in the current system before the transition to the new subjects. The exam dates for the 2017 and 2018 exam sessions have already been published on the IFoA website, and should be used to aid in any planning. Exam booking for the next session opens at the end of January 2017. Before booking, you should consider the new curriculum carefully and take into account the choice of subjects you sit and the corresponding study hours. Detailed information on the new curriculum, the 2017 and 2018 exam dates, and the recommended studying hours can all be found on the IFoA website. Curriculum 2019: bit.ly/2fcgYbu Exam dates: bit.ly/2fdvTTp Study hours: bit.ly/2fDW20p
‘Guinea Pig 1’ exam reviewers required Congratulations to students who have recently qualified and are now in a unique position to help support the IFoA in the review of the new session exams. As a ‘Guinea Pig 1’ exam reviewer, you will review and comment on the content and accuracy of exam papers before they are delivered to our students around the world for the 2018 session.
Past reviewers have commented on how rewarding the role is and how it contributes to the work of the teams that create and deliver the IFoA’s exam papers. Are you interested in applying? All our new qualifiers are invited to apply to join our bank of professional development and responsibility (PDR) supporters. You can find full details about the role at bit.ly/1RRfthI, or email debbie.atkins@actuaries.org.uk
December 2016 • THE ACTUARY 9 www.theactuary.com
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