ST303      Half Unit
Stochastic Simulation

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Dr Xiaolin Zhu

Availability

This course is available on the BSc in Actuarial Science, BSc in Actuarial Science (with a Placement Year), BSc in Data Science and BSc in Mathematics, Statistics and Business. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course is not available to General Course students.

Course capped at 70. 

Requisites

Pre-requisites:

Before taking this course, students must have completed: (ST202 or ST206)

Co-requisites:

Students must complete ST302 either before taking this course or in the same year as this course.

Additional requisites:

Students must take ST302 at the same time to enrol in this course.

Course content

An introduction to using R for stochastic simulation as well as Monte Carlo methods of simulating random variables, complicated quantities involving several random variables and paths of stochastic processes. Applications will focus on examples from insurance and finance.

Teaching

20 hours of lectures and 9 hours of computer workshops in the Autumn Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.

Formative assessment

Weekly exercises usually involving computing.

 

Indicative reading

  • Introducing Monte Carlo methods with R (main reference), by G. Robert and G. Casella.

Useful reading:

  • Stochastic Simulation, Algorithms and Analysis by S. Asmussen.
  • Monte Carlo Methods in Financial Engineering by P. Glasserman.

Assessment

Project (60%) in January

Project (40%) in December

This component of assessment includes an element of group work.

Randomised follow-up interviews to take place on this course in the form of 20-min discussion on the projects submitted. For group projects, interviews will be conducted with the entire group, while individual projects will involve one-to-one interviews. The aim of these interviews is to check against the unauthorised use of GenAI and that the work submitted is the student's own.


Key facts

Department: Statistics

Course Study Period: Autumn Term

Unit value: Half unit

FHEQ Level: Level 6

CEFR Level: Null

Total students 2024/25: 65

Average class size 2024/25: 22

Capped 2024/25: No
Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

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Personal development skills

  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Specialist skills