Actuarial Science is based upon the application of mathematical techniques to reduce the impact of such hazards as loss of income through death, disability, or retirement, or loss of property through fire, accident, or theft. Actuaries are the chief architects of life, health, and property insurance plans, and pension plans, and bear the major responsibility for their financial soundness. By using concepts from the areas of probability and finance, actuaries’ model, forecast and value the costs of benefits that will be provided to the participants in such plans. Methods developed for modeling insurance risk can also be applied to modeling investment risk, and actuaries apply their expertise to the valuation of sophisticated investment vehicles such as options on equities, bonds and other investment derivatives. ACT230H1 and ACT240H1, though somewhat technical, are courses of interest to a wide audience, since almost every student will from time to time be either a saver or a borrower and will be covered by insurance and pension plans. Other actuarial courses deal with more specialized topics and are generally taken by students with a more serious interest in the field or who want to pursue a career as an actuary. Professional accreditation as an actuary is obtained via the Canadian Institute of Actuaries by passing a series of examinations set by the Society of Actuaries or the Casualty Actuarial Society. University of Toronto's Actuarial Science program is accredited by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and some professional requirements can be satisfied through courses in the actuarial program.