STK4400 – Risk and Reliability Analysis

Schedule, syllabus and examination date

Course content

The course begins with an introduction to convexity, optimisation and a variety of optimisation techniques: Lagrange duality og convex duality. Then, this theory is applied to a wide range of applications within risk and reliability analysis. The course will build up to the research front in selected parts of risk and reliability theory: Advanced methods in system reliability; convex risk measures; methods for construction of environmental contours which are used in risk analysis of contractions exposed to environmental risk factors; optimisation of energy production under uncertainty. During the course, we also present examples of applied reliability analysis. The course is suited for students in risk- and reliability analysis, but also for students doing finance, insurance and stochastic analysis.

Learning outcome

After completing the course you

  • know the foundations of convexity and optimisation
  • are familiar with the central concepts of risk analysis
  • are able to carry out simple risk analyses from real problems
  • know how to construct and analyze different stochastic models
  • have knowledge about the relevant software used in the analyses
  • are able to participate in research projects within risk and reliability analysis.

Admission to the course

Students admitted at UiO must apply for courses in Studentweb. Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may apply to take this course as a single course student.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.

Overlapping courses

Teaching

4 hours of lectures/exercises per week throughout the semester.

The course may be taught in Norwegian if the lecturer and all students at the first lecture agree to it.

Upon the attendance of three or fewer students, the lecturer may, in conjunction with the Head of Teaching, change the course to self-study with supervision.

Examination

Final written exam or final oral exam, which counts 100 % towards the final grade.

The form of examination will be announced by the lecturer by 15 October/15 March for the autumn semester and the spring semester respectively.

This course has 1 mandatory assignment that must be approved before you can sit the final exam.

It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses: STK9400 – Risk and Reliability Analysis

Examination support material

Written examination: Approved calculators are allowed. Information about approved calculators in Norwegian.

Oral examination: No examination support material is allowed.

Language of examination

Courses taught in English will only offer the exam paper in English. You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:

More about examinations at UiO

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.

Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 14, 2026 8:44:56 PM

Facts about this course

Level
Master
Credits
10
Teaching
Autumn

Spring semester 2026: This course will only be given as a self-study course for master students at the Department of Mathematics.

Taught according to demand and resources. Contact studieinfo@math.uio.no if you are interested in this course.

Examination
Spring
Teaching language
English

Contact

Department of Mathematics