Mathematics and Statistics

Prospective Students

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted online via https://www.calstate.edu/apply.

Recommendation letters are not required, but they can strengthen an application. Letters can be emailed directly to the Coordinator of the Mathematics & Statistics Department Graduate Program, Dr. Adam King, or mailed to the following address:

Graduate Coordinator 
Department of Mathematics & Statistics
Cal Poly Pomona
3801 W. Temple Avenue
Pomona CA 91768

Application Deadline

Applications are due April 1 in the Spring immediately preceding the Fall term in which you wish to begin the program.

Students may not begin the program in Spring or Summer terms; however, students may take up to 9 units through Open University and have the credit apply towards a master's degree.

Our department offers a Graduate Teaching Associate program.  For more details and application information, please see Open Positions.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have completed a baccalaureate degree program in Mathematics comparable to that offered at this university or a baccalaureate degree in a related field with at least 15 semester units of upper-division courses in Mathematics. Students whose undergraduate degree is in a field other than Mathematics will generally find it necessary to follow a program of additional preparation before undertaking graduate work in Mathematics.

Each application will be considered by the departmental graduate committee and recommended for admission on the basis of all evidence applicable to the student's admission. An applicant not meeting the minimum standards of the department may be admitted as a conditional student, if space is available. Students must comply with the conditions of admittance within the time stipulated.

Note that recommendation letters, the General GRE, and the Subject GRE in Mathematics are NOT required for admission. However, strong letters of support and significant GRE scores will strengthen an application.

Basic Degree Requirements

Regardless of the chosen emphasis, graduate students must complete 30 units worth of courses as described in the graduate portion of the university catalog. The Mathematics Education emphases further require a thesis (thus, 26 units of courses and 4 units for preparation of the thesis). The Pure, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics emphases offer an option of either completing a thesis (thus, 26 units of courses and 4 units for preparation of the thesis) or completing a Comprehensive Exam (thus, 28 units of courses and 2 unit for preparation of taking the exam). For details, consult the University Catalog.

How to Prepare

All students in the graduate program must successfully complete MAT 5110 (Real Analysis I). Consequently, it is in an applicant's best interest to have completed upper-division undergraduate Mathematics courses equivalent to MAT 3100 (Introduction to Mathematical Proof) and MAT 3140 (Introduction to Real Analysis I).

For descriptions of courses offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, see the University Catalog.

To be prepared for our graduate program, it is recommended that students complete at least the following courses (or their equivalents), based on choice of emphasis:

  • Pure Mathematics: MAT 3140, MAT 4170, MAT 4190, and MAT 4280.
  • Applied Mathematics: MAT 3140, MAT 4010, and MAT 4310.
  • Statistics: MAT 3140, STA 2200, and (STA 2260 or STA 2100).
  • Mathematics Education: MAT 3140, MAT 4170, and MAT 4280.

Note: Completion of the above courses (or their equivalents) is not required for admission to the program, but it is recommended.

Work experience and undergraduate course work may be taken into account by the Graduate Committee for credit towards the admission of an applicant.