Eligibility Requirements

  • Minimum Cumulative USC GPA of 3.0
  • At least three Math 400-level courses completed at USC (MATH 425a is required)
  • At least 64 total units of undergraduate college course work, excluding any AP, IB or transfer units earned prior to graduation from high school

Students must meet the requirements listed above to be eligible to apply for this PDP. Please note that meeting these standards does not guarantee admission.

 

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 21 units of 500-level coursework must be completed for this PDP (graduate credit). These courses cannot be used to satisfy requirements for the undergraduate degree. To graduate, students must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in graduate credit applied to the PDP. The 21 units consist of:

15 units of required courses

1) MATH 525a Real Analysis (3 units)
2) MATH 501 Numerical Analysis and Computation (3 units)*
3) MATH 505a Applied Probability (3 units)
4) MATH 505b Applied Probability (3 units)
5) MATH 541a Introduction to Mathematical Statistics

At least 6 units of electives
Electives can be any other 500-level Mathematics course. For electives outside of the Math department, please contact the PDP advisor for an approved list.

Other Requirements

To complete the program, the student must choose one of the following options:

  1. Non-thesis option: pass, at master’s level or higher, graduate exams in Analysis (525a) and Probability (505a). Exams are offered twice a year during the week before the fall and spring semester starts. To learn more about the topics covered and see past exam questions, visit this website.
  2. Thesis option: Register for MATH 594a, MATH 594b and write a master’s thesis. The thesis must be approved by the student’s thesis committee and submitted following the guidelines set by the The Graduate School.​​​​​​​ Units earned from MATH 594a and MATH 594b are in addition to the minimum 21 units required for this PDP.

*NOTE REGARDING MATH 501*
MATH 458 and MATH 501 are similar. However, MATH 501 cannot be waived for the PDP or be substituted by MATH 458. If you need to complete MATH 458 for your undergraduate degree requirements and you are admitted into this PDP, we recommend asking your undergraduate advisor if MATH 458 can be waived for your undergraduate major or substituted by MATH 501.

If MATH 458 is waived, you will not need to complete the course to graduate with your bachelor’s degree, but will receive 0 units of credit. This is not a concern if you are able to meet the minimum units required to graduate with a bachelor’s degree without completing MATH 458.

If MATH 458 is substituted by MATH 501, then MATH 501 (3 units) will become undergraduate credit because the units are used to fulfill undergraduate degree requirements. You will need to take an additional 3-unit elective for the PDP in order to reach the minimum 20 units of 500-level coursework required for this PDP (graduate credit).

Sample Course Plans

The following course plans below provide examples of how to complete the PDP in 3-4 semesters. Your actual course plan may differ depending on your remaining undergraduate degree requirements and how many graduate courses you can include in your schedule per semester.

We do not recommend taking more than 2-3 graduate-level courses in one semester. If it’s your first time completing a graduate-level course, we recommend no more than 2 graduate courses in that semester.

  • Fall Semester #1

    MATH 525a (3 units) – only offered in the fall
    MATH 505a (3 units) – only offered in the fall

    Spring Semester #2

    Take Graduate Exams in January and attempt to pass at Master’s level or higher
    MATH 505b (3 units) – only offered in the spring
    MATH 501 (3 units) – only offered in the spring or summer
    MATH 541a (3 units) – only offered in the spring

    Fall Semester #3

    Attempt Graduate Exams in August if you didn’t pass in your first attempt
    Elective (3 units)
    Elective (3 units)

     

  • Spring Semester #1

    MATH 501 (3 units) – only offered in the spring or summer
    Elective (3 units)

    Fall Semester #2

    MATH 525a (3 units) – only offered in the fall
    MATH 505a (3 units) – only offered in the fall

    Spring Semester #3

    Take Graduate Exams in January and attempt to pass at Master’s level or higher

    MATH 505b (3 units) – only offered in the spring
    MATH 541a (3 units) – only offered in the spring
    Elective (3 units)

     

Steps to Apply

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

  1. Fill out the PDP application form with your remaining undergraduate degree requirements and PDP requirements. Courses that fulfill your undergraduate degree requirements should have an X or check mark for “UG” = undergraduate credit. Courses that fulfill your PDP degree requirements should have an X or check mark for “GR” = graduate credit. A course cannot be marked for both UG and GR credit.
  2. Send the completed form to the PDP advisor and undergraduate advisor(s) for review. If no corrections need to be made to the PDP course plan, advisors will sign the form. If corrections need to be made, advisors will discuss changes with you via email or during a scheduled meeting.
  3. Ask professors to send a letter of recommendation to the PDP advisor. Two letters of recommendation from professors are required for applicants with a cumulative GPA below 3.5. One letter of recommendation is required for applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
  4. Once all application materials are submitted, you will receive admission results within 2 weeks.