The Preliminary Examinations are written exams designed to assess core knowledge in applied mathematics. It is a key milestone for both Ph.D. and M.S. students in the program.
The exams are offered twice a year—once before the Fall quarter (during the week prior to the start of instruction) and once after the Spring quarter (following final exams). Multiple attempts are allowed; only the timing of a successful pass matters.
Ph.D. students must pass either both exams in Area A (Analysis and Applied), or one exam in Area A and one in Area B (Data Science, Numerical Analysis, Probability, or Theoretical Computer Science) before their third year in the program.
M.S. students must pass the MAT 207ABC Applied Preliminary Exam, which fulfills the comprehensive exam requirement for the M.S. degree.
Preliminary Exam Content
- Core Coursework (Area A) Students are examined on material from either:
- MAT 201AB (Analysis) or
- MAT 207ABC (Applied)
- Specialization Tracks (Area B – Ph.D. only) Students select one of the following tracks:
- Data Science: MAT 168, MAT 170
- Numerical Analysis: MAT 128ABC
- Probability: MAT 135AB
- Theoretical Computer Science: ECS 220, ECS 222
Preliminary Exam Workshops
Initiated under the NSF VIGRE program in 2002, these workshops continue to support student success today. The Mathematics Department offers review sessions and problem-solving workshops designed to help students prepare for the graduate preliminary examinations.
All students are welcome to participate, though the workshops are especially beneficial for:
- Incoming students in both the Mathematics and GGAM programs
- First-year students who have not yet passed their exams
Students may also refer to previously administered exams and resources compiled by Galois Group.
| Workshop Topic | Instructor | Dates | Time/Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Math | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Analysis | Connor Fitzgerald | August | TBD |
About the Preliminary Exams
MAT 201AB (Analysis Portion)
- The Chair of the Mathematics Graduate Program Committee (GPC) invites two current GPC members to draft exam problems, in consultation with the previous year’s MAT 201AB instructors.
- Drafted problems are submitted to the GPC and GGAM Chairs for review.
- The GPC and GGAM Chairs select the final set of exam problems.
- The GGAM Executive Committee reviews the grades and recommends pass/fail outcomes.
More information and past exams for the Analysis Portion can be found here.
MAT 207ABC (Applied Portion) and Area B
- The GGAM Executive Committee consults the previous year’s MAT 207ABC instructors for potential exam problems, as well as instructors in each of the topics of Area B.
- The Committee selects the final exam problems from these submissions.
- The same instructors are responsible for grading their respective exams.
- The Committee evaluates the results and recommends pass/fail outcomes.