UCLA Mathematics Department: A Tradition of Excellence and Innovation

The UCLA Mathematics Department stands as a vibrant center for cutting-edge research and education, both in pure and applied mathematics. Its commitment to pushing mathematical boundaries, fostering collaboration, and providing a supportive environment for students has earned it a prominent place among the top mathematics departments in the nation and worldwide.

A Legacy of Groundbreaking Research

UCLA’s renowned Mathematics Department explores the frontiers of pure and applied mathematical research. The department has pioneered many of the most remarkable advances in applied mathematics. UCLA Math also has a reputation for cracking the most difficult pure math challenges, including a proof of the Serre Conjecture and the Twin Prime Conjecture. Through applied math, our faculty is discovering innovative solutions to some of today’s most pressing issues. From detecting and predicting crime hot spots to virtual surgery using computational geometry, the UCLA Mathematics department is working to shape the world of tomorrow.

The Department of Mathematics is by far the youngest of the top mathematics departments in the nation. Since awarding its first PhD in 1947, it has grown significantly. As of Fall 2018, it has 50 ladder faculty and 72 assistant adjunct professors, postdoctoral fellows and visiting faculty, encompassing major areas of both pure and applied mathematics. Yet, despite its size and scope, indeed perhaps because of it, the Department has succeeded in creating a unique synergy among its faculty across its research groups. The Department is a center of excellence for cutting-edge research in mathematics, including interfaces with other disciplines.

National Recognition and Rankings

UCLA's mathematics department consistently places among the top programs in the country. According to the 2024 US News & World Report ranking, UCLA is ranked #7 in mathematics. The applied math research group propelled to #2 in the nation (US News). This ranking is a testament to the quality of faculty, resources, and research initiatives found at UCLA.

News & World Report’s 2018 Best Graduate Schools rankings (most recent), the UCLA Mathematics Graduate Program maintained its highest historical ranking of seven (shared) overall in the nation. In seven research specialties, the Program ranked in the top ten: Analysis (#1), Applied Math (#2), Logic (#2), Algebra/Number Theory/Algebraic Geometry (#8), Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics (#11), Geometry (#12), and Topology (#7). For more information about the rankings of the entire UCLA Department of Mathematics, read the 2020 Academic Ranking of World Universities for Mathematics.

In 2007, the Department received the American Mathematical Society's (AMS) Award for an Exemplary Program or Achievement in a Mathematics Department. The award recognizes a mathematics department in North America that has distinguished itself by undertaking an unusual or particularly effective program of value to the mathematics community, internally, or in relation to the rest of society. The Department was the second recipient of the award. AMS praised the Department for "a comprehensive vision for its undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral training programs that involves important interactions with the NSF-funded Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM) at UCLA.

Academic Programs and Opportunities

The department offers a variety of undergraduate majors, including Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Mathematics for Teaching, and a joint major in Mathematics and Economics. The curriculum is rigorous, providing both foundational courses and specialized electives to help students master various mathematical areas and concepts.

As of fall 2020, the graduate program has 152 PhD candidates. The 24 PhD graduates of 2019-2020 are continuing their research studies in postdoctoral positions or as tenured faculty at premier institutions such as Princeton, Carnegie Mellon University, Rutgers, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, and the Institute for Basic Science, Center for Geometry and Physics.

Undergraduate Research

One of the distinguishing features of the UCLA math department is the diversity of opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in research. There are numerous research programs available, such as the Research in Industrial Projects for Students (RIPS) program and the Undergraduate Research Program. These initiatives allow students to gain practical experience and collaborate with peers and faculty on relevant mathematical problems.

Beyond the Classroom

The Department encourages close interaction between faculty and its diverse graduate student body to maximize students' educational experience. There are many opportunities for learning mathematics beyond formal coursework. To supplement the classroom experience, a Distinguished Lecture Series, weekly colloquia and conferences are offered throughout the year.

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Facilities and Resources

The Department is located in the Mathematical Sciences Building, which is centrally situated on the UCLA campus. The MS building houses classrooms, administrative offices, faculty offices, graduate student offices, the graduate student lounge and several computer labs. The Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Library is located nearby in the adjoining Boelter Hall. PC’s are available in all graduate student offices. The department also maintains a Linux based “Beowulf” cluster for parallel computing.

Additional facilities include:

The Graduate Reading Room, which has a large non-circulating collection of books, over 9,000 monographs, and subscribes to 150 mathematical journals.
The Applied Computing Lab (ACL) in MS 6187 (available to all Applied Math graduate students) consists of six machines running Linux and eight machines running Windows 7.

The Department offers a broad variety of computing resources for students, faculty, staff, and guests.

Student Life and Support

UCLA offers a vibrant campus life and strong support system for its students, which further enhances the overall undergraduate experience.

Diversity in Mathematics & Statistics

During the 2021-2022 academic year, 767 mathematics & statistics majors earned their bachelor's degree from UCLA. During the 2021-2022 academic year, 70 mathematics & statistics majors earned their master's degree from UCLA. Of these graduates, 60% were men and 40% were women.

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