Pepperdine University

About Pepperdine University

Pepperdine University is a private, not-for-profit Christian college with main campuses in California and programs in Washington DC and across the world. Besides delivering high quality undergraduate and graduate education, its primary objective is to help students live lives of purpose, service, and leadership. At the graduate level, Pepperdine University offers degrees in areas of business, law, education, psychology, and public policy.

Type of Institution

4 yr

Private not-for-profit

Tuition Range

Over $35K

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

13:1

Financial Aid Percent

88%

Graduation Rate

Not available

Accreditation Status

Accredited

Tuition

Range shown below is based on In-state tuition and does not include any external costs such as housing, books, etc.

Estimate Tuition Range

$$$$.................................. $0 - $15,000
$$$$.................................. $15,001 - $25,000
$$$$.................................. $25,001 - $35,000
$$$$.................................. $35,001 or above

Financial Aid Percent

Includes students receiving Federal work study aid as well as aid from pell grants,federal grants, scholarships, and other sources of financial aid.

Why Consider Pepperdine University?

Pepperdine University is a global, Christian University dedicated to integrating faith with learning. It encourages students and graduates to lead purposeful lives and to live as servant-minded leaders throughout the world. It is within this these goals that Pepperdine University designs and delivers its many programs. Besides the school’s dedication to a quality education and spiritual life, here are some great reasons to consider Pepperdine University:

Pepperdine University Ranking

U.S. News ranks Pepperdine University #46 (tie) in National Universities, #18 in Best Colleges for Veterans, and #35 (tie) in Best Value Schools.i At the graduate school level, Pepperdine University ranked #1 in Dispute Resolution (ranked under Best Law Schools), #51 in Part-time MBA, #64 in Public Affairs, and #72 in Best Business Schools. Its Clinical Psychology graduate program ranked #143 in the category of that name.ii

Pepperdine University’s Spiritual Life

Pepperdine University integrates worship, service, and social responsibility with rigorous academic study to create a community that nurtures students’ hearts, souls, strengths, and minds. Within this context, the school strives to align higher learning with a higher purpose. Ethics-based graduate programs and on-campus Spiritual Life Advisors help students embark on their spiritual and educational journey with inspired character. While Pepperdine was founded in the Churches of Christ tradition, it welcomes people of all faiths.

Opportunities to Serve

Pepperdine University has a Volunteer Center that helps students find and secure opportunities to serve on local, national, and global levels. This could enable students to increase their knowledge and experience in their major or in areas beyond their studies, all while making a difference in their communities and the world.

Pepperdine University Faculty

Pepperdine University’s distinguished faculty members are experts and renowned leaders in their fields. They contribute to academic discourse through published works, national and international conferences, memberships in professional organizations and societies, and cutting-edge and innovative research. In fall 2016, Pepperdine University employed 377 full-time faculty members and utilized 58 research and instructional assistants.iii

Pepperdine University’s Locations and Options

In addition to the main Pepperdine University campus in Malibu, California, there are five Pepperdine graduate school campuses located in California: one in Westlake Village, Silicon Valley, Irvine, Encino, and West Los Angeles. Pepperdine also offers programs in different parts of the world. In 2018m, it offered programs in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Florence, Italy; Heidelberg, Germany; Lausanne, Switzerland; London, United Kingdom; and Shanghai, China. It also offered a program in Washington, D.C. For students who don’t want to attend classes on a Pepperdine campus, the school offers online graduate programs in numerous disciplines. These programs offer students options to earn their degrees through a hybrid format or entirely online.

Pepperdine Athletics

Pepperdine University has 17 NCAA Division 1 teams (eight men’s and nine women’s), 13 national championships, and 12 individual championships. As of 2018, 48 graduates of Pepperdine University were Olympians, and seven were Olympic gold medalists.

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Mission,Vision and Values

Pepperdine University is a Christian university dedicated to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values. It strives to strengthen students to help them live lives of purpose, service, and leadership.

Admissions:

Each of Pepperdine University’s five schools has distinct admission requirements. However, there are several components that all sets of Pepperdine admission requirements have in common. All applicants must submit: transcripts, letters of recommendation, an application to a specific program, and when required, official test scores (from the GRE or LSAT, for example), a statement of purpose, and a resume. Each program might have additional admissions requirements beyond these. Also know that:

International applicants can work with Pepperdine’s Office of International Students (OISS) to learn about additional requirements, immigration support, and student orientations.
Applicants who are veterans have access to benefits counseling, veteran student organizations, an Ahmanson Veteran Scholarship Initiative Grant, and other support services.

General Information

Special Learning Opportunities: Undergrad Distance, Grad Distance
Credit Accepted: Dual credit, Advanced placement(AP) credits
Carnegie Classification: Doctoral/Research Universities
Religious Affiliation: Churches of Christ

Faculty

There are 1598 full-time faculty
486 Part-time instructional faculty

Student Services

ROTC Services
Study Abroad Services
Weekend Evening College Services
Remedial Services
Academic Career Counseling Services
Employment Services for Students
Placement Services Completers
Library Services

Enrollment, Attendance, Retention Rates and Graduation

Pepperdine University has a total graduate enrollment of 5241

Graduate attendance rate of 52% part-time and 48% full-time

For the years 2018-2019 Pepperdine University awarded: 943 bachelor's degrees, 1428 master's degrees, 194 doctor's degrees - professional practice, 69 doctor's degrees - research/scholarship

Financial Aid

Graduates students can access financial aid to help pay their Pepperdine University tuition, fees, and costs. The U.S. government offers Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford and Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loans to qualified graduate students, and each school offers distinct scholarship opportunities for certain graduate programs. Students can also apply for grants and loans from private institutions.

Through the accreditation process, Pepperdine University and many of its programs are reviewed by independent, qualified commissions regulated or informed by the U.S. Department of Education and professional associations across disciplines. Accreditation helps ensure that educational institutions fulfill their stated missions and provide high quality education according to national standards. Accreditation signals that Pepperdine University and its accredited programs have met or exceeded rigorous accreditation standards. Pepperdine University has institutional accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission. It has additional programmatic accreditation from:

The American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
The American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation
The National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation
The Association to advance Collegiate Schools of Business
The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics

To determine whether or not your program of interest is accredited or requires programmatic accreditation, talk to your program directly.

Campus Locations

Pepperdine University: Online
Encino CA 91436 16830 Ventura Blvd.
Pepperdine University: Encino, CA
16830 Ventura Blvd., Encino, CA, 91436
Pepperdine University: Irvine, CA
18111 Von Karman Avenue, Irvine, CA, 92612
Pepperdine University: Los Angeles, CA
6100 Center Dr., 5 Floor, Los Angeles, CA, 90045
Pepperdine University: Malibu, CA
Pepperdine University School of Public Policy, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA, 90263

Pepperdine University offers its programs through five schools: the Seaver College, the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, the Graziadio Business School, the School of Law, and the School of Public Policy. Through these schools, students can pursue master’s degrees, doctorate degrees, joint degrees, and graduate-level certificates. Of all the graduate-level Pepperdine University majors, the majority of students earning master’s degrees in 2016-2017 did so in business administration and leadership. At the doctorate level, the most popular major was law.

Pepperdine University Program Highlight: Pepperdine Law and Juris Doctor

The Pepperdine Juris Doctor degree is one of the school’s most popular programs. The program includes opportunities for professional development, study in specialized areas of interest, and co-curricular learning. Applicants interested in the program can pursue a traditional JD, an Accelerated JD, an Extended JD (that allows students to take more time to earn their JD), or a JD certificate. Applicants can also consider pursuing a JD degree alongside an MBA, Master of Dispute Resolution, Master of Divinity, or Master of Public Policy. Pepperdine Juris Doctor Degree programs include:

Opportunities to specialize in areas of law such as:
- Business and tax
- Criminal
- Dispute resolution
- Entertainment and sports
- International
- Real estate
- Public interest
Experiential learning through a Clinical Education Program, Advocacy Programs, a Global Justice Program, and Global Programs with opportunities to study abroad. Internships and practicums are also options for JD students.