I’ve had the great privilege of being guided by faculty who have shaped me into a better student, a more faithful believer, and a more compassionate citizen. Through their teaching, I’ve learned the importance of statistical literacy, rigorous research, and theoretical frameworks. My professors have walked alongside me during moments of confusion, prayed with me when I felt distant from God, and celebrated with me as I reached personal and academic milestones.
Head Editor for the Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research
Residential Advisor
Tutor for Athletics
World-Class Mentors In and Out of the Classroom
In each academic division and major, you have the opportunity to engage in research projects with your professors. From publishing articles in a journal to conducting research and presenting your findings at a national conference, you’re able to add these notable achievements to your resume and graduate school applications.
Pepperdine University seeks to integrate and direct these experiences toward your development intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
Flo La Valle
Assistant Professor of Biology
NSF $500K grant: High
Nutrient Submarine
Groundwater Discharge
Delivery Effects on Coastal
Primary Productivity on Coral Reefs in Maunalua Bay, Hawaii
Fabien Scalzo
Associate Professor of Computer Science
▸ Director of the Artificial Intelligence in Imaging and Neuroscience Lab
▸ More than 200 research papers
▸ Associate Editor of Frontiers in Neurology
▸ Recipient of the NSF China Young Scholar Award and BAEF Fellowship
“Professor Fabien Scalzo introduced me to the fascinating intersection of AI and medicine and has mentored me in tackling some challenging problems in the field. I know our bond will last a lifetime.”
SEAN WU,
’25
Roshawnda A. Derrick
Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies
Published “Radio-Lect: Spanish/English Code-Switching in On-Air Advertisements” exploring linguistic patterns that influence consumer evaluations among the US’ growing Latinx population
Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso
Professor of Psychology
Published “Toward an understanding of collective intellectual humility” in Trends in Cognitive Sciences and discussed intellectual humility merit in The Washington Post
Jason Blakely
Associate Professor of Political Science
▸ Author of Lost in Ideology: Interpreting Modern Political Life, Columbia University Press
▸ High acclaim in scholarly and popular critics circles
Sydney Nystrom
Majors French Studies and International Studies
During my time abroad, I learned how to navigate an unknown environment and to engage with unfamiliar cultures across the globe. Through its extensive opportunities available to students, Pepperdine gave me practical tools like interpersonal relationshipbuilding and a consistent work ethic, which create the building blocks for a successful future and will allow me to flourish in the postgrad world.
Global Fellows Ambassador Expands Cultural Intelligence
International Programs
Château d'Hauteville, Switzerland
Washington, DC
Academic Accolades
Valedictorian
2024-25 International Studies
Outstanding Graduate Award
Presented at the ISA West Conference
Interned at Securitas in Switzerland and the American Foreign Policy
Council in Washington, DC
Involvement
Global Fellows Program Ambassador
Sudreau Global Justice Club
Global Tides Podcast Co-Host
Sean Wu
Major Computer Science/Mathematics
Minor Advanced Data Science
Pepperdine prepared me in the best way possible. It not only allowed me to attend and speak at top conferences in my field of AI (NeuRIPS), but it also allowed me to publish academic papers that enabled me to win a Rhodes Scholarship and attend my dream PhD program.
Rhodes Scholar Prepares for the Future of AI
Academic Accolades
Undergraduate AI Researcher
Rhodes Scholarship Recipient
Goldwater Scholarship Recipient
Accepted to Stanford Computer Science PhD program
Attending Oxford University for Grad School
Involvement
Pepperdine Symphony Orchestra
Pepperdine Wind Ensemble
Student Success Center Tutor
Cultivate a Meaningful Life
Advance Yourself Here
Learning takes place constantly and in every facet of a student’s life.
Discover Your Community
At Pepperdine, the student experience is rich with remarkable people with great enthusiasm for the robust traditions and opportunities unique to the University.
With more than 110 student clubs and organizations, an active student government, Greek life, a strong athletic tradition, more than 1,000 on-campus events each year, intramural and club sports, student-led spiritual life activities every day of the week, and theatre and dance productions, activities to join and opportunities for you to build lasting friendships abound.
Activities and Traditions
Blue and Orange Madness
Coffeehouse Gatherings
Culture Festival and Club Fair
Global Learning Week
Dance in Flight
Pepperdine Improv Troupe
President's Reception
Reel Stories Film Festival
Residence Hall House Cup Competition
Spring Concert
Step Forward Day
Waves Weekend
Winter Wonderland
Pepperdine is home to students from all 50 states and more than 80 different countries.
Commitment to Your Success
Live on the most beautiful college campus in the nation. Pepperdine’s residential campus is home to approximately 3,500 undergraduate students from many cultural, socioeconomic, religious, ethnic, geographic, and rigorous academic backgrounds. Each student’s personal experiences, passions, and accomplishments contribute to the culture on campus.
Housing and Residence Life, the Hub for Spiritual Life, and Campus Recreation support an active and vibrant campus experience. The Malibu campus features 25 residential complexes that contain fully furnished residence halls or apartments. Our first-year students live in separate men’s or women’s halls and are supported by student resident advisors and spiritual life advisors who support their personal growth and integration into the Pepperdine community.
Student Resources
Academic Advising
Campus Recreation
Career Center
Counseling Center
Health Center
Housing and Residence Life
Hub for Spiritual Life
Intercultural Affairs
Dining
Office of Financial Assistance
Office of International
Student Services
Office of Student Accessibility
Public Safety
Student Activities
Student Employment
Student Success Center
There are nine different dining options on campus ranging from the Waves Cafe, affectionately dubbed “the Caf” by students, to the Starbucks in Payson Library.
The dining facilities are committed to using locally sourced produce and supporting specific dietary needs by providing students with organic, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan meal options.
Resilience-Informed Skills Education
The Resilience-Informed Skills Education (RISE) program seeks to build the physical, cognitive, social, life skills, service, and spiritual resilience of our students by providing them with frameworks that can be used to navigate life's difficulties.
More than 60% of students live on campus
AYO Waves!
School spirit is high at Pepperdine. With an exceptional number of studentathletes and coaches who have rushed the court after winning national championships, been inducted into halls of fame, and medaled at the Olympics, the Waves magic is inspiring.
It’s not just those on the court that bleed blue and orange. Willie the Wave joins painted bodies chanting “AYO Waves!” at the top of their lungs to spread school spirit and get the crowd going at every game.
Waves Highlights
17 Division I athletic teams demand victory and compete with purpose.
377 All-American men and women
60 student-athletes and alumni have either competed in or coached at the Summer Olympics since 1956
14 team national championships
12 individual national championships
Men’s
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Golf
Indoor Volleyball
Tennis Track
Water Polo
Club
Beach Volleyball
Surfing
Tennis
Women’s
Basketball
Beach Volleyball
Cross Country
Golf
Indoor Volleyball
Soccer
Swimming and Diving
Tennis Track
Intramural Sports
Basketball
Flag Football
Pickleball
Soccer
Volleyball
Sam Brock
Majors Theatre Arts and Acting
Pepperdine has prepared me to enter the entertainment business in many ways. The training, intimacy of the program, and time on stage allowed me to really fall in love with my craft and realize that acting is something I want to do with my life.
Actor and Theatre Arts Major Assists the Dean of Fine Arts
International Program
Edinburgh, Scotland
Academic Accolades
Theatre Scholarship Recipient
Involvement
Pepperdine Improv Troupe
Pepperdine Pickups
Assistant to the Dean of the Fine Arts Division
Service Projects
Boys and Girls Club of Malibu
Rochelle Williams
Major Political Science
Minor
Journalism
My favorite campus traditions are Waves Weekend and Blue and Orange Madness, which kick off the school year and the basketball season. The weekend is packed with fun carnival rides, games, movies, and free food! I especially enjoy being able to share that time at my new home with my family.
Political Science Major Studies in Florence and Interns in DC
International Programs
Florence, Italy
Washington, DC
Academic Accolades
Presented at the Midwest Political Science Association Annual Conference in Chicago
Interned at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC
Summer Undergraduate Research Program
Ralph Bunche Summer Institute 2025 Scholar
Faculty Student Mentor Research Program Participant
Involvement
President of Black Student Association
Resident Advisor in First-Year Housing
Service Projects
Harvest of Hope
Many Mansions
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
Seconds from the surf and an hour from the snow, Pepperdine’s idyllic location allows you to take advantage of Southern California’s mild climate year-round.
A Vibrant Local Community
Picture yourself living and studying in the relaxed coastal community of Malibu, California, just 30 miles away from the myriad professional and cultural opportunities that exist within the bustling metropolis of Los Angeles.
Malibu
Affectionately nicknamed “the ’Bu” by locals, Malibu is a beachside community that attracts surfers, students, and Hollywood celebrities alike. Take the famous Pacific Coast Highway up the coastline and explore the 21 miles of scenic beauty that are lined with dining destinations, contemporary shopping centers, and endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. From picturesque Zuma Beach to the rolling hills of Malibu Canyon, the beauty of Malibu is often described as breathtaking.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is more than just the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” It is a cultural hub and global leader in business, technology, and trade. Within minutes, students have unparalleled access to industry, entertainment, fashion, art, sports, recreation, and more. You can spend the morning on the beach, visit one of the world-renowned art museums during the day, and end the evening at a concert.
56 miles Disneyland 10 miles Getty Villa 37 miles Griffith Observatory 28 miles L.A. Live 23 miles Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
25 miles Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 13 miles Santa Monica Pier
26 miles SoFi Stadium
15 miles Venice Beach
Make a Lasting Impact
Transform Your Life Here
Build a life and career you love, for greater purpose.
Explore the World. Make a Difference.
Embrace your sense of adventure and emerge as a global citizen with new cultural perspectives and diverse relationships.
Whether in the heart of London or in historic Heidelberg, you will never feel too far from home. You will be living and studying in Pepperdine-owned facilities and be taught and mentored by faculty from the Malibu campus.
In one of our study abroad programs, picture yourself visiting the Duomo in central Florence or making empanadas with your homestay families in Argentina. Strengthen your cross-cultural communication by immersing yourself in the local communities while taking Pepperdine classes.
In addition to our academic year and semester programs, we offer a range of specialized summer faculty-led programs. In previous years, Edinburgh, Fiji, Japan, Kenya, Madrid, and Uganda were among the many locations that have hosted Pepperdine students.
Six International Program Campuses
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina
CHÂTEAU D’HAUTEVILLE, Switzerland
FLORENCE, Italy
HEIDELBERG, Germany
LONDON, United Kingdom
WASHINGTON, DC
Approximately 95% of students participate in one of Pepperdine’s highly regarded international programs and cite it as one of the highlights of their time at Pepperdine University.
23 PROGRAM OPTIONS
Participate in a variety of semester, academic year, summer, internship, and faculty-led programs.
Engage the City
Pepperdine student studies on the lawn of the Lincoln Memorial one mile from the Pepperdine DC campus.
April Marshall
Professor of Hispanic Studies and Washington, DC, Faculty in Residence
▸ PhD, New York University
▸ Presented more than 20 papers in her field across North and South America
As students study abroad, they remain in the hands of expert Pepperdine faculty. Professors like Marshall engage students in cultural humility as they seek to solve today’s most pressing challenges.
Gain Global Perspective in DC
At the forefront of global symposia, diplomacy, trade, and cultural exchange, the Washington, DC, DC Plus, and Global Fellows programs offer students real-world experience with the issues, ideas, and people shaping the future, making them the starting point of many highly coveted careers in the US and around the world.
DC Plus Program
The DC Plus program offers students a unique opportunity to broaden their worldview and gain meaningful professional experience. Students spend one semester immersed in a rich cultural environment through one of Pepperdine’s international programs, followed by a second semester interning in the nation’s capital through the Washington, DC, program. This combination makes the DC Plus program ideal for students eager to deepen their global perspective while taking important steps toward their career goals.
Global Fellows Program Mission
Pepperdine’s Global Fellows program is designed to equip students to engage meaningfully across cultures and disciplines. The program empowers students to:
• Lead and communicate with cultural humility and global competence
• Build a robust network of professionals and mentors
• Collaborate with communities around the world
To become a Global Fellow, students commit to two semesters abroad followed by a third semester in the Washington, DC, program, integrating global learning with real-world experience.
A Life of Service
Service is a posture, not an event, and developing that ethos is critical to the transformative educational experience. A degree from Pepperdine ensures students carry an inherent desire to serve and make a difference in the lives of others.
Step Forward Day
Step Forward Day is a 30-year annual tradition that connects students, faculty, staff, and alumni around the world to service opportunities within their communities.
The Pepperdine Impact
The world needs leaders who are rooted in ethical decision-making, critical thinking, real-world application, and global perspective. Professional and personal leadership preparation is one of the greatest benefits of earning your degree at Pepperdine.
Internships
In addition to the career-building internships at leading companies in the Los Angeles area, students have the opportunity to gain work experience worldwide through internship programs in Washington, DC; Château d’Hauteville, Switzerland; and London, United Kingdom.
Graduate Fellowships
Nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships provide unique opportunities for postbaccalaureate study and research domestically and abroad. Every year, a committee of faculty advisors and a team of administrative staff assist undergraduate students who are pursuing these highly selective, prestigious awards.
Scholars
2017–24
1 Rhodes Scholarship
28 Fulbright Scholarships
15 Other Awards
177 Awards Since 1985
90% of Pepperdine students participate in internships, student teaching, on- or off-campus employment, or undergraduate research.
Stephen Davis
Distinguished Professor of Biology
▸ BS, MS, Abilene Christian University
▸ PhD, University of Texas A&M
▸ Luckman Distinguished Teaching Award, Howard A. White Teaching Award
▸ Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching (National), 2008
Kai Pruismann
Major Finance
Pepperdine has prepared me to pursue my purpose by giving me room to take real risks and grow from them. The career center connected me with professionals in finance and tech who helped me see how my skills could translate into real-world impact. I’ve been encouraged to take ownership through interviewing for roles that push me out of my comfort zone, facing rejection, reflecting on why, and coming back stronger.
Court-Appointed Special Advocate Plans for a Future in Finance
International Program
London, United Kingdom
Academic Accolades
Haynes Boone Investment Management Internship
7-Eleven Cost Policy Internship
Involvement
Spiritual Life Advisor
Assistant to the Office of the Chancellor
Pepperdine Ambassadors Council
Career Coaching Program
Pepperdine Club Rugby
Service Projects
Court-Appointed Special Advocates
Kennedy Duke
Major Advertising
Attending the 2024 Paris Olympics, surrounded by people from every corner of the world who are all united by greatness and hope, reminded me of my purpose: to use my voice, my creativity, and my education to create change and push the boundaries around women in sports. Pepperdine has challenged me to think not just about what I can achieve, but how I can elevate others.
Editor in Chief Harnesses the Power of Storytelling in Advertising
International Program
Paris Olympics
Academic Accolades
Editor in Chief, Currents Magazine
Presenter at the Associated Collegiate Press Conference
Involvement
Pepperdine Athletics Marketing Department
Women’s Basketball Program
Pepperdine Intramural Basketball
Life Groups
Service Projects
Step Forward Day
147,000 Alumni Strong
More than 25 organized groups and chapters are located all over the US and around the world.
Alumni Success and Career Enhancement
Recent Pepperdine grads have gone on to work for companies including:
The Academy of Country Music
AEG
Amazon
Amgen
AT&T
Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation
Boeing
Capital One
Creative Artists Agency
Deloitte
Disney
DreamWorks Animation
Ernst & Young
ESPN
Essence
Fidelity Investments
Four Seasons
Fox
The Gary Sinise Foundation
Goldman Sachs
Google
and many more...
Hughes Research Lab
International Justice Mission
Jumpstart
Kaiser Permanente
KPMG
Live Nation
Mattel
Meta
Morgan Stanley
National Institutes of Health
NBC Universal
Nordstrom
Oprah Winfrey
Network
Oracle
Peace Corps
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Sony
Target
Teach for America
Wells Fargo
Zappos
91% of graduates have recognized professional outcomes within six months of graduating
(either employed, volunteering full time, serving in the military, or have been accepted to graduate school to further their education)
Within Your Reach
The Office of Financial Assistance makes it possible for students and families to access the transformative educational experience that Pepperdine offers. The priority deadlines for financial assistance are November 1 for Early Action and Early Decision admission and February 15 for Regular Decision, transfer student, and nursing student admission.
Application Statistics
Number of Applications: 14,239
Enrolled: 1,175 (Based on fall 2025)
Admit Averages
Mid-50% Unweighted
First-Year GPA: 3.63–3.88
Transfer GPA: 3.54–3.83
SAT Total: 1330–1420
ACT Composite: 30–33
TOEFL IBT: 101–106
(Based on fall 2025)
Tuition and Fees
Tuition (12–18 units): $71,860
Housing and Food: $22,480
Campus Life Fee: $252
Wellness Fee: $560
Total Direct Cost: $95,152
(Based on the 2025–26 academic year)
Financial Aid
Pepperdine contributed approximately $119 million in University-funded grants and scholarships for undergraduate students during the 2024–25 academic year.
Types of Financial Aid
Institutional Academic and Merit Scholarships
Institutional Need-Based Grants
Federal and State Aid
Federal Work Study
94% of the incoming fall 2025 class received some form of financial assistance.
Next Steps
Early Action Deadline
November 1
Early Decision I Deadline
November 1
Early Decision II Deadline
January 15
Regular Decision Deadline
January 15
Transfer Student Deadline
January 15
Nursing Deadline
January 15
Apply Online go.pepperdine.edu/admission
Visit Campus go.pepperdine.edu/visit
Pepperdine Undergraduate Admission 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90263
All academic, enrollment, and financial statistics contained in this publication are based upon figures or official estimates available as of June 15, 2025, and some may be subject to change. Sources available upon request.
Our students are free to explore the world in their fields of study, inspired by our exceptional faculty who seek to cultivate the whole person—body, mind, and soul. They are free to flourish in lives of purpose, service, and leadership.
