Admission Requirements: PhD in Global Leadership and Change

In an effort to process your application quickly, we only accept electronic application materials.

To apply for this program, please submit:

1. Application for admission with a nonrefundable processing fee.

2. For domestic students, transcripts from the regionally accredited colleges or universities that awarded your baccalaureate and masters degree may be sent through one of the methods noted below. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial admissions review; however official transcripts must be received to complete your student file.

• Electronic Transcript(s) emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu
• Official transcript(s) may be sent from one of the following approved companies:
  
  • National Student Clearinghouse
  • Parchment
  • eSCRIP-SAFE
• Hard-copy Transcript(s), in a sealed and stamped envelope, mailed to:

Pepperdine University-GSEP
5th Floor- Enrollment Processing
6100 Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA

3. Two letters of recommendation attesting to the applicant’s academic and/or professional character, leadership experience, and/or potential. The online Professional Recommendation form should be emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu. 

4. A Statement of Purpose (1,000-2,000 words) addressing such topics as your view of leadership, ability to create followers, propensity to take risks, evidence of a purposeful research agenda, perseverance and demonstrated achievements, future career and life objectives, and reasons for pursuing a PhD program, emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

5. (Optional) - A verified record of academic written and presented research submitted via the PhD Research Experience Form on the online application.

6. Your professional CV or resume emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

7. A personal or group interview with a program director for qualified applicants who apply to the program.

8. If your baccalaureate or master's degree GPA is lower than 3.0 or you're seeking an exception to our TOEFL/IELTS test requirements, please fill out this Exception Request Form and email it to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

A writing sample and/or critical thinking assessment may be assigned to a candidate before potential admission at the discretion of the program director

For current GSEP EdD students and alumni only: Current GSEP EdD students and EdD alumni who have graduated in the last seven years may transfer up to 39 EdD units to the Ph.D. in Global Leadership and Change program. The final decision of transfer is recommended in conjunction with a committee appointed by the program director which includes committee members and the director of student success, or designee. This committee will make the final recommendation to the Admission Office based upon analysis of official transcripts, syllabi, and other relevant material submitted by the candidate.

International Student Requirements:

All applicants who received or will receive their degree from a university outside of the US (unless the degree is from a university which is already regionally accredited within the US) are required to submit a detailed foreign transcript evaluation report from any National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member, such as the International Education Research Foundation at ierf.org or the World Education Services, Inc., at wes.org.

A detailed foreign transcript evaluation report will contain the following:

• Foreign transcripts translated into English.
• Grade point average calculated on a 4.0 scale.
• A determination of US degree equivalency (regional accreditation equivalency is required)

If you have not completed your bachelor's degree at the time of application, submit a current transcript. Upon degree completion, you are required to provide official transcripts in a sealed envelope directly from the institution who awarded your degree prior to enrollment.

Mailing Address:
Pepperdine University-GSEP
5th Floor- Enrollment Processing
6100 Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA

Note: If your first language is not English, you must submit a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL). If taking the Internet-based TOEFL test, you will need a minimum score of 80. Information concerning the availability of this test outside of the US can be obtained by contacting TOEFL, Educational Testing Services, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA or the TOEFL website. Our TOEFL code is 4630. As an alternative to the TOEFL, you may submit a score of at least 6.5 on the IELTS exam.