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Pepperdine | Graduate School of Education and Psychology

EdD in Organizational Leadership Admission Requirements

To apply for this program, the following is required:

  • Application Form
  • Bachelor & Master's Degrees
  • Transcripts
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Statement of Purpose
  • CV/Resume
  • Interview
  • Writing Sample

Domestic Students

  Application Form

The application form is quick and easy, taking less than 15 minutes to complete. 

  Bachelor & Master's Degrees

Applicants to this program must possess a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in a closely related field.

  Transcripts

For domestic students, transcripts sent electronically via one of the approved companies listed below from the institutions that awarded the baccalaureate and master’s degrees to the applicant as well as all transcripts from all other colleges or universities attended. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for initial admissions review; however official transcripts must be received to complete your student file.

Hard-copy Transcript(s), in a sealed and stamped envelope, must be mailed to:

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

  Letters of Recommendation

Two recommendations submitted directly from individuals that attest to the applicant’s academic and/or professional character and leadership experience and/or potential. Academic recommendations from professors, instructors, or academic advisors; or professional recommendations from supervisors for employment, volunteer work, internship, or related activity satisfy this requirement. The online Recommendation Form should be emailed by your recommender to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

  Statement of Purpose

You must submit a 1,000- to-2,000-word applicant statement of purpose addressing such topics as the candidate’s view of leadership, ability to develop followers, evidence of a purposeful research agenda, perseverance and demonstrated achievements, future career and life objectives, and reasons for pursuing a doctorate degree emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

  CV/Resume

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

  Interview

A personal and/or group interview with a program director or designee may be required for qualified applicants who apply to the program.

  Writing Sample

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

  Exception Request

If your baccalaureate or master's degree GPA is lower than 3.0, please fill out this Exception Request Form and email it to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

International Students

  Application Form

The application form is quick and easy, taking less than 15 minutes to complete. 

  Bachelor & Master's Degrees

Applicants to this program must possess a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in a closely related field.

  Transcripts

All applicants who received or will receive their degree from a university outside of the US (unless the degree is from a university that 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 or the World Education Services, Inc.

A detailed foreign transcript evaluation report will contain the following:

  • Foreign transcripts translated into English.
  • A detailed course-by-course report with the grade point average calculated on a US 4.0 scale.
  • A determination of US degree equivalency (regional accreditation equivalency is required).

If you are attending school outside of the US and have not completed your bachelor's degree at the time of application, we would need your current NACES member international transcript evaluation (please see above for requirements). Upon degree completion, you are required to provide an updated NACES member evaluation reflecting your final courses, final cumulative GPA equivalency and US degree equivalency.

Please have the evaluation service, send your updated evaluation to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

  Letters of Recommendation

Two recommendations submitted directly from individuals that attest to the applicant’s academic and/or professional character and leadership experience and/or potential. Academic recommendations from professors, instructors, or academic advisors; or professional recommendations from supervisors for employment, volunteer work, internship, or related activity satisfy this requirement. The online Recommendation Form should be emailed by your recommender to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

  Statement of Purpose

You must submit a 1,000- to-2,000-word applicant statement of purpose addressing such topics as the candidate’s view of leadership, ability to develop followers, evidence of a purposeful research agenda, perseverance and demonstrated achievements, future career and life objectives, and reasons for pursuing a doctorate degree emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

  CV/Resume

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

  Interview

A personal and/or group interview with a program director or designee may be required for qualified applicants who apply to the program.

  Writing Sample

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

  TOEFL or IELTS Exam

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 online. 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. Scores can be sent electronically by choosing "Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology" from the dropdown menu.

  Exception Request

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

 

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