MS in Applied Behavior Analysis Admission Requirements

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

Applicants to this program may possess a bachelor’s degree in any field. Applicants without recent coursework in psychology within the last seven years, however, will be required to complete foundational courses in preparation for the core curriculum.

For domestic students, transcripts from the regionally accredited colleges or universities that awarded your baccalaureate 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 an applicant’s file and enroll in the subsequent term.

• 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, must be mailed to:

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

Two recommendations must be submitted directly from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic or professional competencies. 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.

A two- to five-page typed statement of purpose that serves as an autobiographical description of previous training and experience, current interests, engagement with cultural diversity and social justice plus plans for growth in these areas, future professional goals, and reasons for applying to the program, emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu if not included in your online application.

A personal interview may be required.

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.

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

Applicants to this program may possess a bachelor’s degree in any field. Applicants without recent coursework in psychology within the last seven years, however, will be required to complete foundational courses in preparation for the core curriculum.

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 must contain the following:

• Official foreign transcripts translated into English.
• A detailed course-by-course report with the grade point average converted or 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 “in progress” NACES member international transcript evaluation (please see above for requirements). Upon degree completion, you are required to provide an official, updated NACES member evaluation reflecting your full and completefinal courses, final cumulative GPA equivalency and US degree equivalency.

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

Two recommendations must be submitted directly from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic or professional competencies. 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.

A two- to five-page typed statement of purpose that serves as an autobiographical description of previous training and experience, current interests, engagement with cultural diversity and social justice plus plans for growth in these areas, future professional goals, and reasons for applying to the program, emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu if not included in your online application.

A personal interview may be required.

International applicants to GSEP whose native language is not English are required to provide evidence of English proficiency. You must submit a test score for the Internet-Based Test (IBT) of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination taken in the last two years with a minimum score of 85. 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 7 on the IELTS exam taken within the last two years. IELTS scores can be sent electronically by choosing "Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology" from the dropdown menu.

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.