MS in Applied Behavior Analysis FAQs

The first step in the process and the best way to get all of your questions answered is to attend an information session.

If you are unable to attend, please contact us at 310.258.2850 to set up an appointment.

For the masters programs in psychology, the Graduate School of Education and Psychology operates on a "rolling admissions" basis. This means we review and accept applications as they are completed. Therefore, applicants are encouraged to submit their applications well in advance of the deadline. You will receive a decision via mail within three to four weeks after the submission of your completed application.

No. You can send in different parts of your application as they are completed. We will hold any materials that arrive under your name, but will only begin tracking your application and corresponding with you when we receive your online application.

At Pepperdine, we utilize a holistic approach in our thorough review of each and every application. This means that we do not disqualify applicants based on any one part of their application. The average cumulative undergraduate GPA is above 3.0.

Learn more about our Admission Requirements.

References should come from individuals who are familiar with your professional and academic abilities. Recent college graduates should have at least one academic recommendation, while applicants who have been out of college for more than three years may use either academic or professional recommendations. It is highly recommended that letters be sent in lieu of the forms provided in the application booklet.

Students who have taken graduate-level courses judged to be equivalent in content to foundation level courses may petition to waive such courses. Previously taken courses will qualify for waiver consideration if they were taken no earlier than seven years prior to admission and a grade of "B" or better was earned. Applicants without recent coursework (within the last seven years) in psychology; however, will be required to complete foundational courses in preparation for the core curriculum. Foundational courses are offered as part of the master's program.

All application materials should be sent to our West Los Angeles Graduate Campus. The admission address is:

Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology
Enrollment Services
6100 Center Drive – 5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90045

Applicants who attended schools outside the United States are required to submit certified transcripts in English. Submitted transcripts must include a cumulative grade point average (GPA on a 4.0 scale, A = 4.0) that has been evaluated by a NACES member credential service (www.naces.org) such as the World Education Services, Inc. (www.wes.org) or the International Education Research Foundation (www.ierf.org)

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 prior to enrollment.

Mailing Address:
Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology Admissions
6100 Center Drive 5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA

International applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a minimum passing score of 550 on the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL). The computer-based TOEFL test requires a minimum passing score of 80. Information concerning the availability of this test in foreign countries can be obtained by contacting TOEFL, Educational Testing Services, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA or online at www.toefl.org. As an alternative to the TOEFL, you may submit a score of at least 6.5 on the IELTS exam. You can find out more at www.ielts.org

The on-campus program offered at our West Los Angeles campus has two 15-week terms during Fall and Spring and two 7-week Summer sessions.

The online program has four 11-week terms (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer). To apply for the online program, please see the program's website.

On average, the program is completed in two years. However, some students may complete the program in 1.5 years if they waive courses or have already been working in the field and are eligible to take the 4-term course sequence.

Classes are offered in the late afternoon and evening. Each class meets once per week. Classes are offered Monday-Thursday. During the summer term, classes meet twice per week.

Applied Behavior Analysis courses are offered only at the West Los Angeles Graduate Campus.

Yes. The best way to learn about opportunities for grants, loans, scholarships, and assistantship positions is to attend one of our Information Sessions, as most meetings include a Financial Aid presentation.

Students currently working in ABA-based settings can begin fieldwork and accrue hours in their first semester in the program. Students who are just entering this field will receive assistance in finding fieldwork placements once they have completed their first semester of foundational course work.

The MSABA and GSEP psychology division stand in solidarity against racial inequities and injustice and other forms of discrimination and oppression. We are committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment that is enriched and strengthened by diversity including but not limited to race, ethnicity and national origin, gender and gender identity, sexuality, class, age, ability status, and religion. GSEP also encourages all community members to engage in critical learning and reflection to strengthen our capacity for being effective, active, and outspoken against all forms of racism and intersectional oppression.