Admission Requirements
Applicants to the Latinas/os emphasis may possess a bachelor's degree in any field, and there are no prerequisite courses that must be completed prior to starting the program. Applicants without recent course work (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.
In an effort to process your application quickly, we only accept electronic application materials.
To apply for this program, please submit:
1. Your application for admission with a nonrefundable processing fee.
2. 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 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:
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
Note: Applicants who are pursuing their bachelors at the time of application should submit an in-progress (current) transcript and will be required to submit a final transcript showing the degree posted after completion of their undergraduate program. Please request all transcripts to be sent to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.
3. Two professional recommendations from individuals familiar with the applicant’s academic and professional competencies. The online Professional Recommendation form should be emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.
4. A 2-5 page Statement of Purpose describing your previous training and experience, current interests, future professional goals, and reasons for applying to the program, emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu if not included in your online application.
5. (Optional) 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.
Note: After the initial screening of the applications, the remaining candidates will be invited for interviews with the Program Director. Special arrangements for telephone interviews may be made for applicants who reside outside the Southern California area. Admission decisions are based on an entire mosaic of requirements rather than on any single factor.
International Student Requirements
6. 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)
7. 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 official transcripts in a sealed envelope directly from the institution that 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 online at www.toefl.org. 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. You can find out more at www.ielts.orgIELTS scores can be sent electronically by choosing "Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology" from the dropdown menu.