Pepperdine University - Academics

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

Pepperdine people seem genuinely satisfied with their instructors and their courses. Class sizes matter more than an incoming student might expect, and Pepperdine offers some of the smallest, most intimate classes in California. Students unanimously praise the one-on-one interaction that Pepperdine teachers tend to promote, just as they lament the two or three lecture-oriented general education courses they may have endured over their four years in Malibu. Whether one appreciates the religious tilt of many Pepperdine courses will most likely depend on one’s own beliefs. However, most consider the Christian emphasis to be, at its worst, only mildly tedious or distracting.

Pepperdine emphasizes the importance of teaching over research, so professors are invariably available, approachable, smart, and happy to help their students with just about anything. A result of this warm and fuzzy student-professor relationship is that a lot of classes seem, well, not particularly demanding; one wonders whether more expectations and harder assignments might provoke, in turn, more learning. Most students don’t complain too much about all of that, though. Also, the administration aims its funding predominantly toward its business and natural science programs, at times leaving its other departments out in the cold—despite Pepperdine’s self-description as a liberal arts school. Incoming students should definitely consider the four-semester Great Books program, which not only introduces students to the history of Western thought, it also satisfies a lot of GE requirements (even math!). Also, the excellent international programs are an opportunity not to be missed. Those who can manage the expense of spending a semester, or a year, in Florence or Buenos Aires or any of the other popular Pepperdine destinations, should do just that.

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Students Speak Out

boone says: Pepperdine University 2009 Other

Pepperdine is an excellent... Pepperdine is an excellent university with great opportunities for those interested in a variety of fields. I majored in Sports Medicine and am now a surgical resident at Kaiser in LA. I was extremely well prepared for medical school and attribute my success to the unique opportunities (anatomy and physiology as an undergrad), small class size and superb teachers. 12345 Academics: March 16, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

I found most of my classes... I found most of my classes interesting and challenging. Of course, how challenged you are depends on how challenged you want to be. Just skimming by and doing almost nothing is an option, but it doesn’t lead to a very interesting experience. The general education classes got a bit tedious by the end there, but every class had some element of intrigue. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

All the teachers I had, with the... All the teachers I had, with the exception of one, were great. They are always willing to help you and are understanding in every way possible. It is a tough school, and classes are challenging, but the academic experience is certainly rewarding. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

The teachers I had at Pepperdine... The teachers I had at Pepperdine were all very different from each other. Some were conservative religious professors who were very academic in the way they structured their courses, while others were more liberal professors who tried to stimulate their students in interesting, innovative ways. For example, I wrote a full screenplay during my junior year. Across the board, I received a well-rounded perspective of the discipline I was studying. 12345 Academics Report

Anonymous says:

All of my teachers have been... All of my teachers have been great. They all know what they’re talking about, and they have a lot of enthusiasm for what they are teaching. They really want to see you succeed. My largest class this whole year was 30 students, and most of my classes had about 20 people in them. It was awesome. There are only a few lecture-style classes taught; everything else is very personal. 12345 Academics Report

Facts

Did You Know?

Pepperdine is particularly proud of its great international programs; over half of all Pepperdine students travel abroad in at least one of these programs during the course of their college study.

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: Jackie Fetzer
Hometown: Huntersville, NC
Major: English Writing and Rhetoric

Jackie tried out for Pepperdine's water polo team without knowing how to swim first?and made it!

Contributing Author Internship

College Prowler is actively seeking talented students to be "Contributing Authors," and assist with updating the College Prowler guide to their school. This is a great opportunity for a student to gain internship experience, be a part of a nationally recognized company, gain tremendous exposure, utilize new media techniques, and share advice with high school students about what life is really like at your college. Read more about the internship.