Pepperdine University
1. Background of the University
Pepperdine University is an independent, Christian university, enrolling approximately 9,545 full-time and part-time students in its six colleges and schools. The full-time faculty consists of over 400 professors and scholars. Administrative headquarters for the University are located in Malibu, California. In addition to the education programs offered on the University's 830-acre campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Malibu, the University offers degree programs at campus locations in the metropolitan Los Angeles area (Calabasas, West Los Angeles, and Irvine), Washington DC, and online. Seaver College, the undergraduate liberal arts college, also conducts International programs at its own facilities in Heidelberg, Germany; London, England; Florence, Italy; Blonay-St. Légier, Switzerland; and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
A successful businessman, Mr. Pepperdine founded George Pepperdine College to implement his vision of a college based upon Christian values for men and women from all walks of life. He donated the funds to purchase thirty-four acres in Los Angeles. With 167 students, the College was dedicated on September 21, 1937. Mr. Pepperdine was an active leader in the Churches of Christ, with which the University has maintained a vital relationship since its inception.
From 1937 to 1970, Pepperdine was primarily a small, undergraduate liberal learning college. In 1971, with the addition of professional schools, the College became Pepperdine University. Through the generous support of Mrs. Frank Roger Seaver, the current 830-acre Malibu campus was dedicated in 1972. Seaver College, the Caruso School of Law, the School of Public Policy, and the University's principal administrative offices are located on the Malibu campus.
The George L. Graziadio Business School and the Graduate School of Education and Psychology are professional schools headquartered in Los Angeles, with education centers at the Calabasas, West Los Angeles, and Irvine campuses, as well as online. Though primarily focused on educating adult professionals, both schools offer residential programs.
The College of Health Science (CHS) is based at the Calabasas campus in a newly renovated, state-of-the-art facility. Undergraduate CHS students also study on the Malibu campus during their first two years.
2. The Mission of Pepperdine University
Pepperdine is a Christian university committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.
The mission of Pepperdine University has remained consistent during its history. The statements of mission, direction, and values that the University affirms today are built on George Pepperdine's founding address (1937), the Pepperdine University Affirms statement (1970), and The Mission of Pepperdine University (1999).
As a Christian University, Pepperdine Affirms:
That God is
That He is revealed uniquely in Christ
That the educational process may not, with impunity, be divorcedfrom the divine process
That the student, as a person of infinite dignity, is the heart of the educational enterprise
That the quality of student life is a valid concern of the University
That truth, having nothing to fear from investigation, should be pursued relentlessly in every discipline
That spiritual commitment, tolerating no excuse for mediocrity, demands the highest standards of academic excellence