Pepperdine University Top Questions

about 10{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of my teachers were good TEACHERS. about 50{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of them were very interesting people who were easy to communicate with. the rest were horrible teachers and and people. pepperdine doesn't offer very many specific classes as i suppose it's focus is liberal arts. however, when they say they offer an engineering program they should offer at least ONE engineering course. some of the courses are rigorous and have stimulated me academically. some of the GEs are very easy and some are very hard and are weighed similarly.

Professors are great. Always know names unless in Elkins. Students study a lot around finals -- and that is the only time the Lib is full.

most of the classes are fairly challenging, the teachers are very personable for the most part and they are willing to help, lots of in-class discussion in some classes, SAAJ is an absolute must- best class ever, you learn about so many things while helping others, Pepperdine prepares one for the job market well and the classes are rigorous but do-able

Classes are generally small. More professors will know your name than not. If you don't want to do much, its very doable to pick a joke major and fuck around (might be the best way to get the max out of pepp...). The GE's are like half your classes, and are craptastic. Also, you ought to know you're required to take 3 semesters of religion. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN: Take Great Books (and specifically, Dr. Gose) Strong Majors: Philosophy Pre-med (but seriously...) Religion The Music Dept: The GE's will really get in the way of your musical learning. The department is generally pretty weak (many are geniuses in their own right, but terrible teachers). Private instructors range from good to the shit (see: Christopher Parkening, Henry Price) ---- If you want to hang out with professors, it very doable, they often invite classes to their house, etc. Some students are interested in learning, but they are in the minority. Again, if learning is your thing, take Great Books and Philosophy classes. If not, find out who's easy and stroll along.

The small classes are excellent in the sense that you get to know your professors pretty well, well enough to get extensions on papers sometimes. Take the Great Books program. It's a LOT of work, and I'm a real slacker, but I got a lot out of it. Most upperclass students regret not taking it, so give it a shot.

As mentioned above, professors definitely know your name. School is a big part of school at Pepperdine. If you're in a lot of units, you may have to spend a couple of Friday nights in the library. Intellectual conversation definitely abounds at Pepperdine - if you seek it out. Students are very willing to talk about intellectual things outside of class, given the opportunity. On the other hand, Pepperdine is no Harvard. When class is out, class is out - for the most part. Most students would prefer to think about other things outside of class. I think this especially depends on the major - of course business majors are focused on getting a job and becoming successful - that's why they're business majors. Philosophy majors, though, as expected, might be more willing to engage in a conversation for conversation's sake. There are a lot of General Education courses that are required, but for the most part they are stimulating and worthwhile.

Pepperdine is more academically challenging than I expected to be, but a lot of what you get out of a class is what you put into it. There are classes, especially GE's that you can get by with just cramming for the tests and still get an A, but a lot of classes have strict attendance policies that make it impossible to skip if you want a grade above a C. I love my freshman seminar so take advantage of that and make sure that you choose one that you love. Also the Add/drop period for classes is only a week so if you're doubting that you'll be able to wake up for an 8am all semester drop it while you have the chance without having to have a Withdrawl on your transcript. Students are typically smart, whether they go to class or not, and people do have intellectual conversations outside of class regularly, but Pepperdine isn't all about academics. There are A LOT of GE's though.

As would be expected from a prestigious liberal arts school, general education requirements are rigorous. Every student must take, among other things, about 20 units of GE history and about 10 units of religion. A lot of these can be dull, but there are several that you have an option of a few different classes, and most people can usually find one that is interesting to them. Overall, you have a lot of control over how hard your academics are. Humanities or English majors that take 14 units every semester have it pretty easy (they are easily recognizable by their extreme suntans), while science, theater and music have to dedicate a lot of time outside of class. And of course, you can always hop on the five-year bus and ride it all the way to Zuma beach. Small class sizes can be a big plus. Most of my classes this year have been under 50 students, and some fewer than 20. This means lots of personal attention from some of the nicest and most personable professors there are. Most of them will bend over backwards to help you if you're having a problem in the class or need a rec letter. Plus, most students have at least one class per semester where the professor has the entire class to their house for dinner. You think you'll find that at State U?

The classes really are small here, which is nice. The biggest GE classes are usually not more than around 250 people. In most classes, and generally all upper division classes the professor will know your name. Most of my classes here have had around 15 people. That said, academics isn't huge here. People study and participate in class but real intellectualism just isn't that important. It's a California beachside school after all. You can definetely get to know your professors. Some professors, especially your freshman seminar professor, will have the whole class over for dinner. They are very available if you need help outside of class. The English department is pretty small here. Most people are business/communication majors. There aren't a whole lot of options as far as classes go. The major centers around British and American literature, without much emphasis on world literature. Every semester some English classes have to be cancelled because not enough people sign up. Honestly, most of the required classes aren't very interesting. The general education requirements are pretty extensive, but if you're smart you can get through them pretty quickly. The school accepts most AP credits, and its pretty easy to place out of the three semester foreign language requirement if you took 4 years of a language in high school. Also, if you like philosophy or literature at all, definetely take the Great Books colloquium. It is the best thing I've done here at Pepperdine.

While each professor varies in their teaching style they are all very kind, understanding, and will most likely no more about you than just your name. You can have intellectually stimulating conversations inside and out of the classroom. While it does get competetive (we all want good grades) the students are more supportive than cut throat. There are usual and unique classes here-trust me! Writing through the Environment was my favorite class thus far.