The Pepperdine Pact

Programs that bring small groups of students together with faculty on a regular basis to focus on critical inquiry, information literacy, and collaborative learning.

Examples: Foundations of Reasoning, Waves 100, Chapel

A vertically organized general education program or "core" curriculum that binds a student cohort through shared themes or required courses.

Examples: Seaver Core, Great Books Colloquium, SAAJ Colloquium

Approaches that encourage integration of learning across courses and involve students in living-learning cohorts that study and live together.

Examples: International Programs (IP). Pepperdine's flagship International Programs function as ultimate living-learning communities; students travel, live, and take classes together in university-owned international facilities (Heidelberg, London, Florence, Buenos Aires, Switzerland, Kyoto, Washington DC)

Courses across the curriculum that emphasize writing as a tool for learning and producing progressive text for various audiences.

Examples: English Composition (ENG 101) & Upper-Division Major Research Seminars

Beyond introductory composition, nearly all majors require advanced, writing-intensive capstones or research seminars where students produce extensive, peer-reviewed-level writing within their specific discipline.

Learning that combines working and solving problems in teams, sharpening understanding through active listening and shared input.

Example: Business Administration Case Competitions & Natural Science Lab Cohorts

Team-based learning is a staple of the Seaver Business Administration curriculum, culminating in rigorous group project pitches and business plan simulations. Similarly, undergraduate laboratory pairings in chemistry, physics, and biology force peer-to-peer collaboration on multi-week experimental designs.

Faculty-mentored student research that involves inquiry-based learning, data analysis, and public dissemination of findings.

Examples: SURB (Summer Undergraduate Research in Biology)

https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/natural-science/student-opportunities/research/sturesearch.htm

https://community.pepperdine.edu/seaver/dean/faculty-research-resources/surp.htm

https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/humanities/student-opportunities/undergrad-research.htm

https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/surb/research/

As emphasized by Provost Jay Brewster, undergraduate research is a crown jewel of Pepperdine's identity. The federally funded SURB program allows undergraduate science students to work one-on-one with faculty on premier research, leading to co-authored papers and presentations at national conferences.

Experiences that help students explore worldviews, life experiences, and cultures different from their own, often augmented by study abroad.

Examples: International Programs (IP) & World Cultures GE Courses

With approximately 80% of Seaver undergraduates studying abroad, Pepperdine routinely ranks in the top five nationally for study abroad participation. This massive footprint fulfills the AAC&U global learning mandate at a scale few other universities can match.

Digital collections of student work used to reflect upon personal and academic growth, share with advisors, and demonstrate competency.

Examples: Teacher Education Practicums, Communication/PR Showcases Professional preparation programs at Pepperdine rely on digital portfolios to systematically demonstrate competence to faculty and external employers.

Field-based experiential learning where students participate in community service directly tied to their academic course goals and reflections.

Examples: Service Leadership (BUS), Nutrition/Public Health?, SAAJ

Direct experiential learning in a professional setting under supervision and coaching, providing real-world application of classroom theory.

Examples: The Washington DC Internship Program Major-Required Internships

Culminating undergraduate experiences requiring seniors to integrate and apply what they have learned across their entire college career.

Examples: Senior Capstone Seminars (e.g., BA 497, Senior Fine Arts Recitals/Showcases, Senior Theses)

Senior capstones are mandatory across virtually all academic divisions at Seaver. These courses demand a public demonstration of competence, whether it is an extensive original research thesis, an active consulting project for an external client, or a senior exhibition in the fine arts.