Executive Programs

Admission Requirements for the Executive MBA
Admission Requirements for the Presidents and Key Executives (PKE) MBA
Admission Requirements for the MS in Organization Development
Admission Requirements for the Executive DBA
Program Requirements

Admission Requirements for the Executive MBA

As a basic admission eligibility requirement, candidates are expected to have earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or the foreign equivalent. Non-U.S. academic institutions must be accredited by the ministry of education or accrediting agencies officially recognized in their respective country. In rare circumstances, the undergraduate degree requirement may be waived for candidates with extraordinary professional accomplishments who are poised to make unique contributions to the program. The following is a full list of application requirements for the EMBA program:

A completed Application for Admission and a non-refundable application fee must be submitted electronically to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office by the established deadline.
The application must be accompanied by a personal statement, a professional resume, and a current organizational chart indicating the candidate’s position, reporting relationships, and area(s) of responsibility within his/her business/firm.
An official transcript must be provided for each college or university previously attended. All transcripts reflecting in-progress and/or completed coursework must be submitted to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. The official transcript(s) must be issued electronically by the Registrar’s secured transcript provider or issued by the Registrar in a sealed envelope.
A minimum of seven years of professional experience, including a minimum of two years serving in a management or executive leadership role.
Two letters of recommendation from senior business associates that provide an assessment of the candidate’s professional capabilities, potential, and suitability for the Executive MBA program.
Two interviews: (1) an initial interview with an executive programs representative and (2) a final interview with a faculty member of the EMBA Program Committee.
Viable candidates must have access to the financial, marketing, and operations data of their organization, which will be required for conducting the strategic management project while in the program.
Some candidates may be required to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to provide additional evidence of aptitude to succeed in the program.
Applicants who completed work outside of the United States or are not United States citizens/permanent residents must also meet the international student admission requirements listed in the Admission Information section of the catalog.

Notification of Admission Decision

Applicants will be officially notified of their application decision via e-mail by the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. All other communication a candidate may have regarding his/her admission status will be considered unofficial and be superseded by the official notification. Admitted applicants will be required to submit non-refundable enrollment deposit in the amount of $2,000 to reserve a place in the entering cohort. The deposit will be applied toward tuition expenses in the first term of the program.

Details of the Notification of Admission Decision are provided in the Admission Information section of the catalog.

Admission Requirements for the Presidents and Key Executives (PKE) MBA

A completed Application for Admission and a non-refundable application fee must be submitted electronically to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office by the established deadline.
The application must be accompanied by a personal statement, a professional resume, and a current organizational chart indicating the candidate’s position, reporting relationships, and area(s) of responsibility within his/her business/firm.
An official transcript must be provided for each college or university previously attended. All transcripts reflecting in-progress and/or completed coursework must be submitted to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. The official transcript(s) must be issued electronically by the Registrar’s secured transcript provider or issued by the Registrar in a sealed envelope.
A minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including a minimum of one year serving in a senior executive role.
Two letters of recommendation from senior business associates that provide an assessment of the candidate’s professional capabilities, potential, and suitability for the PKE program.
Two interviews: (1) an initial interview with an executive programs representative and (2) a final interview with a faculty member of the PKE Program Committee.
Some candidates may be required to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to provide additional evidence of aptitude to succeed in the program.
Applicants who completed work outside of the United States or are not United States citizens/permanent residents must also meet the international student admission requirements listed in the Admission Information section of the catalog.

Notification of Admission Decision

Details of the Notification of Admission Decision is listed in the Admission Information section of the catalog.

Admission Requirements for the MS in Organization Development

As a minimum eligibility requirement for Pepperdine Graziadio graduate degree programs, candidates must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. college or university or the foreign equivalent. Non-U.S. academic institutions must be accredited by the ministry of education or accrediting bodies from their respective countries. The following is a full list of application requirements for the MSOD program:

A completed Application for Admission and a non-refundable application fee must be submitted electronically to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office by the established deadline.
The application must be accompanied by a personal statement, professional resume, a completed Vocational Self-Evaluation, and a Personal Insight Questionnaire. All documents must be uploaded to the online application platform by the designated deadline in order to receive full consideration.
An official transcript must be provided for each college or university previously attended. All transcripts reflecting in-progress and/or completed coursework must be submitted to the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. The official transcript(s) must be issued electronically by the Registrar’s secured transcript provider or issued by the Registrar in a sealed envelope.
A minimum of five years of organizational experience, preferably as an external consultant, a line or staff manager; or in an internal organization development, human resources, or strategic planning position.
Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant’s educational, consulting, and/or management experience. Where applicable, it is strongly recommended that the applicant’s direct supervisor or organizational sponsor provide one of the recommendations.
Selected applicants with complete application files are scheduled for a personal interview with a member of the MSOD Admission Committee. This interview may be conducted in person or virtually.
Competitive applicants will have had at least one course in organizational behavior and a human interaction laboratory experience. Participation in such a laboratory experience may be required by the MSOD Admission Committee as preparation to enter the program.
Some candidates may be required to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to provide additional evidence of aptitude to succeed in the program.
Applicants who completed work outside of the United States or are not United States citizens/permanent residents must also meet the international student admission requirements listed in the Admission Information section of the catalog.

Notification of Admission Decision

Applicants will be officially notified of their application decision via e-mail by the Graziadio Business School Admission Office. All other communication a candidate may have regarding his/her admission status will be considered unofficial and be superseded by the official notification. Admitted applicants will be required to submit non-refundable enrollment deposit in the amount of $1,400 to reserve a place in the entering cohort. The deposit will be applied toward tuition expenses in the first term of the program.

Details of the Notification of Admission Decision are provided in the Admission Information section of the catalog.

Admission Requirement for the Executive DBA

Eligible candidates for the Executive DBA program must possess significant executive-level business experience and a strong academic background that will serve as the foundation for the pursuit of a terminal degree. As a pre-requisite for enrolling in the EDBA program, each candidate is expected to have earned an undergraduate degree, as well as a graduate-level degree, preferably in a business or STEM-related field. Previous degree-granting institutions must be accredited in the U.S. or the foreign equivalent. Non-U.S. institutions must be accredited by the ministry of education or officially recognized accrediting agencies within their respective countries.

The admission process is designed to ensure consistency, equity, and integrity in the evaluation of each applicant. Application requirements are established to provide the Admission Committee the pertinent information needed to make a thoughtful determination regarding candidates’ readiness and suitability for the program. The admission review process is holistic in nature, taking into consideration the full range of academic, personal, and professional backgrounds and attributes of each applicant. The candidate evaluation process entails two phases. Phase 1 considers the professional history, research interests, and motivations for pursuing the program. The second phase includes a review of the applicant’s academic record, an interview, and a more in-depth evaluation of the applicant’s research proposal.

Phase 1 application materials:

A completed online application.
A current resume/CV that documents significant professional experience, including a minimum of ten years of executive responsibility.
Personal Statement - a 1-2 page reflection on the applicant’s rationale for pursuing an executive doctorate in business administration, including how completion of the DBA will align with career and personal goals.
Research Proposal - a 1-2 page overview of a business- or management-related issue that the applicant wishes to research in the program.

Phase 1 applicants are reviewed by the DBA admissions committee. Based on the committee’s assessment, selected candidates will be invited to complete Phase 2 of the application process. Phase 2 applicants will undergo more extensive review by the Committee, with specific focus on the research proposal and potential alignment with the subject matter expertise of the program faculty.

Phase 2 application requirements:

Official transcripts of baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate degrees showing all coursework.
Official transcripts from any additional coursework beyond those from the degree-granting institution(s).
Official TOEFL or IELTS scores for international applicants.
A 3-5 page updated research proposal outlining a business-related research topic that the applicant would like to pursue in the program, ideally including reference to Graziadio Business School faculty who could serve as research mentors.
If available, examples of white papers, articles, or books authored by the applicant.
A plan to open up time for your Executive DBA studies
Optional - letters of recommendation from senior business associates that objectively assess the applicant’s strengths, weaknesses, potential, and suitability for the Executive DBA program.
Some candidates may be required to take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to provide additional evidence of aptitude to succeed in the program.

Notification of Admission Decision

Details of the Notification of Admission Decision are provided in the Admission Information section of the catalog.

Program Requirements

Programs

Master of Business Administration

• Executive MBA
• Presidents and Key Executives MBA

Master of Science

• Master of Science in Organization Development

Doctor of Business Administration

• Executive Doctor of Business Administration