The university first held its classes at St. Mary's Academy, then located at West Slauson Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard.

The location of the campus in Brentwood, on a 1,100-foot (340 m) ridge, provides an overlook to both the Getty Center and 40 miles (64 km) of the Pacific Ocean.

Because of the Countess's desire for privacy,[citation needed] the Dohenys purchased all the adjacent houses and made it into a private street.

Forty years later, in 2002, the university began its first doctoral degree, in physical therapy, which joined the other graduate programs now offered at the Doheny campus.

[2] Because of its isolated location and scenic vistas and architecture, a number of movies and television shows have filmed on either the Doheny or Chalon campus of the university.