[6] In February 1937, against the backdrop of the Great Depression, George Pepperdine founded a liberal arts college in the city of Los Angeles to be affiliated with the Churches of Christ.

[8] Pepperdine had a twofold objective for the college: "First, we want to provide first-class, fully accredited academic training in the liberal arts ... Secondly, we are especially dedicated to a greater goal—that of building in the student a Christ-like life, a love for the church, and a passion for the souls of mankind.

[13][14] By April 5, 1938, George Pepperdine College was fully accredited by the Northwest Association in large part due to the leadership of president Batsell Baxter and dean Hugh M.

[20] The area around the Vermont Avenue campus was developing issues including rising crime and urban decay, and racial tensions had arisen that led to the 1965 Watts Riots.

Despite concerns over building costs on the mountainous site, the school decided to move forward based on its prime location and potential for raising donations, accepting the land in Malibu in 1968.

[12][22] In March 1969, Larry Kimmons, a Black teenager from the South LA neighborhood, was killed by Pepperdine campus security officer Charlie Lane following a verbal argument.

[25] Students later occupied the academic life building, leading to a standoff with the Los Angeles Police Department that was defused by negotiations with Vice President William S.

[32] In the decade to come, the Vermont Avenue Campus transitioned away from its residential model, and in 1981 it was sold to Crenshaw Christian Center, whose minister, Frederick K. C. Price, then oversaw construction of the "Faith Dome," then the largest-domed church in the United States.

[44] It is widely considered one of the most beautiful college campuses in the world in terms of scenery and architecture, and has been described as "a place that looks more like a beach resort than a private university.

"[45] The campus offers views of the Santa Monica Bay, Catalina Island, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, and much of the westside of Los Angeles.

Most buildings are designed in the Mediterranean Revival Style with white stucco walls, red tile roofs, and large tinted windows.

The most distinctive feature of the Malibu campus, apart from its location, is the Phillips Theme Tower, a 125-foot obelisk with an embedded cross that stands on the front lawn.

[48] Landscape architects Eric Armstrong and S. Lee Scharfman were responsible for the campus green space planning and design.

[28] The park was dedicated in 1979, and it now serves as the location for the university's commencement exercises and other campus activities that need a large open space.

[43] Overlooking Alumni Park is Stauffer Chapel, with its 3,000 square feet of stained-glass windows designed by Robert and Bette Donovan and constructed in 1973.

[47] The main academic plaza for the undergraduate programs of Seaver College lies on a knoll above Alumni Park and includes Tyler Campus Center, Payson Library, and the Weisman Museum of Art.

[52] Seaver's general education requirements have received an A rating from ACTA's annual What Will They Learn report for several years running.

[55] Pepperdine University's Graziadio Business School enrolls approximately 2,000 students in its full-time and part-time degree programs.

[61] The Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) offers both masters and doctorate programs, including EdD, PsyD, and PhD degrees.

[63] Joint degree programs include the following: Pepperdine's Fall 2023 enrollment was 9,545 students, of whom 3,629 were at the undergraduate and 5,916 at the graduate and professional levels.

[73] Admission to Pepperdine is rated as "more selective" by U.S. News & World Report[56] and by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

[81] Pepperdine was ranked number 1 in the Institute of International Education's 2015 Open Doors Report, with 86.5 percent of all undergraduate students studying abroad during the 2013–2014 academic year.

The report assigns a letter grade to 1,120 universities based on how many of the following seven core subjects are required: composition, literature, foreign language, American history, economics, mathematics and science.

[86] NCAA Division I individual titles: The water polo competitions for the 1984 Summer Olympics were held at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool on campus.

[88] Notable alumni of Pepperdine University include prominent scientists, musicians, businessmen and businesswomen, engineers, architects, athletes, actors, politicians, and those who have gained both national and international success.

[89] The United States Census Bureau has designated the Pepperdine University campus as a separate census-designated place (CDP) for statistical purposes.