Facebook pixel Graduate School of Education and Psychology | Pepperdine University Skip to main content
Pepperdine University

Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Full-Time Enrollment & Reasonable Progress 

To maintain satisfactory academic progress and compliance with institutional, federal, and immigration regulations, graduate students are expected to enroll in a course load consistent with the academic design of their degree program.

International students (F-1 visa holders) must maintain a minimum of 6 units per term to be considered full-time under federal immigration regulations established by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the U.S. Department of Education. Any reduction below this threshold must receive prior authorization from the Office of International Student Services (OISS), "if permissible", through an approved Reduced Course Load (RCL) request in accordance with SEVP regulations. 

While the above federal full-time regulations must be followed for F-1 students to maintain their status, the recommended course load for timely progress and program completion is 9 to 12 units per term.  Students are advised that enrolling in less than the recommended enrollment may face challenges in completing their intended degree due to immigration restrictions. Enrollment below 6 units is considered less than full-time and may affect eligibility for university scholarships or financial assistance requiring full-time enrollment, as well as the F-1 regulation to maintain reasonable progress toward the degree.

*Online Course Limitations: 

Only “one class or three credits (or the equivalent) per term” may be counted toward the full course of study requirement. The student’s schedule must meet the full course of study minimum without relying on more than 3 online credits for that term.

Employment/CPT/OPT

  Professional Licensure & Credentialing Limitation

Because of U.S. visa regulations and program design, F-1 visa holders may not be able to complete all required clinical or field training hours necessary for certain state licensure, credentialing, or post-degree professional qualifications. Training experiences that require extended or full-time employment authorization—either before or after program completion—may exceed what is permitted under F-1 work authorization options such as CPT or OPT.

For programs that require or offer practical training as part of the degree, F-1 students must receive Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization from the Office of International Student Services (OISS) before beginning any required or optional training experience that meets federal definitions of “employment.”

Training requires CPT authorization even if it is unpaid, part-time, or conducted on campus when it meets any of the following conditions:

  • The student provides a service that a normal employee could provide, or the experience otherwise benefits an external organization or client.
  • The training satisfies programmatic or licensure requirements, such as practicum, student teaching, or fieldwork hours.
  • The student interacts with external clients or organizations as part of a Pepperdine-operated clinic or training site.

Training also requires CPT authorization when it is formally tracked and evaluated as part of a practicum, field experience, or applied course that is:

  • Required for degree completion, or
  • Required by a professional licensing body (for example, MFT, LPCC, Teacher Credentialing, or other clinical/professional credentials).

Summary of Curricular Practical Training (CPT) requirements for the Graduate School of Education & Psychology (GSEP): 

GSEP Programs with Curricular Practical Training (CPT):

  • Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD): First term of enrollment
  • Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): Third term of enrollment
  • Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy: Daytime Format: Second term of enrollment
  • Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy: Evening Format: Once required class prerequisites have been met
  • Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Latinx Communities: Once required class prerequisites have been met
  • Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis: Second term of enrollment
  Programs with Curricular Practical Training

Programs Requiring Curricular Practical Training (CPT) within the first Academic Year:

Certain academic programs require participation in Curricular Practical Training (CPT) as an integral and mandatory component of the curriculum beginning in the first academic year.

In these programs, it must be clearly outlined and written that:

  • CPT participation is required for all students as part of degree completion.
  • The curriculum mandates that students begin CPT in the first academic year (e.g., first or second semester), as clearly stated in the official course catalog and program materials.
  • The practical training component is a core and non-optional element of the academic program.
  • Students are formally enrolled in courses that are directly associated with and support the required off-campus training experience.

Because CPT is a required and integral component of the curriculum that must begin in the first academic year, eligible students may be authorized for CPT prior to completing one full academic year.

Programs Requiring or Offering CPT after Year One of Enrollment:

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) may be authorized for eligible students after the completion of one full academic year of full-time enrollment, in accordance with federal F-1 regulations.

For CPT authorization to be approved, the following conditions must be met:

  • The practical training must be directly tied to a course that carries academic credit (e.g., internship, practicum, or fieldwork course).
  • The student must be enrolled in the corresponding course during the same academic term in which the CPT is authorized.
  • The training experience must be directly related to the student’s field of study.
  • The experience must support and contribute to the student’s academic objectives as defined by the program curriculum.

F-1 Students: Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Requirement - 

These programs require practical training as part of the degree. F-1 students must receive Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization from the Office of International Student Services (OISS) before beginning any required or optional training experience that meets federal definitions of “employment.”

Clinical/Practical Training Courses by GSEP Program

  • MA Clinical Psychology – Day: PSY 622 – Multicultural Counseling
  • MA Teaching: MATP 681–683 – Clinical Experiences 1–3
  • MS Applied Behavior Analysis: PSY 620 – Practicum in Applied Behavior Analysis
  • PsyD Clinical Psychology: PSY 770–777 / 780 – Doctoral Practicum and Internship sequence
    After completion of one full academic year:
  • MA Clinical Psychology – Latinx Communities: PSY 662 – Clinical Practicum
  • MA TESOL: EDTE 610 – Clinical Practicum