climate at Pepperdine

[wigflip]

Hi folks. I am a longtime lurker, first time poster, and possible Pepperdine applicant. I am wondering if any Pepperdine alumni can please speak to the issue of climate? In particular, I'm wondering about the "values" alluded to on the school's promotional video. I know it's a Christian institution, but don't know to what extent (if at all) conservative values pervade in the psych department (classrooms, advising, research). The school's right for me for a number of other reasons, but I'm wondering whether this politically progressive, feminist, LGBT-affirmative atheist will feel stifled. I'm happy to work alongside people with different values, I just don't want to pay an exorbitant amount of tuition only to have to tolerate a climate which embraces regressive ideas about how men and women are essentially different from each other, "homosexuality" is wrong, etc. Also, most of my publications deal with sexuality and other politicized topics, so they will sniff me out when they see my CV, and if the department is hostile to this I should know going in.

The second part of my climate question is what students are like. I'm in a traditional PhD program in a social science field other than psych, and most grad seminars I've been in are tedious survival exercises characterized by students' grandstanding, tangents, one-upsmanship, scapegoating. Students don't engage in collaboration unless they are temporarily cooperating to ostracize or smear someone. I'm guessing that there is less of this type of nonsense at Pepperdine because it's a professional program (rather than a "traditionally academic" one), but I'd still be interested to hear from some who have firsthand experience.

Thanks in advance!

(I realize that my post above may sound confused in light of the fact that I'm in a PhD program now, but trust me, I know what I'm doing. I'd prefer not to explain further because I'd like to maintain my anonymity. I'm only seeking advice regarding Pepperdine's climate, not the wisdom of switching fields or programs, etc.)

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[voyeurofthemind]

Hi folks. I am a longtime lurker, first time poster, and possible Pepperdine applicant. I am wondering if any Pepperdine alumni can please speak to the issue of climate? In particular, I'm wondering about the "values" alluded to on the school's promotional video. I know it's a Christian institution, but don't know to what extent (if at all) conservative values pervade in the psych department (classrooms, advising, research). The school's right for me for a number of other reasons, but I'm wondering whether this politically progressive, feminist, LGBT-affirmative atheist will feel stifled. I'm happy to work alongside people with different values, I just don't want to pay an exorbitant amount of tuition only to have to tolerate a climate which embraces regressive ideas about how men and women are essentially different from each other, "homosexuality" is wrong, etc. Also, most of my publications deal with sexuality and other politicized topics, so they will sniff me out when they see my CV, and if the department is hostile to this I should know going in.

The second part of my climate question is what students are like. I'm in a traditional PhD program in a social science field other than psych, and most grad seminars I've been in are tedious survival exercises characterized by students' grandstanding, tangents, one-upsmanship, scapegoating. Students don't engage in collaboration unless they are temporarily cooperating to ostracize or smear someone. I'm guessing that there is less of this type of nonsense at Pepperdine because it's a professional program (rather than a "traditionally academic" one), but I'd still be interested to hear from some who have firsthand experience.

Thanks in advance!

(I realize that my post above may sound confused in light of the fact that I'm in a PhD program now, but trust me, I know what I'm doing. I'd prefer not to explain further because I'd like to maintain my anonymity. I'm only seeking advice regarding Pepperdine's climate, not the wisdom of switching fields or programs, etc.)

I am not a student there but I interviewed there for the PsyD program. I also have LGBT research interests and clinical interests. At no time did I ever feel as if that would be a problem within the department. The faculty member I interviewed with was definitely LGBT affirmative.

 

[PsyWife]

I'm not sure how helpful this will be to you, but I figured I would throw my 2 cents in. I'm currently a student at a Pepperdine grad program, and although I have not had any contact with the Psychology program, I can tell you that I am also "politically progressive, feminist, [and] LGBT-affirmative," and I have never felt stifled or discriminated against. While there are a good number of very conservative students and professors in my program, there are also a good number of liberals/progressives/LGBT-affirmatives and a handful of homosexuals. I think the undergrad tends to be a LOT more conservative and religious than any of the graduate programs.

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions about the campus or surrounding area, I will definitely be able to help you with those types of questions

 

[aventurine]

I think the undergrad tends to be a LOT more conservative and religious than any of the graduate programs.

I think this is often true of grad programs at religious universities. I know of people who have done LGBT research at Catholic and Jewish universities and I don't think they ever felt unsupported, at least not within the department. And, as a grad student, you have little involvement beyond your department.

 

[wigflip]

Thanks to everyone who has replied thus far. Wondering if anyone else who is or was enrolled in the MA/MFT or PsyD have any thoughts?

Of should I post my question separately on the MA/MFT forum? Sorry, I'm obviously a noob...

 

[blindchaos]

Thanks to everyone who has replied thus far. Wondering if anyone else who is or was enrolled in the MA/MFT or PsyD have any thoughts?

Of should I post my question separately on the MA/MFT forum? Sorry, I'm obviously a noob...

Just chiming in with my .02 here...I think you'd find some like-minded peers in unlikely places. I went to a private, very conservative, very religiously-affiliated university for undergrad and was surprised (and pleased) to find just how many fellow LGBT-affirmative students at the university. Granted, it is probably significantly less than the average public/state school, but much much larger than I think anyone would guess for this particular university. Certainly there were people who were extremely conservative, but also quite a few who identified with a traditionally very conservative religion while supporting a liberal perspective, pushing for change within the church.

*Caveat - I'm not (nor was I) at Pepperdine. Though I did interview with them and was accepted to their PsyD program (I accepted elsewhere) and they were quite welcoming when I interviewed. Keep in mind that is a very tiny snapshot of them and my clinical/research interests are focused on developmental delays, not sexuality. Anyway, guess I'm just trying to say that even conservative and/or religious institutions may be more supportive and accepting than what one might think!

 

[berlin81]

I don't know if my input will be helpful, but I have heard that Pepperdine (amoungst the other colleges with the same religious affiliation) is considered very open to ideas and people outside their belief system. Many years ago, I was in undergrad at a small college that, like Pepperdine, was affiliated with the Church of Christ. I was only there for one semester because I felt that this particular school was not welcoming to others from different traditions, although they claimed they were. I am of a different religious faith and they made me believe that they were "open". There was also a nice scholarship involved, but I got out of there the first chance I could!

Anyway the administration at this college had close contacts with faculty from Pepperdine due to the common religious affiliation. However, many students and faculty from my school commented on how Pepperdine "lost its identity" and was not as religious as it should be. I basically got the impression that in the past Pepperdine was the flagship of the Church of Christ colleges in the country, but I guess that has changed.

Again, I'm not sure if my input helps, but it does sound like the religious component at Pepperdine is entirely different than the other colleges/universities that have the same affiliation.

 

[wigflip]

Thanks, berlin, and yes, of course that's very helpful. To tell you the truth, I didn't know what kind of responses to expect to my first post here, but everyone has been very generous with information and kind to boot! Really gives me hope for academia.

Thanks again, everybody, and feel free to keep the public posts and private messages coming.

(By the way, part of the reason that I posted my original query was that I've been doing some academic job market research, and a lot of the faculty job listings at private religious schools emphasize the importance of integrating "faith" into the curriculum. Couple that with the fact that you really don't know about climate until you get there or you talk to a lot of insiders, and I've been worried.)