About Pepperdine University's Graduate Program
Pepperdine University is located in Malibu and Los Angeles, California. The program runs 2-3 years in length, with online or hybrid options available, and holds WASC accreditation.
- LMFT-eligible and LPCC-eligible tracks within one graduate psychology school
- Strong Los Angeles and Orange County placement network for practicum and internship
- Evening and weekend cohorts for working professionals, with fully online options
Programs offered (leading to California BBS licensure)
- MA in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in MFT (MA) — leads to LMFT or LPCC licensure
- MA in Psychology (MA) — leads to LMFT licensure
What Changes After You Graduate from Pepperdine
Graduation is the structural pivot in every California clinician's pre-license journey. During your degree at Pepperdine, your program handled the tracking side of things — faculty field liaisons approved placements, your school picked the platform, and everything was shaped by the academic calendar. Once your degree is conferred and you register as an associate, that changes. The rules, the categories, the forms, and the timeline are now set by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).
From the day your BBS associate registration is issued, you are now:
- Accumulating hours under BBS Column A (direct), B (non-clinical), and C (weekly total) rules.
- Subject to the 40-hour weekly cap across every site combined.
- Counting supervised weeks toward a 104-week minimum (52 individual).
- Responsible for generating BBS Form 37A-525 and 37A-301 at application time.
- Free to pick your own supervisor and sites, subject to BBS qualification rules.
Before your final weeks as a student: make sure you have your own copy of your signed program timesheets saved somewhere you control (local drive plus cloud). Your pre-degree hours can count toward the BBS 3,000 — but only if you can document them. Our Tevera export guide walks through the export step-by-step for programs that use Tevera.
Your BBS Licensure Path: LMFT and LPCC
Pepperdine graduates in Malibu and Los Angeles and across California typically pursue LMFT or LPCC licensure. For a Pepperdine grad, the core BBS structure is the same across pathways — 3,000 supervised hours, A/B/C categorization, the 40-hour weekly cap, 104 supervised weeks, and BBS-specific forms — while sub-requirements (like the LMFT's 500-hour A1 couples, families, and children minimum) differ by license.
For a full walkthrough of your specific pathway, see How to Track LMFT Supervised Hours in California or, if you're pursuing the other track, see How to Track LPCC Hours in California.
HourJourney for Pepperdine Graduates
HourJourney is built for the California associate phase — the exact phase Pepperdine graduates enter after commencement. Every BBS requirement is baked in: A/B/C categorization with auto-calculated Column C, the 40-hour weekly cap across every site, pre-degree / post-degree classification based on your degree awarded date, 104-week and 52-week supervision tracking, and one-click BBS PDF form generation.
$4.95/month (or $49/year — save 17%) for pre-degree trainees, $7.95/month (or $79/year) once you register as an associate. 30-day free trial.
Used Tevera during your time at Pepperdine? You're not alone — Tevera is built around your program's field-education and accreditation needs, not the BBS associate years. See how the two compare in our Tevera alternative breakdown.
Built for the Pepperdine-to-licensure journey
Track every BBS-countable hour from your first associate week through your licensure application.
Start Your Free 30-Day TrialFAQ: Pepperdine Graduates & BBS Licensure
What is the California BBS licensure pathway for Pepperdine graduates?+
Pepperdine graduates typically pursue LMFT or LPCC licensure through the California BBS. That starts with associate registration (AMFT, APCC) and accumulating 3,000 supervised hours in BBS A/B/C format, enforcing a 40-hour weekly cap, and reaching at least 104 supervised weeks.
How long does the post-graduation licensure phase take for a Pepperdine grad?+
For Pepperdine graduates it typically runs 3 to 6 years. Full-time associates working 40-hour weeks reach 3,000 hours in roughly 3 years; part-time paths take longer. The 104-week supervision minimum (52 individual) often becomes the pacing constraint rather than the hours themselves.
Do my Pepperdine practicum hours count toward my BBS license?+
Yes, within limits — and it's an advantage worth protecting. Up to 1,300 pre-degree hours (up to 750 direct) from your Pepperdine practicum can count toward the BBS 3,000-hour requirement. Those hours must be documented on BBS Form 37A-525 and signed by a BBS-qualified supervisor, so keep your signed Pepperdine timesheets as supporting evidence.
What tool should I use to track hours as a Pepperdine associate?+
A BBS-compliant tracker that enforces A/B/C categorization, the 40-hour weekly cap across every site, pre-degree / post-degree classification, and generates BBS Forms 37A-525 and 37A-301. HourJourney is purpose-built for the Pepperdine-to-licensure phase; Track Your Hours and spreadsheets are the alternatives.
When should I register as an associate after Pepperdine?+
Immediately after your Pepperdine degree is conferred. You cannot accrue BBS-countable post-degree hours until your AMFT, APCC number is issued, so apply through the California BBS at bbs.ca.gov as soon as you graduate.
Related guides
Hours Tracking After Graduation (California)
The cornerstone post-grad guide covering BBS forms, hour categories, and setting up your system.
Preserving Your Tevera Hours for BBS Licensure
Step-by-step Tevera export plus a Tevera-to-BBS category mapping table.
Tevera Alternative for BBS Hours After You Graduate
Why graduates switch — what changes when you leave your program's tracker.
Hours Tracking for California Associates
The BBS-compliant tracker built for the California associate phase.
How to Track LMFT Supervised Hours in California
Walk through the specific LMFT pathway step by step.
Pepperdine University is referenced here for informational purposes. HourJourney is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Pepperdine University. Tevera is a registered trademark of its respective owner; HourJourney is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Tevera. BBS requirements reflect guidance current as of 2025–2026. Always verify at bbs.ca.gov. This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Last verified: 2026-04-23.