Frequently Asked Questions | Fine Arts

The supplemental Fine Arts application will be available by August 15th and can be accessed via your Pepperdine Application portal. For those interested in joining our instrumental ensembles or pursuing a minor in Fine Arts, please contact the Fine Arts Recruitment Office at fineartsrecruit@pepperdine.edu.

The deadline differs for each application type:

• Supplemental Fine Arts applications for Spring 2025 and Spring 2025 Transfer students are due on October 4th, 2024.
• Supplemental Fine Arts applications for Early Action (First-Year applicants only) students are due on November 13th, 2024.
• Supplemental Fine Arts applications for Regular Decision and Regular Decision Transfer students are due on January 29th, 2025. 

Yes. Students may apply for up to two degree programs at Pepperdine. Students will be considered for their first-choice selection in the initial review followed by their second choice, if they are not admitted to their primary major.

Please only submit one supplemental application per student. 

Yes. All candidates for Music and Theatre programs will be required to submit an audition as part of their supplemental application materials. 

Applicants may also choose to participate in a live audition. Live auditions are optional and do not replace the required supplemental application materials. Live auditions are offered both virtually and in-person during our Audition Days. 

• Spring Only: Not applicable.
• Early Action: Saturday, November 2nd, virtual only
• Early Action: Saturday, November 16th, in-person and on Zoom
• Regular Decision: Saturday, January 18th, virtual only
• Regular Decision: Saturday, February 1st, in-person and on Zoom

A live audition is required for applicants pursuing Instrumental Performance, and is strongly recommended for all applicants within the Music and Theatre departments. Live portfolio reviews are not required for admission to the Studio Art program, but are recommended for those pursuing additional scholarships.

Live Auditions for the 2025-2026 academic year will be facilitated both in-person and on Zoom. Audition sign-ups are available in an online registration format. We are offering Live Auditions on the following dates. 

• November 2nd: This Audition Day is only for applicants wishing to be considered under the early action deadline. Please note that this Audition Day will be virtual only, and hosted over Zoom. No in-person auditions will be offered. Students will receive instructions regarding the Zoom session after registering for an audition date. Registration for the event can be found here.
• November 16th: This Audition Day is only for applicants wishing to be considered under the early action deadline. Auditions are offered both virtually or in-person. Students will receive instructions regarding the Zoom session after registering for an audition date. Registration for the event can be found here.
• January 18th: This Audition Day is for all applicants wishing to be considered under the regular decision deadline. Please note that this Audition Day will be virtual only, and hosted over Zoom. No in-person auditions will be offered. Students will receive instructions regarding the Zoom session after registering for an audition date. Registration for the event can be found here.
• February 1st: This Audition Day is for all applicants wishing to be considered under the regular decision deadline. Auditions are offered both virtually or in-person. Students will receive instructions regarding the Zoom session after registering for an audition date. Registration for the event can be found here.

Please note that while an in-person audition is not required for all departments, the supplemental Fine Arts application is necessary for all applicants. The supplemental Fine Arts application must be completed at least 72 hours prior to your scheduled audition day, and prior to the January 29th deadline. 

Keep in mind, live auditions should be completed within the same Common App season to avoid any difficulties with the admissions process. Example: If you are applying to Seaver College during Early Action, and wish to participate in a live audition, you will want to register for one of the November Audition Days. Do not reserve a January or February audition date as they fall within the Regular Decision season.

Please do not register for multiple auditions on the same day. If you are interested in multiple areas, you will likely only need to audition once and can still be considered for multiple programs. Please contact the Fine Arts Recruitment Office and we can help you determine which audition to pursue. 

If you are interested in participating in a Portfolio Review with the art department, please register for the Audition Days on either November 16th or February 1st. We are not currently offering Portfolio Reviews on our other Audition Days. 

You will receive an email confirmation after you submit your registration. Please allow up to 48 hours to receive your confirmation. 

If you need to reschedule your audition, please email the Fine Arts Recruitment Office at fineartsrecruit@pepperdine.edu. Requests will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability.

Keep in mind, live auditions should be completed within the same Common App season to avoid any difficulties with the admissions process. Example: If you are applying to Seaver College during Early Action, and wish to participate in a live audition, you will want to register for one of the November Audition Days. Do not reserve a January or February audition date as they fall within the Regular Decision season.

Students should prepare and perform monologues from published plays or musicals. Work from a non-published source makes it difficult for the faculty to understand the context of the character and play or the song. 

Within the supplemental Fine Arts application, there is an option to link outside to a personal website. Given the very small window we have to review and evaluate audition materials, we cannot guarantee that personal websites will be reviewed. During the live audition, we ask that you submit only the items outlined in the live audition requirements. 

Please email these changes to fineartsrecruit@pepperdine.edu. Please note that no updates will be made once the application process has closed. 

International applicants must meet and submit additional requirements. 

Program decisions are sent concurrently with admissions decisions for Seaver College. You can view the complete list of deadlines here. 

​​There is an application fee associated with applying to Pepperdine University (The Common Application). There is no fee to participate in a live audition.

Yes.  Each major will have different requirements. You will need to sign up for a separate audition for each major you are applying to. If you have more questions, please contact the Fine Arts Recruitment Office. 

Yes. Practice rooms will be left unlocked and available for warm-up, practice, etc.  Practice rooms are available on a first-come, first-served based, and you will be directed to the practice rooms upon check-in.

Awards are given on a case-by-case basis in recognition of talent and/or financial need. Students wanting to be considered for a Fine Arts scholarship should answer "yes" to the question on the supplemental Fine Arts application that asks, "Do you wish to be considered for a scholarship?" Scholarship requirements will vary by major. 

Live auditions are recommended, but are not required for most departments. Live auditions are only mandatory for students auditioning for the Instrumental Performance program. Regardless of your ability to participate in a live audition, all applicants will be required to upload program materials into the supplemental Fine Arts application, including video materials for all applicants in Music and Theatre. All applicants will have the choice to attend a live audition in-person or over Zoom. If you are applying for the Instrumental Performance program and are unable to attend a live audition, please reach out to the Fine Arts Recruitment Office and they will help you explore alternative options for your audition. 

Your appearance does make a difference in how you are received as a performer, whether performing in a concert or auditioning. Be well-groomed and make your best impression! Choose clothes that make you feel confident and professional and reflect who you are as an artist. Please no costumes or flip-flops.

In general, programs that require an interview or a portfolio review allot ten to twenty minutes per candidate. If you are not participating in a live audition, you will be contacted by someone from the program regarding this requirement.

For on-campus auditions, an accompanist will be provided for music auditions and for musical theatre auditions. Even so, students may bring an accompanist if they wish. Please see the specific guidance under the FAQs for theatre below.

All instrumentalists are required to submit all sheet music they plan on performing to the Fine Arts Recruitment Office at least two weeks prior to their audition. 

Since decisions for each of the programs in Fine Arts are contingent on the applicant's admission to Seaver College, individual program notifications will be included with Seaver Admissions notifications. For a complete application timeline, check out the deadlines page.

No. Any student may declare an Art History major by selecting it as your "intended major" on the Common App. After you submit your application, a member of the Art History faculty may reach out to you to find out more about your particular interests or to request an Art History writing sample.

No, you do not need to submit a portfolio to be accepted into the studio art major. However, if you would like to be considered for financial aid through the Art department then you must submit a portfolio through the supplemental Fine Arts application in your Pepperdine application portal.

We are most interested in seeing a diverse body of artwork that you feel best represents you as a creative and dedicated artist.

We understand that images are never as good as the real thing, but for this review please only present images of your work.

Yes, for the live in person audition. However, if you audition via Zoom, that will eliminate our ability to provide you with an accompanist.  We encourage you to coordinate your audition with pre-recorded accompaniment or to have an accompanist with you if you plan on auditioning over Zoom.

• Instrumentalists, when you register and select your instrument, an option will be available for you to indicate if you will need an accompanist or not.
• Vocalists, an accompanist will be provided for all vocal auditions.  Please bring sheet music (in the correct key) for the accompanist.

No.  Accompanists are not available to rehearse before auditions however practice rooms will be available for your use on each audition day.  All of our accompanists are professional collaborative artists and will be capable of sight-reading your music.

Vocalists - Yes. 

Instrumentalists – Piano and classical guitar candidates are required to present memorized audition pieces. All other instrumentalists will be permitted to use music. 

In order to determine whether or not an advancement in the theory and skills curriculum is a possibility, a theory professor on occasion may administer a separate test to an individual student who has demonstrated advanced knowledge of music theory and aural skills. These requests are usually considered on a case-by-case basis after the MFSA has been administered.

Click here for policy information about AP Music Theory.

Yes. We encourage prospective students to come to campus and enjoy a free ½ hour private lesson with one of our instructors. In addition, there are classes and rehearsals that you may audit for the day. The Fine Arts Recruitment Office can assist with scheduling and availability. 

Bring only what you require for your performance (i.e. your instrument(s), music for the accompanist, etc.)  All other application materials should be submitted through the Common Application and the supplemental Fine Arts application in the Pepperdine application portal.

Yes. The requirements are essentially the same for those applying for a music minor as for those applying for a music major. If you are interested in minoring in music, please contact the Fine Arts Recruitment Office at fineartsrecruit@pepperdine.edu.

Interviews typically last 10-15 minutes and are relaxed and conversational. The first half of the interview is your time to present your work to the faculty members. Highlight a few of the most important bullet points about each show, project, or piece of art. Focus on your experience, what you learned, and the reasons behind any design decisions. Faculty members may stop you to ask questions about your work. During the second half of the interview, faculty members will continue the conversation to learn more about your life, interests, passions, and goals as well as what draws you to Pepperdine. Finally, you'll be given an opportunity to ask any questions that weren't answered during the course of the interview.

Portfolios come in many styles, sizes, and levels of "polish." More importantly, this is your opportunity to show who you are, what areas of theatre excite you the most, and the kinds of experiences you've had so far. Portfolios can include photos or sketches of sets, costumes, and props that you built or painted. They might include photos of lighting designs, light plots, or audio files of sound cues. Stage managers should include calling scripts and any other paperwork such as schedules, scene breakdowns, run sheets, etc. You may include designs or projects even if they were never built or fully-realized. Also include any related non-theatrical work like drawing, painting, photography, etc.

We do not provide an accompanist for auditions in the Theatre Arts: Acting emphasis or the Theatre and Screen Arts major. If you choose to sing for your audition, you may bring an accompanist or, as is more common, bring an accompaniment track on your phone or a CD, and sing 16 bars of a Broadway standard.

We will provide an accompanist for Musical Theatre auditions, but you may bring your own accompanist if you wish. You will have the opportunity to meet the accompanist and discuss the tempi of your selections immediately prior to the audition. Please bring your double-sided sheet music in a binder with the beginning and ending of each song clearly marked. Omit any lengthy instrumental introduction and begin with a 2-bar lead-in. When creating a photocopied score, please make sure all the notes of the music fit neatly on the page. 

Once we have received all of your application materials and seen your audition and/or interview, you can expect your notification by no later than April 1.

Production/Design applicants unable to attend an interview in person may request to interview over Zoom. Directing applicants may also do their interviews by Zoom, but should follow the "video audition" instructions regarding the performance portion of their audition. For more information contact Paul Dufresne at paul.dufresne@pepperdine.edu.