Honor Societies

Founded in 1920 at the University of Southern California, Alpha Kappa Delta International Sociology Honor Society seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in the scholarship in the study of social problems, sociology, and intellectual activities that lead to the improvement in the human condition. Join the Alpha Nu chapter at USD!

Eligibility

Undergraduates must be sociology majors or demonstrate a serious interest in sociology within an official program of a host institution with a chartered chapter of the Society. Students must:

• Be at least a junior
• Rank in the top 35% of their class, or have an overall GPA of 3.3
• Have a sociology GPA of at least 3.0
• Have taken at least four courses in sociology at the host institution

Membership Requirements

One-time fee for lifetime membership of $40

Application Form

Organization Contact

The National Italian Honor Society, Gamma Kappa Alpha, is a society formed to acknowledge superior scholastic performance in the field of Italian language, literature and culture, and is open to membership at institutions of higher learning in the United States and Canada. The society encourages college students to acquire a greater interest in, and a deeper understanding of, Italian culture, art and history. The organization recognizes outstanding undergraduate scholarship in the field of Italian by awarding annually the Gamma Kappa Alpha Award for Scholarship.

Eligibility

• Be working toward a major in Italian studies or a minor in Italian
• Be a junior or senior class with at least a 3.0 GPA ("B") in Italian
• Have completed at least three upper-division courses in Italian (candidates who have completed only two may be considered if they are currently enrolled in an upper-division Italian course)

Benefits of Membership

• The connections you make as a GKA will last a lifetime.
• A competitive annual essay contest is available to seniors who are majoring in Italian studies or minoring in Italian.
• The essay must be written in Italian, focused on some aspect of Italian literature, civilization or linguistics and be 8-10 pages in length (minimum 2000 words; maximum 2500 words).
• The essays are vetted by a faculty committee and the committee will select one to send into the national organization.
• There is no fee to enter the contest; however, the finalist must provide an official transcript from each university or college attended and three unofficial copies of each.
• The finalist must also provide a curriculum vita.
• Lectures on a broad range of topics are offered on campus at least once each semester.

Membership

New members are inducted each spring. Applications for membership, accompanied by the $30 application fee (cash only), must be submitted to Loredana Di Martino, PhD. The application fee guarantees membership for life.

Initiation

An induction ceremony is conducted each spring. New members receive a certificate and an honors cord to be worn at commencement.

Organization Contact

Kappa Gamma Pi is the national Catholic college graduate honor society. Founded in 1926 at the National Catholic Educational Association Conference of Catholic Colleges, Kappa Gamma Pi has members from the first graduating classes of USD to the present. Members have demonstrated academic excellence and outstanding service and leadership during their college year, and they pledge to continue to provide examples of scholarship, leadership and service in their personal and professional lives. To be eligible, students must have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and have exemplified outstanding leadership and service during their years at USD. Kappa Gamma Pi sponsors the St. Catherine Medal, awarded at Honors Convocation, for outstanding leadership and service as well as the Cornaro Scholarship for members of Kappa Gamma Pi pursuing graduate studies.

Organization Contact

USD Anthropology students are eligible to join the Gamma Chapter of Lambda Alpha the National Collegiate Honor Society for Anthropology.Lambda Alpha was founded to encourage and stimulate scholarship and research in anthropology by recognizing and honoring superior achievement in the discipline among students, faculty and other persons engaged in the study of anthropology. 

Eligibility

• Undergraduates must be currently enrolled and have completed not less than twelve (12) semester hours or the equivalent in academic Anthropology.
• Undergraduates must have an average grade in these courses of not less than "B" or 3.0 and a cumulative quality point average of not less than 2.5.

Membership

It is $25 for a lifetime membership. Satin stoles are available for $25 each and cloisonné pins for $10 each.

Organization Contact

Our department is proud to host the Nu Tau chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the official honor society of the National Communication Association! All eligible students are encouraged to apply. Members gain access to important leadership and networking opportunities, as well as the chance to build relationships with their peers and interact with faculty one-on-one.

Eligibility

Students who are interested in applying must meet all the eligibility criteria below.

• be of junior standing (60+ units completed)
• be a Communication major or minor
• have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.25 major GPA
• have completed a total of 12+ units in Comm to be eligible.

How to apply

Please submit an application by Monday, 10/27.

Questions?

Students with any questions should contact the Lambda Pi Eta faculty advisor Dr. Nik Usher (they/them) at nusher@sandiego.edu.

Organization Contact

Mortar Board is a national honor society for college seniors that was founded in 1918 and chartered on the USD campus in the fall of 2000. The society recognizes in its members the qualities of scholastic achievement, outstanding leadership and dedicated service to the university and the community. There are over 200 active chapters of Mortar Board at colleges throughout the country. To be eligible for membership, students must have junior standing in the spring semester with an overall grade point average that places them in the top 35 percent of their class. Moreover, students must have participated and excelled in leadership and service activities during their college years. Admission to Mortar Board at USD is highly competitive and is restricted to approximately 30 students each year. Mortar Board members have the opportunity to apply for local and national Mortar Board scholarships and fellowships to be used for graduate study.

Organization Contact

National Society of Collegiate Scholars aims to recognize and celebrate high achievement among first- and second-year students in all academic disciplines; encourage and promote high standards throughout the collegiate experience; provide opportunities for personal growth and leadership development for members; organize and encourage learning opportunities through community service; and foster an overall appreciation for the value of the higher education experience.

Organization Contact

Order of Omega seeks to recognize students who have attained a high standard of leadership in inter-Greek activities; encourage such students to continue along this line; inspire other students to strive for similar conspicuous attainment; bring together the most representative fraternity and sorority members; create an organization which will help to mold the sentiment of the institution on questions of local and intercollegiate affairs; and bring together members of the faculty, alumni and student members of the institution's fraternities and sororities on a basis of mutual interest, understanding and helpfulness.

Organization Contact

A viable society, Phi Alpha Theta is composed of chapters in properly accredited colleges and universities. All students in these institutions, who have completed the required number of history courses and are maintaining high standards in their college or university studies, are eligible for membership.

History

The International Honor Society in History, Phi Alpha Theta, was organized at the University of Arkansas on March 17, 1921. Since that time it has grown to over six hundred and fifty chapters in fifty states, Puerto Rico, Canada and the Philippine Islands. It is the largest, in number of chapters, of the accredited honor societies holding membership in the Association of College Honor Societies. The total number of its initiates, since organization, is more than 150,000.

Mission

At the same time, Phi Alpha Theta is a professional society the objective of which is the promotion of the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and thought among historians. It seeks to bring students, teachers and writers of history together both intellectually and socially, and it encourages and assists, in a variety of ways, historical research and publication by its members.

In addition to hosting initiation receptions in the fall and spring semesters, Phi Alpha Theta organizes numerous activities throughout the academic year, including field trips, film screenings, lectures and community service events.

Eligibility

Membership is not restricted to History majors or minors. In order to be eligible for initiation, students must have achieved a GPA of 3.3 or higher in at least 12 units of History and an overall GPA of at least 3.0.

Membership Requirements

• Students are also responsible for annual membership dues of $60.

Benefits

• Membership in a National Honor Society
• One-year subscription to The Historian
• Opportunity to present research papers at Phi Alpha Theta conferences
• Camaraderie of other USD students interested in history

Application

Registration forms are available in the History Department office.

Organization Contact

Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the United States, Phi Beta Kappa was established in 1776 and has evolved to become the nation's leading advocate for the liberal arts and sciences at the undergraduate level. The society's distinctive emblem, the golden key, is widely recognized as a symbol of academic achievement. USD received its Phi Beta Kappa charter in 2003 and is one of only 270 chapters nationwide. To be eligible for membership, students must be majoring in an area of the liberal arts or sciences, hold senior standing and have attained a GPA that places them in the top 10 percent of their class. Additional criteria for selection include intellectual integrity, tolerance and a broad range of intellectual interests. Each spring a campus committee composed of Phi Beta Kappa faculty invites a select group of students to become members in the Society. Students who accept the invitation are then initiated into the Phi Beta Kappa Society in a formal ceremony.

Organization Contact

Phi Sigma Tau serves as a means to award distinction to students who have both high scholarship and a personal interest in philosophy; promote student interest in research and advanced study in this field; provide opportunities for the publication of student research papers of merit; encourage a professional spirit and friendship among those who have displayed marked ability in this field; and popularize interest in philosophy among the general collegiate public.

Organization Contact

Eligibility

If you would like to become a lifetime member of Epsilon Theta, our chapter of Pi Delta Phi, you need the following:

• A grade point average of 3.0 in French
• At least one upper-division French classes
• A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.8

Membership

Dues are $30, and are paid once upon acceptance into the chapter. Each member receives a certificate and membership pin. French honor cords are $10. Wear them proudly at Honors convocation and graduation!

Organization Contact

Pi Epsilon is the National Environmental Honors Society. Pi Epsilon’s first chapter and National Office was founded by a group of Environmental Sciences Ph.D. students at Wright State University in 2003. Pi Epsilon promotes the study of environmental sciences through recognition of exemplary scholarly and professional activity at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Environmental science is understood to be the study of our environment and all stressors acting on it: chemical, physical, and biological. The society seeks to promote interdisciplinary studies and foster interactions between industry and academia to further the study of environmental science. 

Criteria for Membership

Membership is open to undergraduate and graduate students in the environmental and natural sciences who meet the following requirements:

• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 out of 4.00
• Have completed at least 30 semester hours (45 quarter) of total coursework for undergraduates and at least 6 semester hours of total coursework for graduate students.
• Have completed at least three quarter- or semester-length courses in environmental science (of which at least one is not an introductory course) with a cumulative GPA in those courses of at least 3.30 out of 4.00.
• If no environmental science courses are available, courses from biology, chemistry, geology, and physics will be accepted with the following requirements:
  • Courses must be from three of the four above disciplines
  • The primary discipline of study must not exceed 75 percent of the total science coursework.
  • Cumulative science GPA must be at least 3.30 out of 4.00 

If you meet the above requirements, you may apply via the membership application portal. The fee for a lifetime membership in Pi Epsilon is $25.00. The Fall deadline is November 1st and the Spring deadline is March 1st.

Organization Contact

Pi Sigma Alpha is the only nationally recognized political science honor society. There are more than 500 chapters in universities across the country with more than 6,000 students joining each year. The Theta Mu Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha at the University of San Diego was established in 1977 and over the years, hundreds of USD students have joined. The chapter has sponsored debates and seminars on important political issues and has worked with other campus organizations to help coordinate events.

Read our Chapter's Constitution.

Eligibility

Each year faculty/student dinners provide an opportunity to socialize and discuss issues in a more informal environment. Upon joining Pi Sigma Alpha, you are a member for life and are eligible for various scholarships and awards.

To become a nationally recognized member,

• you must have an overall 3.2 GPA as well as a 3.2 GPA in either a political science or international relations major
• In addition, two upper and two lower-division classes in political science must be completed.

Membership

• Dues are $70

Apply now

Organization Contact

Psi Chi, The National Honor Society in Psychology, was established in 1929 for the purposes of encouraging, stimulating and maintaining excellence in scholarship and advancing the science of psychology. Each semester Psi Chi offers tutoring to fellow students.

Application Process

A call for application to the USD Chapter of Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology is announced each semester. New members are inducted each May. Please review Psi Chi eligibility requirements before applying.

Organization Contact

Sigma Delta Pi, the national Spanish honor society, is a student organization in which Spanish majors and minors who maintain a high scholastic standing are eligible for membership. It is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, as well as the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.

About

Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society (La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica), was established on November 14, 1919, at the University of California Berkeley. The USD chapter of Sigma Delta Pi is named Eta Zeta.

The Society's insignia is the royal seal of Fernando and Isabel, representing Castille, León and Aragón. Sigma Delta Pi's colors are red and gold, its flower is the red carnation, and its motto is the Greek phrase "Spanías Didagéi Proágomen" meaning "Let's go forth/continue forth under the teaching/guidance of the Spanish language." The national headquarters is located at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

The Society has expanded its activities and now has over 590 chapters in 49 states with the guidance of notable Hispanists such as S. Griswold Morley, Elijah C. Hills, Rudolph Schevill, Leavitt O. Wright, William Berrien, John D. Fitz-Gerald, Tomás Navarro Tomás, José Martel, Archer M. Huntington, John T. Reid, Stuart M. Gross, James O. Swain, F. Dewey Amner, Carl A. Tyre, T. Earle Hamilton, Dolores Brown, Richard E. Chandler, Ignacio R.M. Galbis, John H. LaPrade, Mark P. Del Mastro and Germán D. Carrillo.

Goals and Purposes

The purposes of this society are:

• To honor those who attain excellence in the study of the Spanish language and in the study of the literature and culture of the Spanish-speaking people
• To encourage university students to acquire a greater interest in and a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture
• To foster friendly relations and mutual respect between the nations of Hispanic speech and those of English speech
• To serve its membership in ways which will contribute to the attainment of the goals and ideals of the society

Eligibility

• Completion of at least three years of college-level Spanish or the equivalent (SPAN 301 or 300), including a minimum of three credit hours of a third-year Hispanic literature or culture and civilization course (one or more of the following can be counted: SPAN 303, 304, and 302)
• Attainment of at least a grade point average of at least 3.5 on a four-point scale in all college-level Spanish courses taken
• Attainment of at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a four-point scale in all college-level work attempted
• Rank in the upper 35% of his/her class–sophomore, junior, or senior–and must have completed at least three semesters college work

Sigma Delta Pi does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, or disability.

Benefits

• Exclusive access to undergraduate study abroad awards for study in Spanish-speaking countries
• Access to scholarships, including a $500 merit-based scholarship from the Washington Internship Institute (WII) for the ACHS/WII Internship Program.
• Eligibility for research grants for graduate students
• Distinctive student honors such as the Gabriela Mistral Award, available to one outstanding member per chapter annually, and the Mario Vargas Llosa Award, a joint Sigma Delta Pi-AATSP recognition granted yearly to one outstanding, undergraduate student major or minor of Spanish
• Leadership opportunities through election to chapter offices and the direction of various chapter projects (see handbook for ideas) that may result in such national distinctions as the Honor Chapter award, the Premio Ignacio y Sophie Galbis, the Premio F�nix, and the Premio Frida Kahlo
• Opportunities to participate and/or present in Sigma Delta Pi's annual sessions, held in conjunction with the AATSP and the Kentucky Foreign Language Conference, and the triennial convention, held during the meeting of the AATSP
• Active and ambitious student members may apply as a chapter for Chapter Project Grants to help finance their group's activities that complement the mission of Sigma Delta Pi
• Available awards for outstanding faculty of Hispanic Studies or members of one's local community who have made exceptional efforts in furthering Sigma Delta Pi's mission
• Bolstered credentials for any professional field, including business. For example, see the Qualifications Standards for General Schedule Positions at the website of the U. S. Office of Personnel Management
• An enhanced résumé afforded by serving as an active chapter officer: organizational leadership and initiative are attractive qualities to prospective employers
• Supportive network of regional and national officers to provide guidance for chapter activities and Society-related issues
• Closer association with students of similar interests and out-of-class interaction with members of faculty
• Special rates on insurance through Geico

Organization Contact

Sigma Pi Sigma exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics, to encourage interest in physics among students at all levels, to promote service to all, to provide for a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics and to help them in their professional development.

Organization Contact

Sigma Tau Delta (STD) is the International English Honors Society, and the USD chapter is Alpha Nu Mu. We live up to the ideals of community involvement, cultural exchange and engagement, fellowship and pursuit of knowledge through action with our events each semester. STD has a number of events including editing round-tables, literary movie nights, a Christmas party and book drives. With these events in mind we invite you to apply to become part of this amazing community of bookworms and writers alike!

Eligibility

• Must be majoring or minoring in English
• Must have completed at least 2 courses beyond First Year Writing 150 (FYW 150)
• Must have a 3.4 or above in English courses
• Must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA
• Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student
• Must apply at least one semester before graduation
• Must be engaged in the society's activities in a meaningful way

Membership

Members pay a one-time fee of $90 for their international membership fee and local chapter dues.

Benefits

• A membership certificate and lapel pin
• Lifetime membership in Sigma Tau Delta
• Wear an honor cord and/or stole with your graduation robe
• A one-year semi-annual subscription to the newsletter
• A one-year subscription to The Rectangle, Sigma Tau Delta's yearly literary publication
• List Sigma Tau Delta on your resume
• Apply for scholarship, internship and writing award opportunities
• Submit papers for possible publication in The Rectangle, the official Sigma Tau Delta publication
• Apply for the opportunity to serve on an International Board of Directors as a Student Adviser or Student Representative
• Submit papers or a panel discussion for possible presentation at the annual international conference
• AND the ability to join USD students with similar interests in creating, planning and attending exciting events!

Application Process

Eligible students will receive an invitation via email inviting them to join Sigma Tau Delta. 

Organization Contact

Theta Alpha Kappa the national honor society for theological and religious studies, recognizes outstanding scholarship in theological and religious studies and supports further study of these subjects. Membership is an honor conferred on students who have demonstrated academic excellence in these fields and in their general education.

Theta Alpha Kappa was founded in 1976 at Manhattan College in New York City as a national honor society for professors and students of theology and religious studies. Its prime purpose is to recognize excellence and to further growth in theology and religious studies at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Theta Alpha Kappa seeks to encourage research, good teaching and publication; to encourage an exchange of learning and thought among scholars; and to bring together students and teachers in the discipline in an intellectual and social fellowship.

The University of San Diego's Alpha Chi Chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa was founded in 1982. It became the forty-sixth chapter of ΘAK, which now has more than 200 chapters in the United States.

Eligibility

Alpha Chi Chapter has flourished at the university and holds annual inductions for eligible students. Criteria for membership as required by the society's constitution are:

• A minimum 3.5 cum in theology and religious studies
• A 3.0 or higher GPA
• Completion of five courses in the discipline.

Membership in Alpha Chi Chapter is restricted to majors in theology and religious studies. 

Organization Contact