How Do I Become a Phi Beta Kappa Member?

The Pennsylvania State University ©1997

ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN PHI BETA KAPPA

Election to Phi Beta Kappa honors the quality and breadth of a student’s undergraduate academic achievement. No formal application to Phi Beta Kappa membership is needed. The Chapter reviews student records each spring to identify candidates.

Follow this link for a list of eligible majors.

  1. Majors in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Smeal College of Business Administration, College of Education, College of Engineering, and College of Health and Human Development are considered to be professional majors and are not accepted for Phi Beta Kappa membership; however…
  2. Any student who has taken 75% or 90 credits in approved majors is also eligible for Phi Beta Kappa. Such students should request a review of their transcripts from the chapter president.

The difference between #1 and #2 is that students with an approved major (#1) will automatically have their audits performed, while students outside of such majors (#2) need to initiate the audit.

  1. Candidates must have completed a minimum of 60 credits at Penn State, University Park.
    Special Note:  Currently, students who graduate from other Penn State campus locations are not eligible for PBK-Lambda membership.
  2. Candidates must have at least 75 percent of their total credits in liberal arts and science courses OR at least 90 credits in total that are in liberal arts and science courses. Liberal arts and science courses include most, although not all, of the courses from the approved majors described above.
  3. Candidates with 90 or more credits completed must have a 3.75 cumulative GPA. Candidates with 60 to 89 credits completed must have a 3.9 GPA. Please note that the GPA requirement for Phi Beta Kappa is adjusted annually to remain in compliance with the honor society’s requirement that no more than 10% of any graduating class be inducted. The credit requirement does not vary from year to year.
  4. Candidates must have completed at least one foreign language course at the second level (e.g., French 002, German 002, Japanese 002) OR must have equivalent credits granted by Penn State through examination, transfer or advanced placement OR an official of the student’s College (e.g. faculty adviser, department head, or dean of undergraduate studies) must certify that the student has the required foreign language competence OR must have studied the same foreign language in high school for four years.
  5. Candidates must have taken at least 3 credits in each of their Penn State general education requirements in the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, and quantification, and have completed English 15 or 30.

For questions about eligibility please contact the Chapter Secretary, Elizabeth Mansfield, ecm289@psu.edu.