Academic Honor Societies
Expand Your Network and Opportunities
Honor societies are national organizations that recognize student excellence, provide scholarship and leadership opportunities, and enable members to network and advance their careers long after graduation. Membership in these societies is an honor and privilege open to qualifying NSU students upon invitation. You may be a part of multiple honor societies.
Being a member of an honor society is different from being a student in the Honors College, though many honors students are invited to join honor societies. Check out the following honor societies available to you as an undergraduate student at NSU.
Multidisciplinary Honor Societies
Multidisciplinary honor societies are open to students from all majors and disciplines. The Farquhar Honors College manages these societies. For more information, contact honors@nova.edu.
Alpha Chi has more than 289 chapters in the United States and is the longest-standing academic honor society on campus. Qualifying students are invited to join once a year. Membership in Alpha Chi includes eligibility to compete for local and national scholarships. Alpha Chi is open to all undergraduate majors.
To qualify for Alpha Chi, you must:
- Be a junior or senior
- Complete a minimum of 24 credits at NSU
- Be in the top 10 percent of your major
Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest and most selective multidisciplinary honor society. Qualifying students are invited to join once a year. Invitations are extended to the top 7.5 percent of second-term juniors and top 10 percent of undergraduate seniors and graduate and professional students. Faculty, professional staff, and alumni who achieve scholarly distinction may also be eligible.
Discipline-Specific Honor Societies
Discipline-specific honor societies are open to students pursuing a degree within the specified discipline or actively involved in the area of interest. These societies are managed by various departments and colleges at NSU. For more information, contact the home college of the society.
National Honor Society of the Allied Health Professions
Nu Sigma Upsilon is NSU's chapter of Alpha Eta. This honor society aims to promote and recognize significant contributions to the allied health professions, including scholarship and leadership.
To qualify for Alpha Eta membership, you must:
- Be enrolled in an allied health program leading to an associate, baccalaureate, graduate or doctoral degree
- Be enrolled in your last year of study
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher in undergraduate programs or 3.8 or higher in graduate or doctoral programs
International Honor Society of Sociology
Alpha Kappa Delta seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in sociology scholarship, the research of social problems, and other social and intellectual activities that lead to improvement in the human condition.
To qualify for Alpha Kappa Delta membership, you must:
- Be a declared sociology major or demonstrate a serious interest in sociology within an official program at NSU
- Be a junior or senior
- Complete at least four courses within the sociology curriculum
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.3 or higher
- Earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher in sociology courses
National Foreign Language Honor Society
Alpha Alpha Zeta is NSU’s chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma. This honor society celebrates all foreign languages, honors those who excel at them, and seeks to encourage others to expand their cultural knowledge.
To qualify for Alpha Mu Gamma membership, you must:
- Complete two semesters of college
- Receive two grades of A /A- in college-level foreign language courses
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
International Criminal Justice Honor Society
Omega Tau is NSU's chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma. This honor society is the largest and only official criminal justice honor society in America and is open to undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and law students. Alpha Phi Sigma's mission is to promote critical thinking, rigorous scholarship, and life-long learning; to keep abreast of the advances in scientific research; to elevate the ethical standards of the criminal justice professions; and to sustain in the public mind the benefit and necessity of education and professional training.
To qualify for Alpha Phi Sigma membership, you must:
- Have a major or minor in criminal justice or a related field
- Complete a minimum of four courses within the criminal justice curriculum
- Be recommended by the chapter adviser
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher
- Earn a GPA of 3.2 or higher in criminal justice courses
- Complete one-third of your total hours required for graduation at NSU
- Rank in the top 35 percent of your classes
National Biological Honor Society
Rho Rho is NSU's chapter of Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta). This honor society is for students, particularly undergraduates, dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research.
To qualify for TriBeta membership, you must:
- Be a biology major
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher
- Earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher in biology courses
- Complete at least three biology courses (one of which is above the introductory level)
- Complete 45 credits toward your degree, 15 of which must be completed at NSU
Learn More About Beta Beta Beta
Honor Society for Student-Athletes
Chi Alpha Sigma is the first and only nonprofit organization that was established to honor college student-athletes who have excelled in both the classroom and in athletic competition.
To qualify for Chi Alpha Sigma membership, you must:
- Receive a varsity letter in your sport
- Achieve junior academic standing or higher after your fifth full-time semester
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.4 or higher
Selection for membership is also based on excellent character and citizenship, in consultation with your head coach.
Honorary Society in Public Health
Alpha Xi is NSU's chapter of Delta Omega. This honor society promotes excellence and recognizes outstanding accomplishments in public health. Delta Omega connects public health students, alumni, and faculty from NSU to recognize and develop leadership that advances the public's health.
To qualify for Delta Omega membership, you must:
- Be a public health major at the undergraduate or graduate level
- Rank in the top 10% of candidates for undergraduates
- Rank in the top 20% of candidates for graduates
International Honor Society in Education
Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) is dedicated to scholarship and excellence in education. The society is a community of scholars dedicated to worthy ideals: recognizing scholarship and excellence in education, promoting the development and dissemination of educational ideals and practices, enhancing the continuous growth and leadership of its diverse membership, fostering inquiry and reflection on significant educational issues, and maintaining a high degree of professional fellowship. The Kappa Delta Pi Educational Foundation and local chapters award more than $100,000 annually in scholarships for academic study to active members who are undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degree-seeking students.
To qualify for KDP membership, you must:
- Complete 30 credit hours at NSU
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher
- Complete or are in progress to complete at least 12 credits of education courses
National Honor Society for Paralegal/Legal Assistant Studies
Lambda Epsilon Chi (LEX) recognizes those who have demonstrated superior academic performance in an established program of paralegal studies. Students are inducted into LEX once a year.
To qualify for LEX membership, you must:
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher
- Complete two-thirds of your program requirements
National Communication Studies Honor Society
Upsilon Zeta is NSU's chapter of Lambda Pi Eta (LPH).
To qualify for LPH membership, you must:
- Be a communication studies major with a minimum of 60 earned credit hours
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Complete at least 12 credits in communication studies major courses with at least a 3.25 GPA in those courses
- Be in the top 35 percent of your class
- Be a full-time student in good standing
National Honor Society in Neuroscience
To qualify for Nu Ro Psi membership, you must:
- Have a major or minor in neuroscience
- Complete at least three semesters of college curriculum
- Complete at least 9 credits in NEUR courses
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.3 and a GPA of 3.5 in NEUR courses
National Leadership Honor Society
Membership in Omicron Delta Kappa is granted to those who demonstrate leadership achievements in one of five areas of NSU’s campus life: athletics; campus or community service, social and religious activities, and campus government; creative and performing arts; journalism, speech, and mass media; and scholarship.
To qualify for Omicron Delta Kappa membership, you must:
- Be a junior or senior
- Rank in the upper 35 percent of your class
National Political Science Honor Society
Alpha Lambda Rho is NSU's chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha. This honor society focuses on recognizing and cultivating creative student leaders through scholarship and service.
International Honor Society in Psychology
Psi Chi promotes excellence in scholarship and advances the science of psychology. Membership is open to undergraduate and graduate students who meet minimum academic qualifications.
National Marine Biology Honor Society
The Beta Chapter of this honor society was established to recognize outstanding students earning a degree in marine biology. Members of Rho Rho Rho work to promote awareness of marine biology and appreciation of the marine environment with students of all majors. Students are inducted into this society each February.
To qualify for Rho Rho Rho membership, you must:
- Have a major or minor in marine biology
- Complete at least two full semesters (30 credits)
- Complete two major courses at the 2000 level or higher with an average GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher
- Be in good academic standing
International Honor Society for Business, Management, and Administration
Sigma Beta Delta aims to encourage and recognize scholarship and achievement among students of business, management, and administration, and to encourage and promote personal and professional improvement.
To qualify for Sigma Beta Delta membership, you must:
- Rank in the upper 20 percent of your graduating class
- Be invited to join by the faculty officers
International English Honor Society
Alpha Nu Iota is NSU’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. This honor society recognizes the academic excellence of students of the English language and literature, as well as the accomplishments of professional writers.
To qualify for Sigma Tau Delta membership, you must:
- Have an English major or minor
- Earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher in English courses
- Rank at least in the highest 35 percent of your class
- Complete at least three semesters of college work
International Honor Society of Nursing
Upsilon Chi is NSU’s chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. This honor society supports the learning, knowledge, and professional development of nurses committed to making a difference in health worldwide.
To qualify for Sigma Theta Tau membership, you must:
- Earn an overall GPA of 3.5 or higher or be in the top thirty-five percent of your class
Scientific Research Honor Society
Sigma Xi was established at Cornell University in 1886 to reward excellence in scientific research and to encourage a sense of companionship and cooperation among scientists in all fields. The society is a diverse organization of members and chapters dedicated to companionship in science and engineering and to the advancement of knowledge through research, service, and teaching. Membership is available at levels from advanced researchers and academics to undergraduates.
International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) aims to promote the computing and information disciplines, encourage
their contribution to the enhancement of knowledge, and recognize academic excellence at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.