Honors Council

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Phi Beta Kappa, Nu Chapter of California

PHI BETA KAPPA was founded in 1776. The Nation's first academic honor society, it is the most prestigious for undergraduates who excel in the liberal arts and sciences. The Greek letters stand for Philosophia Biou Kubernêtês, Love of Wisdom, Helmsman of Life. Nu Chapter of California, chartered at San Diego State in 1974, one of 280 chapters, is the first of only three chapters in The California State University system and the first of three in San Diego.

In addition to its spring initiation, Nu Chapter sponsors the annual SDSU Phi Beta Kappa Faculty Lecture. The chapter awards as much as $3,000 in scholarships for graduate study.

Membership

Only juniors and seniors who have completed or are completing two years in residence at SDSU and who have earned 45 semester units in residence are eligible for election by chapter members late in the spring semester. Students do not apply for membership; invitation by chapter election extended only once during an undergraduate's career, and the invitation must accepted during the semester of election. To be considered, juniors must have a minimum 3.75 GPA in 75 semester units in appropriate coursework at SDSU, and seniors must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and show evidence of commitment to liberal education by having at least 90 semester units of coursework in the liberal arts and sciences. Coursework must demonstrate breadth outside the major, including college mathematics and proficiency in a foreign language corresponding to a third-semester university course for a BA and a second-semester university course for a BS degree. Juniors and seniors must have completed the Upper Division Writing Requirement by either course or exam.

National Website
https://www.pbk.org/home/index.aspx

Contacts

Dr. Carey G. Wall, Corresponding Secretary
wall@mail.sdsu.edu

Dr. E. Nicholas Genovese, President
genovese@mail.sdsu.edu

Honors Council Student Representatives: Aladdin Shadyab aladdinhs@yahoo.com, Nichole Donohue nichole.donahue@gmail.com, and Lauren Terrazas lkealani@sdcglobal.net