Phi Beta Kappa was founded on December 5, 1776, at the College of William and Mary. Since then, Phi Beta Kappa has evolved to become the nation's leading advocate for the liberal arts and sciences at the undergraduate level. It is widley considered the most selective and prestigious of all college honor societies and election to membership, one of the highest honors available to undergraduate collegians.

For more than 200 years, the Phi Beta Kappa Society has pursued its mission of fostering and recognizing excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. The Society's distinctive emblem, a golden key, is widely recognized as a symbol of academic achievement. Through the time-honored process of granting charters to the institutions that shelter Phi Beta Kappa chapters, the Society reaffirms that mission.

The chapters and their community counterparts, the associations, work with the national office to sustain a variety of programs that honor and champion liberal arts scholarship. These activities, whether local or national, provide support in the form of scholarships, lectureships, book and essay awards, summer institutes for teachers, and funds for visiting scholars. Each year Phi Beta Kappa, with its affiliates, raises and distributes over $1,000,000 to benefit students and scholars through these programs.

The Alpha of Arizona chapter was found in 1932 and has been continuously active for the last 70 years.

Learn more about Phi Beta Kappa in this PowerPoint presentation

Visit the official Phi Beta Kappa web site for more information on this prestigious honorary society.

Read about Phi Beta Kappa Travel grants available to Honors Students that meet the eligible requirement

Acceptable Majors for Election to Phi Beta Kappa

African American Studies American Indian Studies Anatomy Anthropology Arabic Art History Astronomy Atmospheric Sciences Biochemistry Biophysics Chemistry Chinese Studies Classics Communications Computer Science Creative Writing/TV Critical Languages Drama Theory East Asian Studies Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Economics English Entomology Environment & Behavior French Genetics Geography Geology Geosciences German Greek History History/Philosophy of Science Humanities Interdisciplinary Studies (if courses are mainly in one of acceptable majors on this list) Italian Japanese Studies Judaic Studies Journalism Latin Latin American Studies Linguistics Mathematics Media Arts Mexican American Studies Molecular & Cellular Biology Music Near Eastern Studies Oriental Studies Persian Philosophy Physics Physiology Planetary Sciences Political Science Portuguese Psychology Religion Russian/Slavic Languages Russian/Soviet Studies Sociology Spanish Statistics Theater Arts Women's Studies

Majors which are not acceptable for election to Phi Beta Kappa include:

• Art Education
• Dance
• Drama Production
• General Fine Arts Studies
• Music Theory
• Music Education
• Music Performance
• No major selected
• Pre-education, pre-medical technology, pre-exercise science, pre-pharmacy,
• pre-nursing
• Studio Art

Read about Phi Beta Kappa Travel grants available to Honors Students that meet the eligible requirement