Membership Criteria
Membership in Phi Beta Kappa is by invitation only. Members are elected by individual chapters from among candidates for degrees in the liberal arts and sciences, usually from the top 10 percent of the graduating class.
Candidates for degrees in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at the University of Iowa who have not previously earned a baccalaureate degree are invited to accept membership in Phi Beta Kappa either as “juniors” (spring semester only) or as “seniors” (fall and spring semesters). While there is no application process, only candidates who accept membership can become members of Phi Beta Kappa.
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Juniors” are elected during the semester in which they have:
- completed a minimum 80 semester hours of University of Iowa course work
- achieved a minimum 3.90 University of Iowa grade point average
- achieved a minimum 3.90 cumulative grade point average
- completed the College’s General Education Program requirement in foreign language
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Seniors” are elected during the semester in which they have:
- completed a minimum 100 semester hours of college course work. Students who have transferred 24+ semester hours to Iowa must have completed a minimum 109 semester hours of college work. Candidates in the Combined degree program must have made significant progress toward completion of the CLAS degree.
- completed a minimum 60 semester hours of course work in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at Iowa
- completed a minimum 63 semester hours of college course work for which letter grades have been assigned
- achieved a minimum 3.80 University of Iowa grade point average
- achieved a minimum 3.80 cumulative grade point average
- completed the College’s General Education Program requirement in foreign language
Please contact Alpha of Iowa chapter officers if you have questions about membership.
