University Honor Societies

In recognition of academic excellence, the University of Indianapolis sponsors a number of honor societies. Four of these honor societies are interdisciplinary and open to all undergraduate students who qualify: Alpha Chi (national collegiate honor society), Alpha Sigma Lambda (honor society for undergraduate evening students), Phi Alpha Epsilon (freshman honor society), and Phi Theta Kappa (honor society for students enrolled in associate degree programs). Membership in these University interdisciplinary honor societies is noted on the transcript.

Alpha Chi
Alpha Sigma Lambda
Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Alpha Epsilon

Alpha Chi
The Indiana Eta Chapter of Alpha Chi is an honor society that inducts undergraduate upperclass students. Alpha Chi, one of the oldest and largest general honor societies in the nation, promotes and recognizes academic excellence as well as good character. The society encourages scholarship through national and regional meetings where students participate in scholarly activities.

With the installation of the Indiana Eta Chapter in 1984, the University's original senior scholastic honor society, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, ceased the induction of new members. The society holds a place of esteem in the University, and its records are maintained in the archives. Many of its members, upon invitation, elected to join Alpha Chi.

Students are invited to join Alpha Chi by the faculty. The following criteria apply.

Undergraduate students who have not been awarded a baccalaureate degree, who have junior or senior standing (as defined by the University), and who have earned at least 45 semester hours* at the University of Indianapolis are eligible. Part-time students are eligible on successful completion of 92 semester hours, 45 of which must be earned at the University of Indianapolis.*
The faculty select students in the top 10 percent of the junior and senior classes respectively for invitation to join Alpha Chi.
The faculty consider both high academic scholarship and good character in selecting students for Alpha Chi.

Alpha Sigma Lambda
The Alpha Nu chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda is a national honor society for undergraduate adult students in continuing higher education. To be eligible for membership in Alpha Sigma Lambda, a student must, as of March 1 each year:

be enrolled in the Extended Programs Division or the Accelerated Programs Division.
have earned 30 graded semester hours* in Extended Programs or Accelerated Programs at the University of Indianapolis.
have earned at least 15 graded semester hours* at the University of Indianapolis in general education courses.
not have been awarded a baccalaureate degree from any degree-granting institution.
have attended the University of Indianapolis for a minimum of four semesters (not including summer sessions).
be elected from the top five percent of all regularly admitted baccalaureate degree students in the Extended Programs and Accelerated Programs divisions.
have attained a grade point average of at least 3.2 for two semesters, carrying a minimum load of at least six credit hours each semester.
have attained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2.

A member whose grade point average has fallen below 3.2 will have membership placed on an inactive status. Such a member will be reinstated if the average is raised to 3.2 in the subsequent semester. Two semesters on inactive status will terminate membership. Membership is by invitation only from the list of those determined to be eligible, according to the criteria identified above. Membership is conferred annually at the end of Semester II, usually immediately prior to Commencement.

Phi Alpha Epsilon
A percentage of students who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 and who have earned a minimum of 26 semester hours* during the first year of University work (two regular semesters and a spring term) will be eligible for election by the faculty to Phi Alpha Epsilon, the freshman honor society.

Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for associate degree students who have excelled academically. The Beta Alpha Omega chapter was chartered at the University of Indianapolis in March 1995 for both the Indianapolis campus and the Cyprus campus. In order to be eligible for membership, the student must be enrolled in an associate degree program and have completed the total hours and the hours in residence as well as the grade point average as set forth by the bylaws. Membership fees are required prior to initiation.

* Hours for courses that a student takes for pass/fail, math proficiency, satisfactory/unsatisfactory, or credit only (no traditional letter grade assigned) will not be used in determining these honors.