APU Honor Societies

Multidisciplinary Honor Societies

Alpha Chi, Gamma Chapter

Alpha Chi is a national honor society that admits students from all academic disciplines. Members are elected by the faculty of their schools as ranking in the top 10 percent of undergraduate juniors and seniors, graduate students, and students in adult and professional studies programs. Qualifying students from APU were inducted into the California Gamma Chapter of Alpha Chi. These Alpha Chi inductees can be identified by the blue and green cords worn on their graduation apparel.

For more information, contact the Alpha Chi Gamma Chapter at alphachi@apu.edu.

Honors Scholars

Honors Scholars have completed a minimum of 24 units of their college education in the Honors College seminars designed by outstanding professors and created for greater depth, intensity, intellectual rigor, critical thinking, and synthesis of the subject. Several scholars chose to study abroad, complete undergraduate research projects, and participate in regional, national, and international conferences. Honors Scholars can be identified by the gold medallions worn with their graduation apparel.

For more information, contact the Honors College at apuhonors@apu.edu.

National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC)

The National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) is the professional association of undergraduate honors programs and colleges, honors directors and deans, and honors faculty, staff, and students. NCHC provides support for institutions and individuals developing, implementing, and expanding honors education through curriculum development, program assessment, teaching innovation, national and international study opportunities, internships, service and leadership development, and mentored research. NCHC carries out its mission by serving honors professionals and by advocating support for and excellence in higher education for all students. In furtherance of this mission, NCHC has issued the following Core Values Statement:

The National Collegiate Honors Council values an atmosphere that promotes academic opportunity and challenge for honors students and faculty. Within this intellectual environment, members of honors communities demonstrate integrity, respect, and excellence. Through the honors experience, participants realize enhanced personal, social, and intellectual development. The NCHC recognizes the importance of life-long learning and social responsibility in preparing individuals for an increasingly complex world. These beliefs and values are reinforced among member institutions through the collegiality and shared purpose of the NCHC.

For more information, contact the Honors College at apuhonors@apu.edu.

Scholar Athletes

Scholar Athletes are graduating NCAA student athletes who have been recognized either by the NCAA, Pacific West Conference, Great Northwest Athletic Conference, Pacific Coast Swimming Conference, Golden Coast Conference, or National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association, as Scholar Athletes. To be recognized a student-athlete must participate in varsity athletics for Azusa Pacific University and maintain the required GPA for recognition in each conference.

For more information, contact the APU Athletics Department at (626) 815-5081.

Western Regional Honors Council (WRHC)

The Western Regional Honors Council (WRHC) is a professional organization of faculty, administrators, and students dedicated to the promotion and advancement of undergraduate honors education. The WRHC represents honors programs in universities and colleges across the Western Region through an annual conference, through regular newsletters and email communication, and through two business meetings, one held in the spring at the annual conference and one held at the NCHC annual conference.

For more information, contact the Honors College at apuhonors@apu.edu.

School of the Arts

Department of Organizational Leadership and Communication

Kappa Tau Alpha

Kappa Tau Alpha is a college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication. Membership must be earned by excellence in academic work at one of the colleges and universities that have chapters. Selection for membership is a mark of highest distinction and honor. The seventh oldest national honor society, Kappa Tau Alpha was founded at the University of Missouri in 1910 at the world’s first school of journalism. The Society has 96 chapters and has inducted 75,000 outstanding students since its founding in 1910. Kappa Tau Alpha is a non-profit (501-c-3) organization and is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies, the nation’s only certifying agency for college and university honor societies.

For more information, contact the Department of Organizational Leadership and Communication.

Lambda Pi Eta

Lambda Pi Eta is the official honor society of the National Communication Association and a member of the prestigious Association of College Honor Societies. Each member must maintain an exceptional grade-point average and display a commitment to the field of communication. The organization promotes outstanding scholastic achievement in communication studies and explores professional options. Lambda Pi Eta inductees can be identified by the red and white chords worn with their graduation apparel.

For more information, visit the Lambda Pi Eta website or contact the Department of Organizational Leadership and Communication at commstudies@apu.edu.

School of Humanities and Sciences

Department of Biology and Chemistry

Beta Beta Beta (Biology), Epsilon Gamma Chapter

Beta Beta Beta (TriBeta) is a society for students, particularly undergraduates, dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending the boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research. Since its founding in 1922, more than 200,000 persons have been accepted into lifetime membership, and more than 520 chapters have been established throughout the United States and Puerto Rico.

For more information, visit the Beta Beta Beta (Biology) website or contact the Department of Biology and Chemistry.

Department of History and Political Science

Phi Alpha Theta (History), Alpha Omicron Tau Chapter

Alpha Omicron Tau is APU's chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honor Society. Established in 1921 at the University of Arkansas and open to undergraduates, graduate students, and history professors, Phi Alpha Theta’s mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication, and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians. Membership in Phi Alpha Theta is lifetime and is not limited to History majors. Requirements include a one-time initiation fee, a minimum of 12 semester hours (4 courses) in History, and a minimum GPA of 3.1 in History and an overall GPA of 3.0 or better.

For more information, Department of History and Political Science.

Pi Sigma Alpha (Political Science), Alpha Eta Delta Chapter

Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of government in the United States and strives to stimulate scholarship and intelligent interest in political science. The APU Chapter, Alpha Eta Delta, was established in 2011.

For more information, email the APU Chapter, Alpha Eta Delta, at pisigmaalpha@apu.edu.

Department of Modern Languages

Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish), Phi Omicron Chapter

Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, was established in 1919 at the University of California, Berkley. APU's chapter, Phi Omicron, is one of more than 500 university chapters and began in March 2004. The society seeks to honor those students who have completed three years of university-level Spanish with a 3.2 grade-point average or better, and who demonstrate a desire to learn Hispanic language and culture. Members of APU’s chapter wear red and yellow cords, for the colors of the national society, at commencement ceremonies.

For more information, visit the chapter website or contact the Department of Modern Languages..

Sigma Tau Delta (English), Alpha Epsilon Tau

Sigma Tau Delta is an international English honor society. The purpose of the society are to confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies; promote interest in literature and the English language on local campuses and their surrounding communities; and foster the discipline of English in all its aspects, including creative and critical writing. Alpha Epsilon Tau is the local chapter of Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society.

For more information, visit the Sigma Tau Delta (English) website or contact the Department of Modern Languages.

School of Behavioral Sciences

Department of Criminal Justice

Alpha Phi Sigma

Alpha Phi Sigma was established in 1941 to recognize student excellence in the fields of criminal justice and law. The goal of the honors society is to provide resources for professional opportunities including grants and scholarships for current students, career development, and honors during graduation. Membership requires undergraduate students to declare criminal justice as their major; have completed three full-time college semesters; carry a cumulative GPA of 3.2; and have a minimum of four courses in the criminal justice major. Graduate students are required to be enrolled in a graduate program in criminal justice or related field; have completed four courses; have a minimum GPA of 3.4 or rank in the upper 25% of their class.

For more information, contact the Department of Criminal Justice.

Department of Kinesiology

Kappa Iota Nu

The mission of Kappa Iota Nu is to support academic engagement, scholarship, and professional practice within students in the BS in Kinesiology program, while establishing a supportive community and recognition for our top-performing students.

For more information, email kin@apu.edu.

Department of Psychology

Psi Chi

Psi Chi is an international honor society whose purpose shall be to encourage, stimulate, and maintain excellence in scholarship of the individual members in all fields, particularly in psychology, and to advance the science of psychology. The mission of Psi Chi is to produce a well-educated, ethical, and socially responsible member committed to contributing to the science and profession of psychology and to society in general. In pursuit of our mission we will: 1) Advance the science and profession of psychology, 2) Promote an educational experience consistent with the mission, 3) Promote ethical and socially responsible members and leaders, 4) Define and establish an organizational structure that promotes our mission 5) Recognize and foster the contributions that diversity makes to the science and practice of psychology.

For more information, visit the Psi Chi website or contact the Department of Psychology.

Department of Social Work

Phi Alpha, Eta Iota

Eta Iota is the local chapter of the Phi Alpha national social work honor society. Phi Alpha provides a closer bond among social work students and promotes humanitarian goals and ideals. It fosters high academic standards for social work students and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and service. To qualify for membership, a undergraduate candidate must be a declared social work major, have senior status, have at least 90 semester hours of general and departmental coursework, exhibit personal and professional integrity, and have a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.6 in all coursework. At the graduate level, MSW students must have a minimum 3.9 GPA at the end of the semester prior to graduation.

For more information, contact the Department of Social Work at (626) 857-2410 (Bachelor of Social Work) or (626) 857-2401 (Master of Social Work).

School of Business and Management

Accounting Honor Society

The Accounting Honor Society is committed to helping students mature within the accounting major and assisting in career preparation, and to connect students with professionals and with one another. Most importantly AHS is dedicated to the Leung School of Accounting’s vision of emphasizing character and competence in students to reflect the life of Christ and shine the light of Truth.

For more information, contact the School of Business and Management.

Sigma Iota Epsilon, Beta Alpha and Theta Kappa Chapters

The Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and the Master of Business Management programs are both members in the Sigma Iota Epsilon National Honorary and Professional Management Fraternity. Membership in Sigma Iota Epsilon highlights the academic standards of the Bachelor of Arts in Business Management program and the qualifications of the faculty. APU's chapters, Beta Alpha (B.A.) and Theta Kappa (MBM), extends individual membership to students who demonstrate high academic standing in the field of management, connecting SIE’s mission with APU’s Four Cornerstones, developing holistic and dynamic professionals in the business world.

For more information, contact the School of Business and Management.

Sigma Nu Tau

As the only honor society dedicated to entrepreneurship, Sigma Nu Tau wishes to recognize and honor students who excel in their studies and are promising entrepreneurs. The mission of Sigma Nu Tau is to promote, recognize, and reward academic excellence in entrepreneurship and to encourage and recognize the practice of principled entrepreneurship.

For more information, visit the School of Business and Management.

School of Nursing

Sigma Theta Tau International, Iota Sigma

Iota Sigma is the School of Nursing Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI), the only international honor society for nursing. STTI was founded in 1922 by six nurses in Indiana and has grown to included nearly 500 chapters in 90 countries. Sigma supports learning, knowledge, and professional development of nurses making a difference in global health. Iota Sigma was chartered in 1988 and has inducted more than 3,000 nursing students and nurse leaders.

The Iota Sigma site offers more information, or contact the School of Nursing at Ext. 5385.

Note: This information is current for the 2024-25 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.