Undergraduate Honor Society

Phi Beta Kappa is both the oldest and the most prestigious undergraduate honor society in the country. It was founded at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, in 1776, as a society to preserve academic freedom and liberal arts education. The Greek initials stand for the motto Philosophia Biou Kybernetes: "Love of wisdom (is) the (helmsman) guide of life."

Only 10 percent of colleges in the United States have earned the right to have chapters, and just over 1 percent of all college seniors are elected each year. To be elected, a student must have more than a high grade point average. Chapter Executive Council members review the academic records of at least the top 10 percent of Seniors in liberal majors to insure that most credits are earned in the liberal arts and sciences.

Membership in Phi Beta Kappa is universally recognized across all academic disciplines as a mark of excellence and academic distinction.

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Contact Phi Beta Kappa at USC

Please contact us with any questions or comments about the Phi Beta Kappa chapter at USC.

Office of the Provost
[email protected]
803-777-9726

Prof. Kathryn Snediker
President, Phi Beta Kappa Executive Council
[email protected]