In the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The

Order of the Arrow The Order of the Arrow (OA) is the honor society of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), composed of Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives as elected by their peers. The society was created by E. Urner Go ...

, for example, is the National Honor Society of the

Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded i ...

. Chiefly, the term refers to scholastic honor societies, those that recognize students who excel academically or as leaders among their peers, often within a specific academic discipline. Many honor societies invite students to become members based on the scholastic rank (the top x% of a class) and/or grade point averages of those students, either overall, or for classes taken within the discipline for which the honor society provides recognition. In cases where academic achievement would not be an appropriate criterion for membership, other standards are usually required for membership (such as completion of a particular ceremony or training program). It is also common for a scholastic honor society to add a criterion relating to the character of the student. Some honor societies are invitation only while others allow unsolicited applications. Finally, membership in an honor society might be considered exclusive, i.e., a member of such an organization cannot join other honor societies representing the same field. Academic robes and regalia identifying by color the degree, school and other distinction, are controlled under rules of a voluntary Intercollegiate Code. In addition, various colored devices such as stoles,

scarves A scarf, plural ''scarves'', is a piece of fabric worn around the neck or head for warmth, sun protection, cleanliness, fashion, religious reasons, or used to show the support for a sports club or team. They can be made in a variety of diffe ...

, cords,

tassels A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric and clothing decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe. History and use In the Hebrew Bible, the Lord spoke to Moses instructing him to ...

, and medallions are used to indicate membership in a student's honor society. Of these, cords and

mortarboard The square academic cap, graduate cap, cap, mortarboard (because of its similarity in appearance to the mortarboard used by brickmasons to hold mortar) or Oxford cap is an item of academic dress consisting of a horizontal square board fixed up ...

tassels are most often used to indicate membership. Most institutions allow honor cords, tassels and/or medallions for honor society members. Stoles are less common, but they are available for a few honor societies. Virtually all, if not all honor societies have chosen such colors, and may sell these items of accessory regalia as a service or fundraiser. Many

fraternities and sororities Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradu ...

are referred to by their membership or by non-members as honor societies, and

vice versa References

Additional references * * {{Latin phrases Lists of Latin phrases, V ca:Locució llatina#V da:Latinske ord og vendinger#V fr:Liste de locutions latines#V id:Daftar frasa Latin#V it:Locuzioni latine#V nl:Lijst van Latijns ...

, though this is not always the case. Honor societies exist at the

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

, collegiate/

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

, and

postgraduate Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree. The organization and ...

levels, although university honor societies are by far the most prevalent. In America, the oldest academic society,

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal a ...

, was founded as a social and literary fraternity in 1776 at the

College of William and Mary The College of William & Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, abbreviated as William & Mary, W&M) is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. Founded in 1693 by letters patent issued by King William III ...

and later organized as an honor society in 1898, following the establishment of the honor societies Tau Beta Pi for Engineering (1885),

Sigma Xi Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society () is a highly prestigious, non-profit honor society for scientists and engineers. Sigma Xi was founded at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a small group of graduate students in 1886 ...

for Scientific Research (1886), and

Phi Kappa Phi The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ) is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study, and to promote the "unity and democracy of education ...

for all disciplines (1897).

Mortar Board Mortar Board is an American national honor society for college seniors. Mortar Board has 233 chartered collegiate chapters nationwide and 15 alumni chapters. History Mortar Board was the first national honor society for college senior women ...

was established in 1918, as the first national honor society for senior women, with chapters at four institutions:

Cornell University Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to teach an ...

The University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

Ohio State University The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

and

Swarthmore College Swarthmore College ( , ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1864, with its first classes held in 1869, Swarthmore is one of the earliest coeduca ...

. Later, the society became

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

. The Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) is a predominantly

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, voluntary association of national collegiate and post-graduate honor societies. ACHS was formed in 1925 to establish and maintain desirable standards for honor societies. While ACHS membership is a certification that the member societies meet these standards, not all legitimate honor societies apply for membership in ACHS.

List of honor societies

Notable national and international honor societies based in or at schools include the following:

General collegiate scholastic honor societies

These societies are open to all academic disciplines, though they may have other affinity requirements. *

Alpha Chi Alpha Chi National College Honor Society (or ) is an American collegiate honor society recognizing achievements in general scholarship. It was formed in 1922 by nineteen schools in the state of Texas. Since then it has expanded to 300 chapters ...

, (all academic fields), colors: Emerald green and Sapphire blue *

Alpha Kappa Mu The Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society () is an American collegiate honor society recognizing academic excellence in all areas of study. History Alpha Kappa Mu was founded on at Tennessee A&I State College. Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society grew ...

, (all academic fields) *

Alpha Lambda Delta Alpha Lambda Delta () is an honor society for students who have achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher during their first year or term of higher education. History Alpha Lambda Delta was founded in 1924 by the Dean of Women, Maria Leonard, at the Universi ...

, (

freshman A freshman, fresher, first year, or frosh, is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. Ara ...

scholarship) *

Alpha Sigma Lambda Alpha Sigma Lambda () is the oldest and largest national honor society for Non-traditional students (typically adults also engaged in professional careers) who achieve and maintain outstanding scholastic standards and leadership characteristics ...

, (

non-traditional student A nontraditional student is a term originating in North America, that refers to a category of students at colleges and universities. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) notes that there are varying definitions of nontraditional s ...

s), colors:

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...

and Gold *

Alpha Sigma Nu Alpha Sigma Nu () is the honor society of Jesuit colleges and universities. ΑΣΝ is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies. Founded in 1915 at Marquette University as Alpha Sigma Tau, it adopted the current name in 1930. The s ...

, (Scholarship, Loyalty and Service at

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

institutions of higher education), colors: Maroon and Gold *

Chi Alpha Sigma Chi Alpha Sigma () is an Honor Society for student-athletes that began at the DePauw University in 1994. Kellen Wells-Mangold serves as the Executive Director. History Chi Alpha Sigma was founded on May 17, 1996 at DePauw University by Nick Mour ...

, ( college student-athletes) * Chi Beta Lambda, (

competency-based learning Competency-based learning or competency-based education is a framework for teaching and assessment of learning. It is also described as a type of education based on predetermined "competencies," which focuses on outcomes and real-world performance ...

), colors: Navy blue, Pink, and White * Delta Alpha Pi, (students with disabilities) *

Delta Epsilon Sigma Delta Epsilon Sigma () is a national scholastic honor society that was established in 1939 for students of Catholic universities and colleges in the United States. The society was founded at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa in 1939 by Father Fit ...

, (all academic fields at traditionally

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

colleges and universities)
Delta Epsilon Tau
(Distance Education Accrediting Commission institutions) * Epsilon Tau Pi, (General scholarship,

Eagle Scouts Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle S ...

) *

Golden Key International Honour Society The Golden Key International Honour Society (formerly Golden Key National Honor Society) is an Atlanta, Georgia-based non-profit organization founded in 1977 to recognize academic achievement among college and university students. Golden Key has ...

(academics) *

(Scholars chosen for Leadership united to Serve) *

National Society of Collegiate Scholars The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) is a national non-profit academic honor society for college students in the United States. NSCS has active chapters at over 300 colleges and universities in the United States, including the Distr ...

, (scholarship/leadership/service), colors: Purple and Gold *

Phi Eta Sigma Phi Eta Sigma () is an American freshman honor society. Founded at the University of Illinois on March 22, 1923, it is the oldest and largest freshman honor society and has chartered three hundred and eighty-six chapters throughout the United Stat ...

, (freshman scholarship) *

, (all academic fields) *

Phi Sigma Pi Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity () is a gender-inclusive/mixed-sex national honor fraternity based in the United States. The fraternity is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization incorporated in the state of Pennsylvania with the purpose ...

, (all academic fields), colors: Purple and Gold * Phi Tau Phi, (all academic fields) Republic of China * Tau Sigma, ( transfer students) *SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society (veterans) *

Lambda Sigma Lambda Sigma () is an American college honor society for second-year students. Originally named the Society of Cwens, the society was established at the University of Pittsburgh in Fall 1922 as a women's honors society, and became a national orga ...

, (student leadership, scholarship, and service) *

Order of Omega The Order of Omega is an undergraduate Greek society recognizing "fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in inter-fraternity activities." It functions as an adjunct to traditional fraternal organizations, rather ...

(

) * Sigma Alpha Lambda, (all academic fields)

Leadership

These societies recognize leadership, with a scholarship component; multi-disciplinary. * Order of The Key Honor Society (

leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...

). *

(leadership), colors: Gold and Silver * National Residence Hall Honorary, (

Residence hall A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm) is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people such as boarding school, high school, college or university s ...

leadership/service) * Omicron Delta Kappa, (leadership and academic; juniors, seniors, graduate students, alumni, faculty and staff, honorary) * Sigma Alpha Lambda, (

) *

Phi Kappa Alpha (Syracuse) Phi Kappa Alpha may refer to: * Phi Kappa Alpha (Hope), a local, men's general fraternity at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, also called Cosmos, formed in , and presently active. * Phi Kappa Alpha (Freed-Hardeman), a local, co-ed social club at ...

, (leadership) ''Dormant, as of 1961.''

Military

These are collegiate-based honor societies for students in the armed forces. There are other non-collegiate honor societies serving military branches, often listed as professional fraternities. *

Arnold Air Society The Arnold Air Society (AAS) is a professional, honorary, service organization. AAS is open to officer candidates in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) and at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), and is formally affiliated ...

, (

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

cadet A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...

s) *

Pershing Rifles The National Society of Pershing Rifles is a military-oriented honor society for college-level students founded in 1894 as a drill unit at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. It is the oldest continuously operating US college organization dedic ...

, (

United States armed forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

) *

Scabbard and Blade Scabbard and Blade (S&B) is a college military honor society founded at the University of Wisconsin in 1904. Although membership is open to Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets and midshipmen of all military services, the society is mod ...

, ( ROTC

s and midshipmen)

Liberal arts

These societies are open to the traditional liberal arts disciplines, and may be department-specific. Some are grouped by discipline subheader. *

Alpha Kappa Delta Alpha Kappa Delta () is an international honor society of sociology Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated w ...

, (

sociology Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of Empirical ...

), color: Teal *

Alpha Upsilon Alpha Alpha Upsilon Alpha (or ) is an academic honor society recognizing excellence in reading and language arts at the undergraduate and graduate level. Founded in 1985, it is governed by the International Literacy Association (ILA) Mission The miss ...

, (reading and

language arts Language arts (also known as English language arts or ELA) is the study and improvement of the arts of language. Traditionally, the primary divisions in language arts are literature and language, where language in this case refers to both lingu ...

) * Chi Sigma Iota, ( counseling) * Delta Epsilon Chi, (divinity) *

Eta Sigma Phi Eta Sigma Phi () is a collegiate honor society for the study of Classics. It grew out of a local undergraduate classical club founded by a group of students in the Department of Greek at the University of Chicago in 1914. This organization late ...

, (

classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

) * Kappa Omicron Nu, (

human sciences Human science (or human sciences in the plural), also known as humanistic social science and moral science (or moral sciences), studies the philosophical, biological, social, and cultural aspects of human life. Human science aims to expand our ...

), colors: Burgundy and Cream * Lambda Alpha, (

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behavi ...

) *

Lambda Iota Tau Lambda Iota Tau () was an American international honor society for literature, whose purpose was to recognize and promote excellence in the study of literature in all languages. It was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) i ...

, (

literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

) * Phi Alpha Theta, (

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

) *

, (

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...

arts and sciences), colors: Pink and Sky blue *

Phi Sigma Tau Phi Sigma Tau (, or PST) is an international honor society for philosophers. Its essential purpose is to promote ties among philosophy departments in accredited institutions and students in philosophy nationally. In addition to providing a means o ...

, (

philosophy Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...

) * Phi Upsilon Omicron, (

Family and consumer science Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences, is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as texti ...

), colors: Violet, Gold and Cream *

Pi Alpha Alpha Pi Alpha Alpha ( or PAA) is the national honor society for students of public administration. It is administered by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration in the United States. The organization was formed to pro ...

, (

public administration Public Administration (a form of governance) or Public Policy and Administration (an academic discipline) is the implementation of public policy, administration of government establishment (public governance), management of non-profit establ ...

) *

Pi Gamma Mu Pi Gamma Mu or (from Πολιτικές Γνώσεως Μάθεται) is the oldest and preeminent honor society in the social sciences. It is also the only interdisciplinary social science honor society. It serves the various social science di ...

, (

social sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...

) *

Pi Sigma Alpha Pi Sigma Alpha ( or PSA), the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political and social sciences in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic ...

, (

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

) *

Psi Chi Psi Chi () is a college student honor society in psychology with international outreach founded in 1929 at the University of Kansas in the United States. Psi Chi is one of the largest honor societies in the United States, with more than 1,150 cha ...

, (

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...

), colors: Navy blue and Platinum *

Sigma Iota Rho Sigma Iota Rho () is a college, collegiate honor society for International relations, international studies recognized by the International Studies Association. The purpose of ΣΙΡ is to promote and reward scholarship and service among students ...

, (

international relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such as ...

) *

Sigma Tau Delta Sigma Tau Delta () is an international excelled English honor society for students of English at four-year colleges and universities who are within the top 30% of their class and have a 3.5 GPA or higher. It presently has over 850 chapters in ...

, (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

) *

Theta Alpha Kappa Theta Alpha Kappa () is the national honor society for religious studies and theology. It was founded in 1976 at Manhattan College in Riverdale (the Bronx), New York City to recognize the academic achievements of religion and theology students. ...

, , (Religious Studies/Theology/Philosophy) * Theta Chi Beta, ( religious studies)

Business

* Alpha Iota Delta, (

decision sciences Decision theory (or the theory of choice; not to be confused with choice theory) is a branch of applied probability theory concerned with the theory of making decisions based on assigning probabilities to various factors and assigning numerical ...

) *

Alpha Mu Alpha The American Marketing Association (AMA) is a professional association for marketing professionals with 30,000 members as of 2012. It has 76 professional chapters and 250 collegiate chapters across the United States. The AMA was formed in from th ...

, (

marketing Marketing is the process of exploring, creating, and delivering value to meet the needs of a target market in terms of goods and services; potentially including selection of a target audience; selection of certain attributes or themes to emph ...

), color: Red *

Beta Alpha Psi Beta Alpha Psi () is an international honor society for accounting, finance and information systems students attending universities accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business or the European Quality Improvement System ...

, (

accounting Accounting, also known as accountancy, is the measurement, processing, and communication of financial and non financial information about economic entities such as businesses and corporations. Accounting, which has been called the "languag ...

and

finance Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fina ...

) *

Beta Gamma Sigma Beta Gamma Sigma () is the International Business Honor Society. Founded in 1913 at the University of Wisconsin, University of Illinois and the University of California, it has over 980,000 members, selected from more than 600 collegiate chapters i ...

, (

AACSB The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, also known as AACSB International, is an American professional organization. It was founded as the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business in 1916 to provide accreditation to ...

accredited

business Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or Trade, buying and selling Product (business), products (such as goods and Service (economics), services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for pr ...

programs), colors: Gold and

Yale Blue Yale Blue is the dark azure color used in association with Yale University. History Since the 1850s, Yale Crew has rowed in blue uniforms, and in 1894, "dark blue" was officially adopted as Yale's color, after half a century of the univer ...

Delta Mu Delta Delta Mu Delta () is an international honor society that recognizes academic excellence in Baccalaureate, Master's, and Doctorate degree business administration programs at Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP)-accredited ...

, (

ACBSP The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), formerly the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a U.S. organization offering accreditation services to business programs focused on teaching and learni ...

accredited

programs) *

Eta Sigma Delta Eta Sigma Delta International Hospitality Management Society ( or ESD) is an international honor society for hospitality students. The organization has about 90 chapters. The International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education ...

, (International Hospitality Management Honor Society, ICHRIE) *

Mu Kappa Tau Mu Kappa Tau () is a scholastic honor society that recognizes academic achievement among students in the field of marketing. The society was founded at Arizona State University in 1966 by the members of Pi Sigma Epsilon, and admitted to the Assoc ...

, (

) * Nu Lambda Mu, ( nonprofit management) * Omega Rho, (

operations research Operations research ( en-GB, operational research) (U.S. Air Force Specialty Code: Operations Analysis), often shortened to the initialism OR, is a discipline that deals with the development and application of analytical methods to improve deci ...

management science Management science (or managerial science) is a wide and interdisciplinary study of solving complex problems and making strategic decisions as it pertains to institutions, corporations, governments and other types of organizational entities. It is ...

) *

Omicron Delta Epsilon Omicron Delta Epsilon ( or ODE) is an international honor society in the field of economics, formed from the merger of Omicron Delta Gamma and Omicron Chi Epsilon, in 1963. Its board of trustees includes well-known economists such as Robert Luc ...

, (

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

), colors: Blue and Gold *

Sigma Beta Delta Sigma Beta Delta () is a scholastic honor society that recognizes academic achievement among students in the fields of business, management, and administration . History Sigma Beta Delta was founded by Beta Gamma Sigma on January 16, 1994, in La ...

, (

management Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...

and

administration Administration may refer to: Management of organizations * Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal ** Administrative assistant, Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an admini ...

) * Sigma Nu Tau, (entrepreneurship)

Education

Kappa Delta Pi Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, () is an honor society for education. It was founded in 1911 and was one of the first discipline-specific honor societies. Its membership is limited to the top 20 percent of those entering ...

, (

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...

), colors: Jade Green and Violet *

Pi Lambda Theta Pi Lambda Theta (ΠΛΘ) is one of three main education honor societies and professional associations for educators in the United States. Basic information Pi Lambda Theta is both an honor society and professional association for educators. As ...

, (

) *

Pi Omega Pi Pi Omega Pi () is a scholastic honor society recognizing academic achievement among students in the field of business education. The society was founded at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksville on June 13, 1923, and admitted ...

, (business education) * Phi Beta Delta, (

international education International education refers to a dynamic concept that involves a journey or movement of people, minds, or ideas across political and cultural frontiers. It is facilitated by the globalization phenomenon, which increasingly erases the constrai ...

) *

Eta Sigma Gamma Eta Sigma Gamma ( or ESG) is an honor society for health education Health education is a profession of educating people about health. Areas within this profession encompass environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional healt ...

, (

health education Health education is a profession of educating people about health. Areas within this profession encompass environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional health, intellectual health, and spiritual health, as well as sexual and r ...

)

Fine arts

Alpha Psi Omega Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society () is an American recognition fraternity for participants in collegiate theatre. History The ''Alpha Cast'' (Alpha Psi Omega's term for "chapter") was founded at Fairmont State College (now Fairm ...

, (

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

) * Chi Tau Epsilon, (

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

) * Delta Phi Delta, (

art Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of wha ...

) *

Kappa Pi Kappa Pi () International Art Honor Society, founded in 1911 at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky, is an International Collegiate Art Honorary Fraternity. It is open to any student who has talent for or supports visual art. Kappa ...

, (

) *

Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity (, colloquially referred to as KKPsi), is a fraternity for college and university band members in the United States. It was founded on November 27, 1919, on Thanksgiving Day, at Oklahoma Agricult ...

, (music - band) *

Mu Beta Psi Mu Beta Psi National Honorary Musical Fraternity () is a service and music fraternity with chapters and colonies at universities throughout the eastern United States. Although an ''honorary'' fraternity, Mu Beta Psi views itself as primarily a ...

, (music) *

Pi Kappa Lambda Pi Kappa Lambda () is an American honor society for undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors of music. There are over 270 chapters nationally; a complete roster of current chapters is listed in the organization's official web si ...

, (

music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ...

) *

Pi Nu Epsilon Pi Nu Epsilon () is an honor society for university students in musical performing arts organizations. Purpose The purpose of Pi Nu Epsilon is threefold: * To honor those outstanding men and women who have devoted their time and efforts to t ...

, (

) *

Tau Beta Sigma Tau Beta Sigma Honorary Band Sorority, (, colloquially referred to as TBSigma or TBS) is a co-educational service sorority. The sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Santa Fe Depot in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,800 active ...

, (

- band) *

Theta Alpha Phi Theta Alpha Phi National Theatre Honors Fraternity () is an American honor society that accepts members who achieve excellence in the art of theatre. Membership is available to undergraduates and graduate students at member institutions. The His ...

, (

)

Journalism and communications

Kappa Tau Alpha Kappa Tau Alpha is an American college honor society which 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 universit ...

, (

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...

mass communication Mass communication is the process of imparting and exchanging information through mass media to large segments of the population. It is usually understood for relating to various forms of media, as its technologies are used for the dissemination o ...

), colors: Light blue and Gold *

Lambda Pi Eta Lambda Pi Eta () is the official Communication Studies honor society of the National Communication Association (NCA). As a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS), Lambda Pi Eta has more than 500 active chapters at four-year co ...

, (

communication Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...

) *

Society for Collegiate Journalists The Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ) is an American honor society for student journalists. It was formed on June 1, 1975 as a merger between the two journalism honor societies Pi Delta Epsilon (ΠΔΕ) and Alpha Phi Gamma (ΑΦΓ). Many ...

, (SCJ) (

)

Languages

Alpha Mu Gamma Alpha Mu Gamma () is a national collegiate foreign language honor society founded at Los Angeles City College on April 29, 1931. More than three hundred charters have been granted to chapters in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Isla ...

, (

foreign languages A foreign language is a language that is not an official language of, nor typically spoken in, a given country, and that native speakers from that country must usually acquire through conscious learning - be this through language lessons at sch ...

), color: Gold *

Delta Phi Alpha Delta Phi Alpha National German Honor Society () (german: Deutsche Ehrenverbindung) is an American collegiate honorary society for German studies. Delta Phi Alpha was founded on May 27, 1929, at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Th ...

, - (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

), colors: Black, Red and Gold *

Pi Delta Phi Pi Delta Phi () is the National French Honor Society—La Société d'Honneur de Français—for undergraduate and graduate students at accredited public and private colleges and universities in the United States. Founded as a departmental honor ...

, ( French), colors: Blue, White and Red *

Sigma Delta Pi Sigma Delta Pi () is the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society (La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica). It was established on November 14, 1919, at the University of California at Berkeley. History Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegi ...

, (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

and

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

), colors: Red and Gold *

Phi Sigma Iota Phi Sigma Iota () is an honor society whose members are elected from among outstanding advanced (juniors and seniors) and graduate students of foreign languages and literatures including Classics, comparative literature, philology, bilingual edu ...

, (modern foreign languages,

Classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

linguistics Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...

philology Philology () is the study of language in oral and writing, written historical sources; it is the intersection of textual criticism, literary criticism, history, and linguistics (with especially strong ties to etymology). Philology is also defin ...

comparative literature Comparative literature is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across linguistic, national, geographic, and disciplinary boundaries. Comparative literature "performs a role similar to that of the study ...

bilingual education In bilingual education, students are taught in two (or more) languages. It is distinct from learning a second language as a subject because both languages are used for instruction in different content areas like math, science, and history. The t ...

, second language acquisition), colors: Purple and White

Law

The Order of Barristers The Order of Barristers is an honor society for United States law school graduates. Membership in The Order of Barristers is limited to graduating law students and practicing lawyers who demonstrate exceptional skill in trial advocacy, oral advo ...

(

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

) *

Order of the Coif The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. The name is a reference to the ancient English order of advocates, the serjeants-at-law, whose courtroom attire included a coif—a white lawn or silk skullcap, whi ...

(

) *

Phi Delta Phi Phi Delta Phi () is an international legal honor society and the oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States. Phi Delta Phi was originally a professional fraternity but became an honor society in 2012. The fraternity ...

, , (

), colors:

Garnet Garnets () are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different s ...

and Pearl blue *

Alpha Phi Sigma Alpha Phi Sigma () (Phi is pronounced "fi") is the only Criminal Justice Honor Society accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies. Traditionally a national organization serving United States universities, recent expansion into Canad ...

, , (

Criminal Justice Criminal justice is the delivery of justice to those who have been accused of committing crimes. The criminal justice system is a series of government agencies and institutions. Goals include the Rehabilitation (penology), rehabilitation of o ...

) *

Lambda Epsilon Chi Lambda Epsilon Chi () is a national academic honor society for paralegal students. Lambda Epsilon Chi recognizes students who have demonstrated superior academic performance in an established, qualified program of paralegal/legal assistant studi ...

, , ( Paralegal)

Sciences

These societies are open to students in the STEM disciplines, and may be department-specific. Some are grouped by discipline subheader. *

Beta Beta Beta Beta Beta Beta ( or TriBeta), is a collegiate honor society and academic fraternity for students of the biological sciences. It was founded in 1922 at Oklahoma City University by Dr. Frank G. Brooks and a group of his students. As of 2012, it has ...

, (

biology Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...

), colors: Blood red and Leaf green *

Beta Kappa Chi Beta Kappa Chi () is a scholastic honor society that recognizes academic achievement among students in the fields of natural science and mathematics. The society was founded at Lincoln University in 1923 and was admitted to the Association of Col ...

, (

natural sciences Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

) *

Chi Beta Phi Chi Beta Phi ( ) is a professional fraternity in the field of science. History Chi Beta Phi was founded in April, 1916 at Randolph–Macon College. It recognizes a sole founder in John Howard Greene. The fraternity's purpose was to promote inter ...

, (

science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

and

) *

Chi Epsilon Pi Chi Epsilon Pi () (Also known as XEP) is a national honor society for outstanding students in the field of meteorology/atmospheric sciences. The purpose of the society is mainly twofold: to serve as a means for awarding distinction to students wh ...

, (

meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not ...

) *

Gamma Theta Upsilon Gamma Theta Upsilon ( or GTU) is an international honor society in geography. History On May 15, 1928, a local professional fraternity by the name of Gamma Theta Upsilon was formed at Illinois State University under the guidance of Dr. R. G. Bu ...

, (

geography Geography (from Greek: , ''geographia''. Combination of Greek words ‘Geo’ (The Earth) and ‘Graphien’ (to describe), literally "earth description") is a field of science devoted to the study of the lands, features, inhabitants, and ...

) * Gamma Sigma Epsilon, (

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

) *

Iota Sigma Pi Iota Sigma Pi () is a national honor society in the United States. It was established in 1902 and specializes in the promotion of women in the sciences, especially chemistry. It also focuses on personal and professional growth for women in these ...

, (

and related fields, women's) *

Phi Lambda Upsilon Phi Lambda Upsilon National Honorary Chemical Society () was founded in 1899 at the Noyes Laboratory of the University of Illinois. Phi Lambda Upsilon was the first honor society dedicated to scholarship in a single discipline, chemistry. Object ...

, (

) * Phi Sigma, (

biological sciences Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary ...

) *

Phi Tau Sigma Phi Tau Sigma () is the Honor Society for food science and food technology, technology. The organization was founded in at the University of Massachusetts Amherst by Dr. Gideon E. (Guy) Livingston, a food technology professor. It was incorporated ...

, (Food Science and Technology) * Pi Epsilon, (

environmental sciences Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geo ...

) *

Sigma Gamma Epsilon The Society of Sigma Gamma Epsilon () is a national honor society to recognize scholarship in the earth sciences founded in 1915 at the University of Kansas. It has chartered more than 200 chapters at colleges and universities across the United ...

, (

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

Earth sciences Earth science or geoscience includes all fields of natural science related to the planet Earth. This is a branch of science dealing with the physical, chemical, and biological complex constitutions and synergistic linkages of Earth's four sphere ...

), colors: Gold, Blue, and Silver * Sigma Lambda Chi, ( construction management technology) *

Sigma Pi Sigma Sigma Pi Sigma (), founded at Davidson College on December 11, 1921, is the oldest and only American honor society for physics and astronomy. It is an organization within the Society of Physics Students and the American Institute of Physics and ...

, (

physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

), colors: Forest Green and Ivory *

, ΣΞ ( Research in Science and Engineering), colors:

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when obs ...

and Gold *

Sigma Zeta Sigma Zeta () is a national honor society founded in 1925 to recognize undergraduate excellence in the natural sciences, computer science, and mathematics. The society's purpose is to encourage and foster the attainment of knowledge in the nat ...

, (

computer science Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to Applied science, practical discipli ...

)

Agriculture

*Alpha Mu, , (Agricultural Systems Management) *

Delta Tau Alpha Delta Tau Alpha () is a scholastic honor society that recognizes academic achievement among students in the field of agriculture. The society was founded at Southwest Missouri State College on March 19, 1960, and admitted to the Association of ...

, , (Honor Society of

Agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

) *

Gamma Sigma Delta Gamma Sigma Delta (), or more fully, the Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta, is an honor society for Agriculture students and those in related fields. Founded in 1913, it is the oldest and largest such society for its academic discip ...

, , (Honor Society of

) colors: Sand and Forest Green * Pi Alpha Xi, (

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

), colors: Nile green and Cerulean blue *

Xi Sigma Pi Xi Sigma Pi () is an international honor society for Forestry and related sciences. It was founded on November 24, 1908, "to secure and maintain a high standard of scholarship in forestry education, to work for the improvement of the forestry pr ...

, (

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...

), colors: Green and Gray

Architecture

* Sigma Lambda Alpha, ( landscape architecture), colors:

Gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...

and Green * Tau Sigma Delta, (

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

), colors: White and Gold

Engineering

Within the larger group of STEM disciplines, these societies serve engineering disciplines. *

Alpha Epsilon Alpha Epsilon () is a scholastic honor society recognizing academic achievement among students in the fields of Agricultural, Food, and Biological Engineering. History Alpha Epsilon Honor Society was founded at the University of Missouri on May ...

, (

agricultural Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating Plant, plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of Sedentism, sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of Domestication, domesticated species created food ...

food Food is any substance consumed by an organism for nutritional support. Food is usually of plant, animal, or fungal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is inge ...

/ biological engineering) *

Alpha Eta Mu Beta Alpha Eta Mu Beta ( or AEMB) is a biomedical engineering honor society founded by Dr. Daniel Reneau of Louisiana Tech University, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) ...

, (

biomedical engineering Biomedical engineering (BME) or medical engineering is the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for healthcare purposes (e.g., diagnostic or therapeutic). BME is also traditionally logical sciences ...

) * Alpha Nu Sigma, ( nuclear engineering) *

Alpha Pi Mu Alpha Pi Mu () is an American honor society for Industrial and Systems Engineering students. All chapters are based in the United States, with the exception of one university in Puerto Rico which is an unincorporated territory of the United S ...

, (

industrial engineering Industrial engineering is an engineering profession that is concerned with the optimization of complex process (engineering), processes, systems, or organizations by developing, improving and implementing integrated systems of people, money, kno ...

) * Alpha Sigma Mu, (

metallurgy Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sc ...

/ materials engineering) *

Chi Epsilon Chi Epsilon () is an American civil engineering honor society. It honors engineering students in the United States who have exemplified the "principles of scholarship, character, practicality, and sociability...in the civil engineering pr ...

, (

civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...

), colors: Purple and White *

Eta Kappa Nu Eta Kappa Nu () or IEEE-HKN is the international honor society of the Computer Science and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). "The organization promotes excellence in the profession and in education through an emphasi ...

, (

electrical engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

, computer engineering), colors: Navy blue and Scarlet *

Omega Chi Epsilon Omega Chi Epsilon (or , sometimes simplified to OXE) is an American honor society for chemical engineering students. History The first chapter of Omega Chi Epsilon was formed at the University of Illinois in 1931 by a group of chemical enginee ...

, (

chemical engineering Chemical engineering is an engineering field which deals with the study of operation and design of chemical plants as well as methods of improving production. Chemical engineers develop economical commercial processes to convert raw materials int ...

), colors: Maroon and White *

Phi Alpha Epsilon Phi Alpha Epsilon () is an academic, discipline-specific honor society for architectural engineering in the United States. The honor society was founded at Kansas State University in the fall of 1980 by Prof. Charles R. Bissey, P.E. (January 9, ...

, (

architectural engineering Architectural engineers apply and theoretical knowledge to the engineering design of buildings and building systems. The goal is to engineer high performance buildings that are sustainable, economically viable and ensure the safety health. Archi ...

) * Pi Epsilon Tau, (petroleum engineering and related fields), colors: Gold and Black *

Pi Tau Sigma Pi Tau Sigma () is an international honor society in the field of mechanical engineering, with most chapters established in the United States. It honors mechanical engineering students who have exemplified the "principles of scholarship, characte ...

, (

mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and ...

), colors: Teal and Maroon * Rho Beta Epsilon, (

robotics Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrat ...

), colors: Crimson, Gold, and Black *

Sigma Gamma Tau Sigma Gamma Tau () is the American honor society in Aerospace Engineering. It seeks to identify and recognize achievement and excellence in the Aerospace field within the United States. Sigma Gamma Tau's collegiate chapters elect annually to m ...

, ( aerospace engineering) * Tau Alpha Pi, (

engineering technology An engineering technologist is a professional trained in certain aspects of development and implementation of a respective area of technology. Engineering technology education is even more applied and less theoretical than engineering education ...

) * Tau Beta Pi, ( engineering, all types), colors: Brown and White *

Upsilon Pi Epsilon Upsilon Pi Epsilon (): International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines, is the first honor society dedicated to the discipline of the computing and information disciplines. Informally known as UPE, Upsilon Pi Epsilon was ...

, (

/ computer engineering)

Health sciences

This section includes all health care related fields, including veterinary science. *

Alpha Epsilon Delta Alpha Epsilon Delta () is a U.S. health preprofessional honor society. The organization currently has more than 144,000 members within 186 chapters at universities throughout the United States, making it the world's largest Honor Society serving ...

, ( pre-medical), colors: Red and Violet * Alpha Eta, (

allied health professions Allied health professions are health care professions distinct from optometry, dentistry, nursing, medicine, and pharmacy. They provide a range of diagnostic, technical, therapeutic, and support services in connection with health care. Definitio ...

) *

Alpha Omega Alpha Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society () is an honor society in the field of medicine. Alpha Omega Alpha currently has active Chapters in 132 LCME- accredited medical schools in the United States and Lebanon. It annually elects over 4,000 new ...

, ( medical students and physicians), Forest Green, Gold and White *

Beta Sigma Kappa Beta (, ; uppercase , lowercase , or cursive ; grc, βῆτα, bē̂ta or ell, βήτα, víta) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 2. In Modern Greek, it represents the voiced labiod ...

, ( Optometry) *

Delta Omega Delta Omega () is the honorary society for studies in public health, founded at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. History Delta Omega was founded in 1924 by two graduate students at the Johns Hopkins University B ...

, (

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

) * Iota Tau Alpha, ( Athletic Training) * Nu Rho Psi, (

Neuroscience Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions and disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, development ...

) *

Omicron Kappa Upsilon Omicron Kappa Upsilon () is a national honorary society serving the field of dentistry. History The Society originated with the 1914 graduating class of the dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago. The idea for the fraternity came fro ...

, (

Dentistry Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions o ...

) * Phi Zeta, (

veterinary medicine Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...

) * Pi Delta, (

podiatry Podiatry () or podiatric medicine () is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and leg. A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM), or a podiatrist, is a healthcare ...

) *

Pi Theta Epsilon Pi Theta Epsilon () is the scholastic honor society of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation that recognizes academic achievement among students in the field of occupational therapy. The society was founded at the University of New Hampshi ...

, ( occupational therapy) *

Rho Chi Rho Chi () is an international honor society for pharmaceutical sciences. It was founded on May 19, 1922, to "encourage high scholastic achievement and fellowship among students in pharmacy and to promote the pharmaceutical sciences". History Th ...

, (

pharmacy Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...

), colors: Purple and White *

Sigma Theta Tau The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing () is the second-largest nursing organization in the world with approximately 135,000 active members. While often referred to by nurses as simply Sigma, its official name is "Sigma Theta ...

, (

nursing Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...

), colors:

Orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

and White *

Sigma Phi Alpha Sigma Phi Alpha () is a national honorary society serving the field of dental hygiene. History The Society originated at the March 1958 Business Meeting of the Dental Hygiene Education section of the American Dental Education Association (now Ame ...

, (

dental hygiene Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping one's mouth clean and free of disease and other problems (e.g. bad breath) by regular brushing of the teeth (dental hygiene) and cleaning between the teeth. It is important that oral hygiene be carried out ...

) * Sigma Phi Omega, , ( Gerontology) *

Sigma Sigma Phi Sigma Sigma Phi ( or SSP), is the national osteopathic medicine honors fraternity for medical students training to be Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.). The National Osteopathic Medicine Honors Fraternity is a group united in the interest of ...

, (

osteopathic medicine Osteopathy () is a type of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of the body's muscle tissue and bones. Practitioners of osteopathy are referred to as osteopaths. Osteopathic manipulation is the core set of techniques in ...

) or (

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

) * Tau Upsilon Alpha, (

human services Human services is an interdisciplinary field of study with the objective of meeting human needs through an applied knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall qua ...

) *

Upsilon Phi Delta Upsilon Phi Delta () is the national academic honor society for students in healthcare administration in the United States. The organization was formed in 1965 to further the profession of health administration and the professional competence and ...

, (

health administration Health administration, healthcare administration, healthcare management or hospital management is the field relating to leadership, management, and administration of public health systems, health care systems, hospitals, and hospital networks ...

)

Information technology

Beta Phi Mu Beta Phi Mu (also or βφμ) is the international honor society for library & information science and information technology. Founded by a group of librarians and library educators, the society's express purpose is to recognize and encourage "su ...

, (

library science Library science (often termed library studies, bibliothecography, and library economy) is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, an ...

information science Information science (also known as information studies) is an academic field which is primarily concerned with analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval, movement, dissemination, and protection of informatio ...

information technology Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to create, process, store, retrieve, and exchange all kinds of data . and information. IT forms part of information and communications technology (ICT). An information technology system (I ...

) *

Epsilon Pi Tau Epsilon Pi Tau ( or EPT) is an international honor society for professions in technology. They recognize academics of students, preparation for practitioners and outstanding professionals. Membership in Epsilon Pi Tau may be at one of three level ...

, (

technology Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...

) * Gamma Nu Eta, (information technology) * Order of the Sword & Shield, (

homeland security Homeland security is an American national security term for "the national effort to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards where American interests, aspirations, and ways of life can thrive" t ...

intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More generally, it can b ...

, emergency management, and all protective studies) *

, (computer

information systems An information system (IS) is a formal, sociotechnical, organizational system designed to collect, process, information storage, store, and information distribution, distribute information. From a sociotechnical perspective, information systems a ...

)

Mathematics

Kappa Mu Epsilon Kappa Mu Epsilon () is a mathematics honor society founded by Emily Kathryn Wyant in 1931 at Northeastern Oklahoma State Teachers College to focus on the needs of undergraduate mathematics students. There are now over 80,000 members in about 150 ...

, (

) *

Mu Sigma Rho Mu Sigma Rho () is the US national statistics honor society. History Founded in 1968 at Iowa State University, Mu Sigma Rho seeks to promote and encourage scholarly activity in statistics, and to recognize outstanding achievement among studen ...

, (

statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ''wikt:Statistik#German, Statistik'', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of ...

) *

Pi Mu Epsilon Pi Mu Epsilon ( or ) is the U.S. honorary national mathematics society. The society was founded at Syracuse University on , by Professor Edward Drake Roe, Jr, and currently has chapters at 371 institutions across the US. Goals Pi Mu Epsilon is ...

, (

)

Local honor societies

Some universities have their own independent, open honor societies, which are not affiliated with any national or international organization. Such organizations typically recognize students who have succeeded academically irrespective of their field of study. These include: * Activities Honorary Society at

University of Illinois at Chicago The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, adjacent to the Chicago Loop. The second campus established under the University of Illinois ...

* Aquinas Honor Society at University of St. Thomas (Houston), University of St. Thomas * Bisonhead at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York * Burning Spear Society at Florida State University * Cap and Skull at Rutgers University * FHC Society at The College of William & Mary * Florida Blue Key at University of Florida * Friar Society at the University of Texas at Austin * Iron Arrow Honor Society at the University of Miami * Lion's Paw (honor society), Lion's Paw at the Pennsylvania State University * LSV Society at the University of Missouri * Matteo Ricci Society at Fordham University * Owl and Key at the University of Utah * Phalanx Honor Society at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, also at Clarkson University. Separate groups? * Plumb Bob at the University of Minnesota * Quill and Dagger at

* QEBH at the University of Missouri * Raven Society at the University of Virginia * Society of Innocents at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln * Skull and Bones (Penn State) at the Pennsylvania State University * Skull and Dagger (honor society), Skull and Dagger at University of Southern California * Sphinx Head at

* Dean William Tate Society at the University of Georgia * Texnikoi Engineering Honorary at

* Tiger Brotherhood (Clemson University) at the Clemson University * White Key Society at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Certificate, vocational, technical, and workforce education

* Alpha Beta Kappa, * National Technical Honor Society

Two-year colleges and community colleges

*Alpha Beta Gamma, (

at two-year colleges) *Alpha Gamma Sigma (honor society), Alpha Gamma Sigma, (California Community Colleges System, California community colleges) *Delta Psi Omega, (

) *Epsilon Phi Delta, (

at two-year colleges) *Kappa Beta Delta, (

at Community Colleges) *Mu Alpha Theta, (

, high school and two-year colleges) *Phi Rho Pi, (forensics at two-year colleges) *Phi Theta Kappa, (All academic fields at Community college, community and junior colleges) *Psi Beta, (

at two-year colleges) *Sigma Kappa Delta, (English studies, English at Community college, community and junior colleges) *

, (

- Associate membership available for Community college, community and junior colleges) *La Sociedad Honoraria de la Lengua Española (

at two-year colleges)

Secondary school societies

Commonly referred to as high school societies.

General

*California Scholarship Federation *Cum Laude Society *National Adult Education Honor Society (adult high school) *National Beta Club *National Honor Society (

) **National Junior Honor Society (middle school) *National Society of High School Scholars

Subject-specific

*American Sign Language Honor Society (American Sign Language) *Computer Science Honor Society (

) *Delta Epsilon Phi, German National Honor Society-Delta Epsilon Phi (''Deutsche Ehrenverbindung'') (

) *International Thespian Society (

), colors:

and Gold *Mu Alpha Theta, (

) *National Art Honor Society (visual arts) *National Business Honor Society (

) *National Chinese Honor Society (Chinese language, Chinese) *National English Honor Society (English language, English) *National Honor Society for Dance Arts (dance) *National Junior Classical League (Latin and Greek language, Greek) *National Speech and Debate Association (public speaking), colors: Red and Silver *National Technical Honor Society (vocational education) *Quill and Scroll (journalism) *Rho Kappa, (social studies) *Science National Honor Society (science) *Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (''Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica'') (

and

) *Société Honoraire de Français ( French) *Technology Student Association (STEM), colors: Red blue White *Tri-M, Tri-M Music Honor Society, (

), colors: Pink

Boy Scouts

, National BSA Honor Society *Tribe of Mic-O-Say, Heart of America Council and Pony Express Council *Firecrafter, Crossroads of America Council

References

External links

{{Orders Honor societies, Educational organizations based in the United States

List of honor societies

General collegiate scholastic honor societies

Leadership

Military

Liberal arts

Business

Education

Fine arts

Journalism and communications

Languages

Law

Sciences

Agriculture

Architecture

Engineering

Health sciences

Information technology

Mathematics

Local honor societies

Certificate, vocational, technical, and workforce education

Two-year colleges and community colleges

Secondary school societies

General

Subject-specific

Boy Scouts

See also

References

External links