Trinity University

Selection of Members-In-Course

Selection of student members, or members-in-course, is generally made in a student's senior year. A few juniors (usually no more than five) are elected each year.

There is no application process for Phi Beta Kappa. The Chapter screens student transcripts to determine if minimum requirements are met before electing new members from eligible candidates.

Minimum Requirements
The criteria for election into Phi Beta Kappa are determined by the Chapter under guidelines of the national organization. In order to be considered for election into Phi Beta Kappa, students must meet the minimum requirements as detailed below:

1. Candidates must have completed a minimum of 60 hours of primarily liberal arts coursework at Trinity by graduation. Candidates for election as juniors must have completed a minimum of 75 hours of primarily liberal arts coursework at Trinity at the time of election.
2. Candidates must have completed at least one three-hour course in a logic-based course that mirrors Calculus. Advanced placement and transfer credits are accepted. Mathematics courses of Calculus I or higher, as well as, PHIL 2340, MATH 1330, PSYC 2401, SOCI 3360 fulfill this requirement. MATH 1301, 1310, and 2303 are not accepted. This requirement is not satisfied by high school experience or pass/fail work.
3. Candidates must have completed at least one course in a foreign language at the intermediate level (2301) or higher. SPAN 2301, though it is the second course in the Spanish sequence, meets this requirement. Transfer credit, Advanced Placement credit, and Languages Across the Curriculum courses are also accepted. This requirement is not satisfied by high school experience or pass/fail work.

Election

All candidates who meet the minimum standards are ranked on the basis of grade point average. Each year, a minimum GPA is set by the Chapter with no knowledge as to which candidates fall above or below that standard. Those above the minimum GPA are offered the opportunity to become members-in-course.

Others that do not meet the minimum criteria for membership may be nominated for membership by individual members of the Chapter.