Criteria
Membership in Phi Beta Kappa is by invitation only. A faculty committee reviews the academic records of potential members and invites only those who meet all criteria.
What kind of GPA and how many credits do I need?
What are the course requirements?
What if I'm a transfer student?
What if I studied abroad?
What's an interdisciplinary program?
What else?
What kind of GPA and how many credits do I need?
Juniors in CCAS, ESIA, the Milken Institute School, BA in SEAS: As of the end of the prior fall semester: Select Juniors (75-89 credit hours, at least 45 at GWU) with at least 4 completed semesters at GW, (excluding summers) and with GPAs in the top 1% of their class or at least 3.80 (whichever is higher.)
Seniors in CCAS, ESIA, the Milken Institute School, BA in SEAS: As of the end of the prior fall semester: Select Seniors (90 credit hours or more, at least 45 at GWU) with GPAs in the top 10% of their class or at least 3.70 (whichever is higher.)
Recent Graduates of CCAS, ESIA, the Milken Institute School, BA in SEAS: Upon completion of graduation requirements: A GPA in the top 10% of their class or at least 3.70 (whichever is higher.) A select number of Graduates with at least 60 credit hours at GW are invited after they graduate. This allows students who only fulfill Phi Beta Kappa requirements during their final semester of their undergraduate career to be invited.
Graduate students of any school: The Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at GWU does not accept students from graduate programs at GWU.
What are the course requirements?
Language and math requirement:
Student must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language, either by coursework or demonstrated proficiency. A college level math or statistics course (or AP credits in math from high school) is required to show quantitative proficiency.
Breadth requirement:
Single major: Students who have taken a single major in the Columbian College or the Milken Institute School must have completed at least 12 hours of upper-division (ie, 2000 (or above-level)) coursework outside of the major subject, with grades of B- minus or better, by the end of the previous semester. If a student has already completed only 9 such hours with similar grades, he or she is eligible for election the following year, after graduation, provided he or she is taking 3 credits of such course work during the final semester. Students who have already graduated must have completed 12 credits of such courses with a grade of B- minus or better.
Double or interdisciplinary* major: Students who have taken a double major in the Columbian College or an Interdisciplinary Program must have completed at least 30 hours of upper-division (ie, 2000 (or above)-level) coursework, with grades of B- minus or better, by the end of the previous semester. If a student has already completed only 24 such hours with similar grades, he or she is eligible for election the following year, after graduation, provided he or she is taking 6 credits of such course work during the final semester. Students who have already graduated must have completed 30 credits of such courses with a grade of B- minus or better.
What if I'm a transfer student?
Transfer students must meet the same requirements as those students listed in the above section, but counting only GW grades and upper division hours (including any study abroad hours accumulated after a transfer student has matriculated at GW). Note that all transfer/AP credit hours count toward the language and math proficiency requirements.
What if I studied abroad?
If you studied abroad for one or more full terms (i.e., fall and/or spring):
- No grades earned abroad are counted in your GPA for Phi Beta Kappa purposes.
- If the study abroad courses appear individually on the transcript, those courses will be counted as lower-division or upper-division and within or outside the major as they appear on the transcript.
- If the study abroad courses do not appear individually on the transcript, that study abroad program will count as 15 GW credit hours per semester, with all the abroad hours counting as upper division hours for double or interdisciplinary majors. For CCAS or Milken students majoring in a single discipline, 6 of these 15 hours will count as upper division courses outside the major subject (and the remaining 9 hours will count as upper division courses within the major subject).
The rules above apply to juniors and seniors studying abroad during the semester in which the selection process is taking place.
If you studied abroad during the summer:
- Only those courses appearing on the transcript will be counted towards the requirements above.
- These courses will be counted as lower-division or upper-division as it appears on the transcript.
What's an interdisciplinary program?
- All Elliott School majors and programs.
- The SEAS BA programs in Computer Science or Applied Science and Technology.
- In Columbian College:
- Africana Studies
- Archaeology (under Anthropology)
- Biological Anthropology (under Anthropology)
- Astronomy and Astrophysics (under Physics)
- Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies (under Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations; replaces “Classical Studies”)
- Graphic Design (under Corcoran School of the Arts and Design)
- Interaction Design (under Corcoran School of the Arts and Design)
- Photojournalism (under Corcoran School of the Arts and Design)
- Environmental Studies
- Judaic Studies
- Political Communication (under Media and Public Affairs)
- Journalism and Mass Communication (under Media and Public Affairs)
- Peace Studies
- Cognitive Neuroscience (under Psychological and Brain Sciences)
- Neuroscience (under Biology)
- Criminal Justice (under Sociology)
- Special Interdisciplinary Program (SIM)
What else?
- All students must have selected a major. All Columbian College majors are valid; however, "Arts and Sciences" is not a major.
- Students who have six or more incompletes are disqualified. Students who have earned an F in one or more course are disqualified.
- Those who have attended part-time (registered for fewer than 12 hours a semester) will be considered in accordance with the rules for juniors and seniors above.
- A maximum of 3 credits of professional or technical courses taken outside of the Columbian College (which includes the Corcoran School of the Arts & Design and the School of Media & Public Affairs), the Elliott School, or the Milken Institute School of Public Health (such as SEAS, GSEHD, CPS, SMHS and GWSB) may be included for consideration. For example, only one 3-credit ACCY, BADM, FINA, IBUS or SMPP course from the School of Business will count toward upper-division hours. Health and Wellness (HLWL) courses, Lifestyle, Sport, and Physical Activity (LSPA), and ROTC courses are all excluded from consideration.