Honor societies are national organizations that celebrate the scholarship and leadership of students in specific fields of study. As a member, you'll have the opportunity to enrich the UMGC community, attend regional and national conferences, and meet scholars and leaders from other universities.

The honor societies represented at UMGC meet our high academic standards, and membership is a privilege that can enhance your academic and professional stature. Outside groups calling themselves honor societies will occasionally try to recruit UMGC students by e-mail. These groups do not require high academic standards for membership.

Make sure the honor society you choose is one of UMGC's recognized chapters by viewing the listing below or contacting Student Affairs by e-mail at engagement@umgc.edu or by phone at 240-684-2899.

Meet Your 2021 Student Organization Award Winners

Read about the winners of the 2021 Student Organization Awards.

Honor Societies

Alpha Sigma Lambda (Undergraduate)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate
About the Club:

Alpha Sigma Lambda is a nationally recognized honor society that celebrates the scholarship and leadership of adult students in higher education. Members of Alpha Sigma Lambda are highly motivated adult students who are continuing their undergraduate education and managing the responsibilities of work and family while studying.

General Eligibility Requirements:

Membership is by invitation only.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

You must be pursuing a first bachelor's degree, have completed at least 24 credits at UMGC in courses carrying letter grades, and maintain a GPA of 3.7 or higher in all UMGC courses. At least 15 credits, from UMGC or transferred, must be in courses outside the major.

Website:

Learn More About Alpha Sigma Lambda's UMGC Chapter

Lambda Epsilon Chi (Legal Studies)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate
About the Club:

Lambda Epsilon Chi is the national honor society founded by the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE), which recognizes the scholarship and leadership of students in higher education. There are over 170 chapters throughout the United States and thousands of inductees who have been honored for their outstanding academic achievements.

General Eligibility Requirements:

Membership is open to Legal Studies majors by invitation only.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible for membership, you must demonstrate superior academic performance, as evidenced by an overall GPA of at least 3.25, as well as a GPA of at least 3.5 in your legal studies classes at UMGC.

Email: lex@umgc.edu
Website:

To learn more and request membership, e-mail Lambda Epsilon Chi's UMGC chapter.

National Society of Collegiate Scholars (Undergraduate)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate
About the Club:

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars is an honor society recognizing students who have completed less than 60 credits toward a bachelor's or associate degree and have demonstrated academic excellence. The honor society encourages students to participate in honor society, campus, and community events, and it provides resources for students to focus on their professional and leadership development. Winner of the 2020 UMGC Student Organization of the Year award!

General Eligibility Requirements:

Membership is by invitation only.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

You must be seeking a first associate or bachelor's degree and have completed at least 12 credits at UMGC in courses carrying letter grades, with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. In addition, you must have completed between 12 and 59 credits toward your degree.

Email: umgcnscs@umgc.edu

Phi Alpha Theta (History)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate
About the Club:

Phi Alpha Theta is a nationally recognized honor society that brings together students and faculty who are interested in the field of history.

General Eligibility Requirements:

This honor society is open to all students in any major.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

You must have a GPA of 3.1 or higher in at least 12 credits of UMGC History courses and have an overall UMGC GPA of 3.0.

Email: pat@umgc.edu

Phi Kappa Phi (Undergraduate and Graduate)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate and Graduate
About the Club:

As the oldest and most selective of the nation's honor societies, Phi Kappa Phi promotes the pursuit of excellence in all fields of higher education. It recognizes the outstanding achievements of students, faculty, and others through election to membership and through awards for distinguished scholarly achievement.

General Eligibility Requirements:

Membership is by invitation only. In addition to the requirements below, eligible students have had no charges of academic integrity or code of conduct resolved against them.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

Students in their junior year, who have completed between 72 and 89 credits towards their degree program, are eligible if they have completed at least 24 credits at UMGC and rank academically in the upper 7.5 percent of the class at the time of invitation. Students in their senior year (having completed 90 or more credits towards their degree program) are eligible if they have completed at least 24 credits at UMGC and rank academically in the upper 10 percent of the class at the time of invitation.

Graduate Eligibility Requirements:

Students are eligible if they have completed at least 18 credits in their graduate level program and are in the top 10 percent of all graduate students at the time of invitation.

Email: phikappaphi@umgc.edu

Pi Gamma Mu (Social Science Disciplines)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate
About the Club:

Pi Gamma Mu is the international honor society that recognizes outstanding scholarship in the social sciences at UMGC. Students interested in anthropology, criminal justice, economics, gerontology, history, political science, social psychology, sociology, and women's studies may qualify for membership. The society recently named UMGC's Maryland Theta chapter to its Roll of Distinction, the highest honor that the society grants. Winner of the 2020 UMGC Student Organization Awards Best-in-Show Activities and Events Award and the 2021 Student Organization of the Year Award!

General Eligibility Requirements:

Membership is by invitation only.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

You must have completed at least 45 credits toward your degree to be eligible. If you have earned at least 20 credits in social science coursework (including at least 9 credits at UMGC) and have a GPA in the top 35%, you may be invited to join.

Email: marylandtheta@umgc.edu

Pi Lambda Theta (Master of Arts in Teaching)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Graduate
About the Club:

Pi Lambda Theta is the most selective national honor society of educators. It is associated with the Future Educators Association (an organization for high school students interested in the field of education) and Phi Delta Kappa (an international professional association for educators). Pi Lambda Theta honors the accomplishments of exemplary educators and supports the continuing development of knowledge and skills aimed at providing leadership for colleagues and enhanced learning for students.

General Eligibility Requirements:

This honor society is open to students in the Master of Arts in Teaching program. Membership is by invitation only.

Graduate Eligibility Requirements:

You must have completed at least 12 credits in the MAT program with a minimum GPA of 3.5.

Email: kristin.kubik@umgc.edu

SALUTE (Military and Veterans)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate and Graduate
About the Club:

SALUTE is a nationally recognized honor society for military and veteran students at two-year and four-year institutions of higher education. Established in 2009, SALUTE is the first national honor society for active-duty military servicemembers, National Guard members, reservists, retirees, and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.

General Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible for SALUTE, you must be currently enrolled at UMGC, currently serving or have received an honorable discharge, have completed at least 12 credit hours with UMGC, display the highest ethical standards, and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 as an undergraduate student or 3.5 as a graduate student. In addition, you must have served as a One2One mentor for at least the last six months, post verifiable feedback on Vessey VRC articles or the social wall at least twice per month, or have served as a volunteer over the past six months. After induction, you will receive a challenge coin, certificate, and a braided honor cord. You are eligible to apply for higher tiers based on your cumulative GPA.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

Undergraduate members can earn special recognition by earning a higher GPA.

  • Alpha Tier (GPA: 3.75–4.0)

  • Bravo Tier (GPA: 3.50–3.74)

  • Charlie Tier (GPA: 3.25–3.49)

  • Delta Tier (GPA: 3.0–3.24)

Graduate Eligibility Requirements:

Graduate members can join the Gold Tier by obtaining a GPA of 3.5 to 4.0.

Email: vesseyvrc@umgc.edu
Website:

Learn More About SALUTE

Sigma Phi Omega (Gerontology and Aging Services)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate
About the Club:

Sigma Phi Omega is a national academic honor and professional society in gerontology. It was established in 1980 to recognize excellence among students studying gerontology and aging and to acknowledge the outstanding service of professionals who work with or on behalf of older persons. The society provides a much-needed link between educators, practitioners, and administrators in various settings where older persons are served. Sigma Phi Omega seeks to promote scholarship, professionalism, friendship, and services to older persons and to recognize exemplary attainment in gerontology and aging studies and related fields.

General Eligibility Requirements:

Student membership in Sigma Phi Omega is open to undergraduate students majoring or minoring in gerontology and aging services, social science majors focusing on gerontology, and students in related fields with an interest in aging.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

You must be in at least your second term of enrollment at UMGC, have completed a minimum of 12 credits, and have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.3.

Email: spo@umgc.edu

Sigma Tau Delta (English)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate
About the Club:

Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, has more than 880 active chapters located in the United States and abroad. Nationally recognized, its purpose is to provide opportunities to associate with students, alumni, and faculty members who have a common interest in writing and in English language and literature.

General Eligibility Requirements:

Membership in Sigma Tau Delta is open to qualified UMGC students with a major in English.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible, you must have earned at least 45 credits toward a bachelor's degree, with an overall grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. At least 30 credits must have been earned at UMGC and must include 12 credits of English beyond ENGL 101 and 6 upper-level credits. Students must also have earned a GPA of 3.6 in English coursework at UMGC.

Email: englishdept@umgc.edu

Upsilon Phi Delta (Healthcare Management)

Type: Honor society

Available To: Undergraduate and Graduate

About the Club: Upsilon Phi Delta is the national academic honor society of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.

The purposes of Upsilon Phi Delta are to

  • Elevate the standards, ideals, competence, and ethics of professionally educated women and men in health administration and leadership
  • Recognize and encourage scholarship in healthcare administration
  • Recognize students who achieve distinction in healthcare administration studies in universities and colleges
  • Provide financial assistance through scholarships to outstanding students pursuing a degrees in healthcare administration
  • Motivate academic excellence in students studying healthcare administration

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements: Membership is open to students pursuing a major in health services management. To be eligible, UMGC undergraduate students must have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 or higher and at least 18 credits of health services management coursework, with a grade-point average of 3.25 or higher in those courses.

Graduate Eligibility Requirements: Membership in Upsilon Phi Delta is limited to individuals who are actively pursuing their graduate degrees in UMGC's health care administration program, meet the national eligibility standards of a minimum grade-point average of 3.5, have completed 18 credits, and are invited to become a member of the collegiate chapter.

Students Should Contact: upd@umgc.edu

Upsilon Pi Epsilon (Computing and Technology Disciplines)

Type: Honor society
Available To: Undergraduate and Graduate
About the Club:

Upsilon Pi Epsilon is the international honor society for the computing and information disciplines. Formed in 1967, the purpose of Upsilon Pi Epsilon is to promote the computing and information sciences and to encourage the enhancement of knowledge in the field. Upsilon Pi Epsilon is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a degree in the computing and information disciplines.

General Eligibility Requirements:

Membership is by invitation only. Inductions are held during the spring and fall semesters only.

Undergraduate Eligibility Requirements:

Membership is open to students majoring in one of the computing disciplines. Students must have completed at least 45 credit hours towards their degree, including 30 or more credits at UMGC (in graded coursework) and at least 15 credits from information technology and computer science courses. Students need to have a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all coursework taken from the information technology and computer science courses.

Graduate Eligibility Requirements:

Membership is open to graduate students pursuing a master's degree in cybersecurity management and policy, cybersecurity technology, data analytics, or digital forensics and cyber investigation; a master's degree in information technology with a specialization in database systems technology, informatics, information assurance, software engineering, or telecommunications management; or a legacy master's degree in cybersecurity. Students must have completed at least 18 resident credits towards their degree at UMGC, with a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher.

Email: upe@umgc.edu

More About Honor Societies

SALUTE Honor Society

Read about the SALUTE honor society for student servicemembers and veterans.