Undergraduate Program

Phi Beta Kappa

The Phi Beta Kappa Society is the oldest and most prestigious national academic honorary society in the United States. Its Handbook for New Members begins, "For over two hundred years election to Phi Beta Kappa has been a recognition of intellectual capacities well employed, especially in the acquiring of an education in the liberal arts and sciences." The Society was founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia; the UC Davis chapter, designated Kappa of California, was chartered in 1968.

Kappa Chapter recognizes by election as Members in Course juniors and seniors who have compiled outstanding academic records in a curriculum including the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. Election and initiation take place annually in spring.

1. An overall UC grade point average of 3.7 for seniors and 3.8 for juniors.
2. Knowledge of a foreign language at an "intermediate level," the equivalent of one year of college level study. Extensive high school study, i.e., four years, is accepted.
3. Letters and Sciences units totalling 135 for seniors and 90 for juniors.
4. Seventy-five units completed for letter-grade credit at Davis.
5. College preparatory level mathematics.
6. Breadth in the course record: three course or twelve units completed for letter-grade credit in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences.

Transcripts of juniors and seniors in the College of Letters and Sciences are automatically reviewed if the GPA and units in residence requirements are met. The Division of Biological Sciences supplies the names of College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences students whose programs are analogous to those in L&S. Names of additional students who may meet the requirements are solicited from faculty. The Committee on Members in Course, composed of faclty members of Phi Beta Kappa, reviews transcripts and recommends to the resident members of the Society those who meet the criteria. Students are notified by mail of their election. A confidential record means PBK will not be given access to the student's address.

Omicron Delta Epsilon

• the recognition of scholastic attainment and the honoring of outstanding achievements in economics
• the establishment of closer ties between students and faculty in economics within colleges and universities, and among colleges and universities
• the publication of its official journal, The American Economist
• and the sponsoring of panels at professional meetings as well as the Irving Fisher and Frank W. Taussig competitions

Omicron Delta Epsilon, one of the world's largest academic honor societies, was created through the merger of two honor societies, Omicron Delta Gamma and Omicron Chi Epsilon. Omicron Delta Gamma (The Order of Artus) was founded in 1915 by John R. Commons, University of Wisconsin and Frank Taussig, Harvard University. Omicron Chi Epsilon was founded in 1955 by Alan A. Brown while he was a student at the City College of New York. Omicron Delta Epsilon has over 560 chapters located in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Egypt and France.

The minimum requirements for admission for undergraduates are: must be a declared major in Economics or International Relations, must be in junior standing (90 to 134.99 units completed), must have completed 12 upper division units of Economics coursework with an overall 3.0 gpa in this coursework, and must have an overall UC gpa of 3.0.

See the Economics Peer Advisor in 1101 SSH and put your name, SID and major on the ODE list and return in a few days. Your academic record will be checked to make sure you have met the requirements. After your membership has been approved, you will fill out a ñMembership Application Formî and pay a life-membership fee of $35. In return, the member receives a membership card, certificate and a year's subscription (two issues) to The American Economist. Make sure the address on the application is an address we can send the ODE certificate. The Membership Application Forms are mailed at the end of each quarter from the Economics Department to ODE. After these applications are processed, ODE will send to the Economics Department your certificate and any other items you ordered (key or pin). The department will then mail the certificate to the address listed on the Membership Application Form.