Pi Sigma Alpha Membership Standards
Pi Sigma Alpha is classified by the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) as an “upper division, specialized” honor society. The academic requirements for membership eligibility follow those set by ACHS for this category of honor society, and are specified in the Pi Sigma Alpha Constitution, Article I, “Membership.”
Membership in Pi Sigma Alpha is open to undergraduate and graduate students currently taking courses in government, political science, international relations, public administration, or a related interdisciplinary area and enrolled in institutions where chapters are located.
Undergraduates must meet the following criteria:
- Completed at least one-half of the credits required by their institution for the baccalaureate degree;
- Completed at least ten semester-credits (or fifteen quarter-credits) of work in political science, government, international relations, public administration, or a related interdisciplinary area (which includes significant political science curriculum), with an average grade of B or higher in those courses;
- Achieved an overall GPA placing them in the top one-third of their whole class (e.g. third- or fourth-year class).
Graduate students must meet the following criteria:
- Completed at least nine graduate credits in political science (or related areas) with no grade lower than a B. (Undergraduate coursework does not count towards graduate student eligibility.)
Additional Chapter Membership Criteria
Individual chapters may, in their bylaws, add to these criteria. Chapters may NEVER reduce the basic national criteria. Additional chapter criteria must be based strictly on academic achievement, and they must be measurable. A chapter may increase the GPA requirement for admission, for example, but not require that eligible students be voted into membership by other members, or impose any non-academic requirement such as community service. Chapters are also discouraged from imposing any requirement that involves subjective evaluation, such as a paper competition, which will almost inevitably result in disputes. They may not include extracurricular requirements or any sort of “pledging” process.
Members should follow the guidance of the Chapter Advisor when writing the section of their bylaws which lists admission requirements, and should feel free to consult with the National Office whenever there is a question.
Faculty Membership
Members of the faculty of the department, school, or division in which the chapter is located are automatically eligible for membership.
Membership Transferability
Membership in one chapter is transferable to membership in another chapter when the member (student or faculty) moves to another institution where there is a chapter.
Honorary Membership
Per the Pi Sigma Alpha Constitution, chapters are entitled to award two honorary memberships per year to “any person of recognized ability and achievement in the field of political science.”
Eligible individuals may be elected an honorary member by any local chapter by two-thirds vote of the voting members. Please note, no person who is otherwise eligible for student membership at their institution but for deficiency of minimum qualifications shall be eligible for honorary membership in any chapter.