Selection Process and Membership Criteria

Election to the University of New Hampshire chapter of Phi Beta Kappa is an objective process based on criteria established in accordance with the requirements of the national honor society. At the beginning of the Spring Semester, transcripts for seniors and juniors from both Durham and Manchester campuses who have high GPA's are requested from the Registrar’s Office. A computer program designed by one of our members calculates a PBK GPA based only on courses which are considered “liberal.” (The liberal arts and sciences include the natural sciences, mathematics, social sciences and humanities.)

Then the Election Committee, made up of 8-12 Phi Beta Kappa members, does the final review and selection based on the following criteria.

• Students must have taken a minimum of 48 graded hours at UNH.
• Seniors need 84 hours in liberal courses (taken at UNH or transferred from another accredited college or university) while juniors need 60 such hours. Students already graduated in the previous September or December need 90 liberal hours.
• Effective through the academic year 2014-2015, Juniors need a 3.8 GPA and seniors a 3.5 GPA for all liberal courses.
• In addition, students must have taken the following courses BEFORE the semester in which candidates are reviewed (Spring):
  
  (1) at least one class in quantitative reasoning that fulfills UNH’s general education math requirements as well as
  (2) at least one foreign language class at the 500/intermediate level. American Sign Language does not fulfill the Phi Beta Kappa language requirement.

In April, invitation letters are sent to students and an informal meeting is scheduled to provide information and answer questions about Phi Beta Kappa and membership. The initiation ceremony is held in early May.