Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious undergraduate honors organization, was founded on December 5, 1776, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. It was the first society to have a Greek letter name, and in its initial period at William and Mary it introduced the essential characteristics of such societies - an oath of secrecy (discarded in 1831), a badge, mottoes in Latin and Greek, a code of laws, and an elaborate form of initiation.

Regular meetings were held at which chief attention was given to literary exercises, especially to composition and debating. Fraternal sentiments were fostered, occasional meetings were held for social purposes, and anniversaries were celebrated in the Apollo Room of the Raleigh Tavern, as they are again now that the College of William and Mary has recreated the Apollo Room in the Phi Beta Kappa Hall on the Williamsburg campus.

The original Phi Beta Kappa Society had an active life of only four years, ending when the approach of the British army under Cornwallis forced the college to close its doors. But the faith of those youthful scholars in the permanence and future greatness of their Society is shown by their preparation of charters for branches in other colleges. The two charters voted upon and granted during that period went to Harvard, December 4, 1779, and to Yale, four days later. The charters were delivered to groups in New Haven and Cambridge the following year and subsequently the Alpha of Connecticut was established at Yale (November, 1780) and the Alpha of Massachusetts came into being at Harvard (September, 1781).

While the Alpha of Virginia at the College of William and Mary was inactive between 1780 and 1851 and again from early in the Civil War until 1893, the Alpha at Harvard has had an uninterrupted existence and the Alpha at Yale has been inactive only from 1871 to 1884. These two chapters largely determined the permanent character of Phi Beta Kappa and shaped its policy in the establishment of other new chapters.

The two New England branches preserved the essential qualities of the Virginia experience, adopting some changes in procedure to suit local conditions. Shortly before the close of the college year, the members selected from the junior class a small group of leading students who in the following year constituted the "immediate society." The continuing custom of annual anniversary celebrations led to many significant contributions to American prose and poetry. Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered an oration at Harvard’s 1837 celebration entitled "The American Scholar," later adopted as the name of Phi Beta Kappa’s quarterly journal.

Phi Beta Kappa colleges and universities are generally considered among the highest caliber and most selective in the United States and abroad. With over 3,200 two and four year colleges in the United States, only 255 have earned Phi Beta Kappa Chapter status. All students who are interested in the liberal arts and sciences as well as the pre-professional degree programs should research the list of Phi Beta Kappa colleges.

Agnes Scott College, Beta of Georgia, Decatur 1926 www.agnesscott.edu

Alabama, University of, Alpha of Alabama 1851 www.uah.edu

Albion College, Beta of Michigan, Albion 1940 www.albion.edu

Allegheny College, Eta of Pennsylvania, Meadville 1902 www.alleg.edu

Alma College, Eta of Michigan, Alma 1980 www.alma.edu

American University, Zeta of D.C., Washington 1994 www.american.edu

Amherst College, Beta of Massachusetts, Amherst 1853 www.amherst.edu

Arizona, University of, Alpha of Arizona, Tucson 1932 www.arizona.edu

Arizona State University, Beta of Arizona, Tempe 1973 www.asu.edu

Arkansas, University of, Alpha of Arkansas, Fayetteville1932 www.uark.edu

Augustana College, Zeta of Illinois, Rock Island 1950 www.augustana.edu

Bates College, Gamma of Maine, Lewiston 1917 www.bates.edu

Baylor University, Zeta of Texas, Waco 1977 www.baylor.edu

Beloit College, Beta of Wisconsin, Beloit 1911 www.beloit.edu

Birmingham-Southern College, Beta of Alabama, Birmingham 1937 www.bsc.edu

Boston College, Omicron of Massachusetts, Boston 1971 www.bc.edu

Boston University, Epsilon of Massachusetts, Boston 1899 www.bu.edu

Bowdoin College, Alpha of Maine, Brunswick 1825 www.bowdoin.edu

Bowling Green State University, Xi of Ohio, Bowling Green 1983 www.bgsu.edu

Brandeis University, Mu of Massachusetts, Waltham 1962 www.brandeis.edu

Brown University, Alpha of Rhode Island, Providence 1830 www.brown.edu

Bucknell University, Mu of Pennsylvania, Lewisburg 1940 www.bucknell.edu

California, University of,  Berkeley, Alpha of California 1898 www.berkeley.edu

Davis, Kappa of California 1968 www.ucdavis.edu

Irvine, Mu of California 1974 www.uci.edu

Los Angeles, Eta of California 1939 (1930) www.ucla.edu

Riverside, Iota of California 1965 www.ucr.edu

San Diego, Sigma of California 1977 www.ucsd.edu

Santa Barbara, Lambda of California 1968 www.ucsb.edu

Santa Cruz, Upsilon of California 1986 www.ucsc.edu

California State University, Long Beach, Rho of California 1977 www.csulb.edu

Carleton College, Beta of Minnesota, Northfield 1914 www.carleton.edu

Carnegie Mellon University, Upsilon of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh 1995 www.cmu.edu

Case Western Reserve University, Alpha of Ohio, Cleveland 1847 www.cwru.edu

Catholic University of America, Beta of D.C., Washington 1941 www.cua.edu

Centre College, Beta of Kentucky, Danville 1971 www.centre.edu

Chatham College, Omicron of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh 1962 www.chatham.edu

Chicago, University of, Beta of Illinois, Chicago 1899 www.uchicago.edu

Cincinnati, University of, Delta of Ohio, Cincinnati 1899 www.uc.edu

Claremont McKenna College, Tau of California, Claremont 1983 www.mckenna.edu

Clark University, Lambda of Massachusetts, Worcester 1953 www.clarku.edu

Coe College, Epsilon of Iowa, Cedar Rapids 1949 www.coe.edu

Colby College, Beta of Maine, Waterville 1896 www.colby.edu

Colgate University, Eta of New York, Hamilton 1878 www.colgate.edu

Colorado, University of, Alpha of Colorado, Boulder 1904 www.colorado.edu

Colorado College, Beta of Colorado, Colorado Springs 1904 www.coloradocollege.edu

Colorado State University, Delta of Colorado, Fort Collins 1973 www.colostate.edu

Columbia University, The College, Delta of New York, New York City 1869 www.columbia.edu

Barnard College 1901 School of General Studies 1952 www.barnard.columbia.edu

Connecticut, University of, Epsilon of Connecticut, Storrs 1956 www.uconn.edu

Connecticut College, Delta of Connecticut, New London 1935 http://camel.conncoll.edu

Cornell College, Delta of Iowa, Mt. Vernon 1923 www.cornell-iowa.edu

Cornell University, Theta of New York, Ithaca 1882 www.cornell.edu

Dallas, University of, Eta of Texas, Irving 1989 www.udallas.edu

Dartmouth College, Alpha of New Hampshire, Hanover 1787 www.dartmouth.edu

Davidson College, Gamma of North Carolina, Davidson 1923 www.davidson.edu

Delaware, University of, Alpha of Delaware, Newark 1956 www.udel.edu

Denison University, Theta of Ohio, Granville 1911 www.denison.edu

Denver, University of, Gamma of Colorado, Denver 1940 www.du.edu

DePauw University, Alpha of Indiana, Greencastle 1889 www.depauw.edu

Dickinson College, Alpha of Pennsylvania, Carlisle 1887 www.dickinson.edu

Drake University, Gamma of Iowa, Des Moines 1923 www.drake.edu

Drew University, Gamma of New Jersey, Madison 1980 www.drew.edu

Duke University, Beta of North Carolina, Durham 1920 www.duke.edu

Earlham College, Delta of Indiana, Richmond 1965 www.earlham.edu

Elmira College, Pi of New York, Elmira 1940 www.elmira.edu

Emory University, Gamma of Georgia, Atlanta 1925 www.emory.edu

Fairfield University, Zeta of Connecticut, Fairfield 1995 www.fairfield.edu

Fisk University, Delta of Tennessee, Nashville1953 www.fisk.edu

Florida, University of, Beta of Florida, Gainesville 1938 www.ufl.edu

Florida State University, Alpha of Florida, Tallahassee 1935 www.fsu.edu

Fordham University, Tau of New York, New York City 1962 www.fordham.edu

Franklin and Marshall College, Theta of Pennsylvania, Lancaster 1908 www.fandm.edu

Furman University, Gamma of South Carolina, Greenville 1973 www.furman.edu

George Washington University, Alpha of D.C., Washington 1938 www.gwu.edu

Georgetown University, Delta of D.C., Washington 1965 www.georgetown.edu

Georgia, University of, Alpha of Georgia, Athens 1914 www.uga.edu

Gettysburg College, Iota of Pennsylvania, Gettysburg 1923 www.gettysburg.edu

Goucher College, Beta of Maryland, Towson 1905 www.goucher.edu

Grinnell College, Beta of Iowa, Grinnell 1908 http://www.grinnell.edu

Gustavus Adolphus College, Eta of Minnesota, St. Peter 1983 www.gustavus.edu

Hamilton College, Epsilon of New York, Clinton 1870 www.hamilton.edu

Hamline University, Zeta of Minnesota, St. Paul 1974 www.hamline.edu

Hampden-Sydney College, Eta of Virginia, Hampden-Sydney 1949 www.hsc.edu

Harvard University, Alpha of Massachusetts, Cambridge 1792 www.harvard.edu

Haverford College, Zeta of Pennsylvania, Haverford 1899 www.haverford.edu

Hawaii, University of, at Manoa, Alpha of Hawaii, Honolulu 1952 www.hawaii.edu

Hiram College, Mu of Ohio, Hiram 1971 www.hiram.edu

Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Zeta of New York, Geneva 1871 www.hws.edu

Hofstra University, Omega of New York, Hempstead 1973 www.hofstra.edu

Hollins College, Iota of Virginia, Roanoke 1962 www.hollins.edu

Holy Cross, College of the, Pi of Massachusetts, Worcester 1974 www.holycross.edu

Hope College, Zeta of Michigan, Holland 1971 www.hope.edu

Howard University, Gamma of D.C., Washington 1953 www.howard.edu

Idaho, University of, Alpha of Idaho, Moscow 1926 www.uidaho.edu

Illinois, University of Chicago, Iota of Illinois 1977 www.uic.edu

Urbana-Champaign, Gamma of Illinois 1907 www.uiuc.edu

Illinois College, Epsilon of Illinois, Jacksonville 1932 www.ic.edu

Indiana University, Gamma of Indiana, Bloomington 1911 www.indiana.edu

Iowa, University of, Alpha of Iowa, Iowa City 1895 www.uiowa.edu

Iowa State University, Zeta of Iowa, Ames 1973 www.iastate.edu

Johns Hopkins University, Alpha of Maryland, Baltimore 1895 www.jhu.edu

Kalamazoo College, Delta of Michigan, Kalamazoo 1958 www.kzoo.edu

Kansas, University of, Alpha of Kansas, Lawrence 1890 www.ukans.edu

Kansas State University, Beta of Kansas, Manhattan 1974 www.ksu.edu

Kent State University, Nu of Ohio, Kent 1977 www.kent.edu

Kentucky, University of, Alpha of Kentucky, Lexington 1926 www.uky.edu

Kenyon College, Beta of Ohio, Gambier 1858 www.kenyon.edu

Knox College, Delta of Illinois, Galesburg 1917 http://www.knox.edu

Lafayette College, Gamma of Pennsylvania, Easton 1890 www.lafayette.edu

Lake Forest College, Theta of Illinois, Lake Forest 1962 www.lfc.edu

Lawrence University, Gamma-Delta of Wisconsin, Appleton 1914 www.lawrence.edu

Lehigh University, Beta of Pennsylvania, Bethlehem 1887 www.lehigh.edu

Lewis and Clark College, Gamma of Oregon, Portland 1997 www.lclark.edu

Louisiana State University, Beta of Louisiana, Baton Rouge 1977 www.lsu.edu

Loyola College, Epsilon of Maryland, Baltimore 1995 www.loyola.edu

Loyola University, Kappa of Illinois, Chicago 1995 http://www.luc.edu

Luther College, Eta of Iowa, Decorah 1983 www.luther.edu

Macalester College, Epsilon of Minnesota, St. Paul 1968 www.macalstr.edu

Maine, University of, at Orono, Delta of Maine 1923 http://www.umaine.edu

Manhattan College, Upsilon of New York, New York City 1971 http://www.manhattan.edu

Marietta College, Gamma of Ohio, Marietta 1860 www.marietta.edu

Marquette University, Zeta of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 1971 www.marquette.edu

Mary Baldwin College, Lambda of Virginia, Staunton 1971 www.mbc.edu

Mary Washington College, Kappa of Virginia, Fredericksburg 1971 www.mwc.edu

Maryland, University of, Gamma of Maryland, College Park 1964 www.umd.edu

Maryland, University of, Baltimore County, Eta of Maryland, Baltimore 1997 www.umbc.edu

Massachusetts, University of, Nu of Massachusetts, Amherst 1965 www.umass.edu

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Xi of Massachusetts, Cambridge 1971 www.mit.edu

Miami, University of, Delta of Florida, Coral Gables 1983 www.miami.edu

Miami University, Iota of Ohio, Oxford 1911 www.muohio.edu

Michigan, University of, Alpha of Michigan, Ann Arbor 1907 www.umich.edu

Michigan State University, Epsilon of Michigan, East Lansing 1968 www.msu.edu

Middlebury College, Beta of Vermont, Middlebury 1868 www.middlebury.edu

Mills College, Zeta of California, Oakland 1929 www.mills.edu

Millsaps College, Alpha of Mississippi, Jackson 1989 www.millsaps.edu

Missouri, University of, Alpha of Missouri, Columbia 1901http://www.missou

Morehouse College, Delta of Georgia, Atlanta 1968 www.morehouse.edu

Mount Holyoke College, Theta of Massachusetts, South Hadley 1905 www.mtholyoke.edu

Muhlenberg College, Pi of Pennsylvania, Allentown 1968 www.muhlberg.edu

Nebraska, University of, Alpha of Nebraska, Lincoln 1895 www.unl.edu

New Hampshire, University of, Beta of New Hampshire, Durham 1952 www.unh.edu

New Mexico, University of, Alpha of New Mexico, Albuquerque 1965 www.unm.edu

New York, City University of, 

Brooklyn College, Rho of New York 1950 www.brooklyn.cuny.edu

City College, Gamma of New York 1867 www.ccny.cuny.edu

Herbert H. Lehman College, Chi of New York 1971 http://www.lehman.edu

Hunter College, Nu of New York 1920 www.hunter.cuny.edu

Queens College, Sigma of New York 1950 www.qc.edu

New York, State University, at 

Albany, Alpha Alpha of New York 1974 www.albany.edu

Binghamton, Psi of New York 1971 www.binghampton.edu

Buffalo, Omicron of New York 1938 www.buffalo.edu

Stony Brook, Alpha Beta of New York 1974 www.sunysb.edu

New York University, Beta of New York, New York City 1858 www.nyu.edu

North Carolina, University of, at 

Chapel Hill, Alpha of North Carolina 1904 www.unc.edu

Greensboro, Epsilon of North Carolina 1956 www.uncg.edu

North Carolina State University, Zeta of North Carolina, Raleigh 1995 www.ncsu.edu

North Dakota, University of, Alpha of North Dakota, Grand Forks 1914 www.und.nodak.edu

Northwestern University, Alpha of Illinois, Evanston 1890 www.nwu.edu

Notre Dame, University of, Epsilon of Indiana, Notre Dame1968 www.nd.edu

Oberlin College, Zeta of Ohio, Oberlin 1907 www.oberlin.edu

Occidental College, Delta of California, Los Angeles 1926 www.oxy.edu

Ohio State University, Epsilon of Ohio, Columbus 1904 www.ohio-state.edu

Ohio University, Lambda of Ohio, Athens 1929 www.ohiou.edu

Ohio Wesleyan University, Eta of Ohio, Delaware 1907 www.owu.edu

Oklahoma, University of, Alpha of Oklahoma, Norman 1920 www.ou.edu

Oregon, University of, Alpha of Oregon, Eugene 1923 www.uoregon.edu

Pennsylvania, University of, Delta of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 1892 www.upenn.edu

Pennsylvania State University, Lambda of Pennsylvania, University Park 1937 www.psu.edu

Pittsburgh, University of, Xi of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh 1953 www.pitt.edu

Pomona College, Gamma of California, Claremont 1914 www.pomona.edu

Princeton University, Beta of New Jersey, Princeton 1899 www.princeton.edu

Puget Sound, University of, Delta of Washington, Tacoma 1986 www.ups.edu

Purdue University, Zeta of Indiana, Lafayette 1971 www.purdue.edu

Radcliffe College, Iota of Massachusetts, Cambridge 1914 (see Harvard)

Randolph-Macon College, Zeta of Virginia, Ashland 1938 www.rmc.edu

Randolph-Macon Women’s College, Delta of Virginia, Lynchburg 1917 www.rmwc.edu

Redlands, University of, Xi of California, Redlands 1977 http://www.redlands.edu

Reed College, Beta of Oregon, Portland 1938 www.reed.edu

Rhode Island, University of, Beta of Rhode Island, Kingston 1977 www.uri.edu

Rhodes College, Gamma of Tennessee, Memphis 1949 www.rhodes.edu

Rice University, Beta of Texas, Houston 1929 www.rice.edu

Richmond, University of, Epsilon of Virginia, Richmond 1929 www.richmond.edu

Ripon College, Epsilon of Wisconsin, Ripon 1952 www.ripon.edu

Rochester, University of, Iota of New York, Rochester 1887 www.rochester.edu

Rockford College, Eta of Illinois, Rockford 1953 www.rockford.edu

Rutgers-The State University, Alpha of New Jersey, New Brunswick 1869 www.rutgers.edu

Saint Lawrence University, Lambda of New York, Canton 1899 www.stlawu.edu

Saint Louis University, Gamma of Missouri, St. Louis 1968 www.slu.edu

Saint Mary's College of Maryland, Zeta of Maryland, St. Mary's City 1997 www.smcm.edu

Saint Olaf College, Delta of Minnesota, Northfield 1949 www.stolaf.edu

San Diego State University, Nu of California, San Diego 1974 www.sdsu.edu

San Francisco State University, Omicron of California, San Francisco 1977 www.sfsu.edu

Santa Clara University, Pi of California, Santa Clara 1977 www.scu.edu

Scripps College, Theta of California, Claremont 1962 www.scrippscol.edu

Skidmore College, Phi of New York, Saratoga Springs 1971 www.skidmore.edu

Smith College, Zeta of Massachusetts, Northampton 1904 www.smith.edu

South, University of the, Beta of Tennessee, Sewanee1926 www.sewanee.edu

South Carolina, University of, Alpha of South Carolina, Columbia 1926 www.sc.edu

South Dakota, University of, Alpha of South Dakota, Vermillion 1926 www.usd.edu

Southern California, University of, Epsilon of California, Los Angeles 1929 http://www.usc.edu

Southern Methodist, University, Gamma of Texas, Dallas 1949 www.smu.edu

Southwestern University, Theta of Texas, Georgetown 1995 www.southwestern.edu

Spelman College, Epsilon of Georgia, Atlanta 1997 www.spelman.edu

Stanford University, Beta of California, Stanford 1904 www.stanford.edu

Stetson University, Gamma of Florida, DeLand 1982 www.stetson.edu

Swarthmore College, Epsilon of Pennsylvania, Swarthmore 1896 www.swarthmore.edu

Sweet Briar College, Theta of Virginia, Sweet Briar 1950 www.sbc.edu

Syracuse University, Kappa of New York, Syracuse 1896 www.syracuse.edu

Temple University, Rho of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 1974 www.temple.edu

Tennessee, University of, Knoxville, Epsilon of Tennessee 1965 www.utk.edu

Texas, University of, Austin, Alpha of Texas 1905 www.utexas.edu

Texas Christian University, Delta of Texas, Fort Worth 1971 www.tcu.edu

Trinity College, Beta of Connecticut, Hartford 1845 www.trincoll.edu

Trinity College, Epsilon of D.C., Washington 1971 no address

Trinity University, Epsilon of Texas, San Antonio 1974 www.trinity.edu

Tufts University, Delta of Massachusetts, Medford 1892 www. tufts.edu

Tulane University, Alpha of Louisiana, New Orleans 1909 www.tulane.edu

Tulsa, University of, Beta of Oklahoma, Tulsa 1989 www.utulsa.edu

Union College, Alpha of New York, Schenectady 1817 www.union.edu

Ursinus College, Tau of Pennsylvania, Collegeville 1992 www.ursinus.edu

Utah, University of, Alpha of Utah, Salt Lake City 1935 www.utah.edu

Vanderbilt University, Alpha of Tennessee, Nashville 1901 www.vanderbilt.edu

Vassar College, Mu of New York, Poughkeepsie 1899 www.vassar.edu

Vermont, University of, Alpha of Vermont, Burlington 1848 www.uvm.edu

Villanova University, Sigma of Pennsylvania, Villanova 1986 www.villanova.edu

Virginia, University of, Beta of Virginia, Charlottesville 1908 www.virginia.edu

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Mu of Virginia, Blacksburg 1977 www.vt.edu

Wabash College, Beta of Indiana, Crawfordsville 1898 www.wabash.edu

Wake Forest University, Delta of North Carolina, Winston-Salem 1941 www.wfu.edu

Washington, University of, Alpha of Washington, Seattle 1914 www.washington.edu

Washington and Jefferson College, Kappa of Pennsylvania, Washington 1937 www.washjeff.edu

Washington and Lee University, Gamma of Virginia, Lexington 1911 www.wlu.edu

Washington State University, Gamma of Washington, Pullman 1929 www.wsu.edu

Washington University, Beta of Missouri, St. Louis 1914 www.wustl.edu

Wayne State University, Gamma of Michigan, Detroit 1953 www.wayne.edu

Wellesley College, Eta of Massachusetts, Wellesley 1904 www.wellesley.edu

Wells College, Xi of New York, Aurora 1932 www.wells.edu

Wesleyan University, Gamma of Connecticut, Middletown 1845 www.wesleyan.edu

West Virginia University, Alpha of West Virginia, Morgantown 1910 www.wvu.edu

Western Maryland College, Delta of Maryland, Westminster 1980 http://www.wmc.car.md.us

Western Michigan University, Theta of Michigan, Kalamazoo 1997 www.wmich.edu

Wheaton College, Kappa of Massachusetts, Norton 1932 www.wheatonma.edu

Willamette University, Delta of Oregon, Salem 1997 www.willamette.edu

Whitman College, Beta of Washington, Walla Walla 1920 www.whitman.edu

William and Mary, College of, Alpha of Virginia, Williamsburg 1776 www.wm.edu

Williams College, Gamma of Massachusetts, Williamstown 1864 www.williams.edu

Wilson College, Nu of Pennsylvania, Chambersburg 1950 www.wilson.edu

Wisconsin, University of Madison, Alpha of Wisconsin 1899 www.wisc.edu

Milwaukee, Eta of Wisconsin 1974 www.uwm.edu

Wittenberg University, Omicron of Ohio, Springfield 1992 www.wittenberg.edu

Wofford College, Beta of South Carolina, Spartanburg 1941 www.wofford.edu

Wooster, College of, Kappa of Ohio, Wooster 1926 www.wooster.edu

Wyoming, University of, Alpha of Wyoming, Laramie1940 www.uwyo.edu