Welcome
Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and most respected honors
organization
in the United States. The Society has pursued its mission of fostering
and recognizing excellence in the liberal arts and sciences since its
founding in 1776.
The University of Florida is one of only five institutions in the
state, and one of only 270 total throughout the US, which meets the
Society’s criteria of excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, and
can elect students into Phi Beta Kappa.
The UF Chapter (Beta) was founded in 1938 by a group of faculty that
included several famous UF and Florida citizens, including
Manning Dauer and Claude Pepper. UF was the second school in the state
to earn a chapter charter (that’s why we’re the Beta chapter of Florida), following
that of the Florida Women’s College (now FSU).
Since then, thousands of outstanding undergraduate students at UF have been inducted into PBK.
By National bylaws, the number of students elected cannot
exceed 10% of the annual class in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Each year, approximately 300 students are invited to join the Society
as new members. There are election cycles in the Fall and Spring terms.
