Honor Societies
Hyer Society
Named for the founding President of SMU, the Hyer Society was established in 1983 to recognize SMU’s most intellectually gifted undergraduates who have distinguished themselves through high academic achievement. At a minimum, Hyer Society members must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.85 after 36 SMU credit hours. Members are then chosen by a faculty committee based on academic performance and on an essay written each year on a different topic. Only a small fraction of SMU students are nominated each year for membership, roughly the top 4% of the student body.
Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society in the liberal arts, was founded in 1776 at the College of William and Mary. SMU was granted a chapter in 1949, a true vote of confidence for the intellectual life of what was then a young university. Students elected to the Society must not only fit stringent GPA requirements, but they also must demonstrate an impressive and challenging course of study, with a majority of hours completed in the liberal arts. The motto of Phi Beta Kappa, “Philosophia Biou Kubernetes” means “the love of wisdom is the guide of life.” Students elected to Phi Beta Kappa embody this motto.
Kappa Tau Alpha
Kappa Tau Alpha is an honor society for Communication Arts that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship. Membership is a mark of high distinction and honor.
Pi Kappa Lambda
Pi Kappa Lambda was established in 1915 to honor distinguished students for both academic and musical accomplishment.
Beta Gamma Sigma
Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest national recognition a student in business can achieve. Students selected are in the upper ten percent of their class.
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association was founded in 1885 to recognize those who have conferred honor upon their Alma Mater by distinguished scholarship and exemplary character as students in engineering, or by their attainments as alumni in the field of engineering.
Please direct all questions regarding Honors Day to graduation@smu.edu or (214) 768-2037.
