Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society. Students elected to Pi Sigma Alpha will receive a certificate of election (suitable for framing) and be eligible to purchase pins and/or keys symbolic of their membership in the society.

Who is Eligible to Join Pi Sigma Alpha?

Membership in Pi Sigma Alpha is open to junior, senior, and graduate level students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in political science, international relations, and public administration.
The National Chapter of Pi Sigma and the local Davis Chapter (Delta Upsilon) have established four requirements for election:

1. Junior, senior, or graduate status (minimum of 84 quarter units or the equivalent completed as of Winter Quarter).
2. Completion of at least six courses in political science, at least half of which must be upper division courses (level of 100 or above). Junior college transferees and students recently transferring to Davis from other universities must have completed the equivalent of 24 quarter units in political science and must have completed at least three upper division political science courses AT DAVIS before being eligible for election.
3. Achievement of a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2 for all work in all courses completed at UCD (as of Winter Quarter).
4. Achievement of a minimum grade point average of 3.0 for all political science courses completed at UCD as of Winter Quarter. Graduate students must achieve an average of at least 3.5 in their political science courses to be eligible for election.

Students satisfactorily meeting all four requirements will be invited to join Pi Sigma Alpha and to participate in an installation ceremony. In order to become a member, elected students must pay a one-time initiation fee ($30.00) which includes the cost of national and local chapter dues and the membership certificate.

How to Join Pi Sigma Alpha?

Students who are interested and feel that they are eligible for election to Pi Sigma Alpha are encouraged to complete an application and return it to the Department of Political Science, 1273 Social Sciences & Humanities Building. Applications are available the first week of April and can be picked up from Political Science Staff Advisors or from the Political Science Academic Peer Advisor in Room 1270 Social Science & Humanities Building. For those on the Political Science and IRE listserve, applications will be sent via e-mail.