Academic Honors and Activities
Albion encourages students to expand their experience both
inside and outside of the classroom. A wide range of extra-curricular
and co-curricular activities provide recreational and educational
opportunities for all students. These include honor societies, honorary
organizations, departmental clubs, off-campus study, interdisciplinary
courses, performing arts, and more. In addition, Albion provides a
complete intramural and varsity athletic program which is described in
the ``Student Life'' section of this catalog.
Academic Honors
Dean's Honor List--Those full-time students
whose grade point average is 3.5 or above at the completion of a
semester are named to the Dean's List issued at the close of each
semester. To qualify, students must take at least three units in graded
courses and successfully complete four units. All course work must be
completed on the Albion College campus.
Departmental Honors--Qualified departmental majors may present papers to be considered for
departmental honors. Normally such students will have a grade point
average of 3.0 or higher in their major department and will have
conducted the work as part of a directed study. A student whose GPA is
lower than 3.0, but whose work promises a thesis of high quality, may
petition the major department for permission to submit a thesis. A
student whose thesis is accepted by the department will graduate with
"departmental honors."
Graduation Recognition--Three grades
of recognition are conferred at graduation. For students graduating in
2006 and after, cum laude is granted to those who have a grade point
average of 3.5; magna cum laude is granted to those who have a grade
point average of 3.75; and summa cum laude is granted to those who have
a grade point average of 3.9 or above. A student must complete at least
three semesters of study at Albion College to be considered for
graduation recognition.
Graduation Honors--Students who
successfully complete Albion's Honors Program and maintain a grade point
average of 3.5 will graduate "with Albion College honors."
Honor Societies
Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest of the national
honorary societies, founded in 1776. The Beta of Michigan chapter was
established at Albion in 1940. Members are usually seniors in the top 10
percent of their graduating class who meet the chapter's liberal studies
and residency requirements.
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research
Society, was founded in 1866 as an honor society for scientists and
engineers. The Albion chapter, started in 1959, includes faculty and
students who are involved in scientific research. Students who have done
research at Albion or in an approved off-campus program and who
anticipate a career in science are eligible for nomination as associate
members.
Albion College Fellows have attained a 3.7 average for
three successive semesters on campus. They must also take at least three
units in graded courses and successfully complete four units each
semester. Participation in an approved off-campus program does not
prevent students from qualifying at the end of the semester after they
return.
Mortar Board, a national honorary, was established at
Albion in 1941 to honor women who have been outstanding in scholarship,
leadership and service. In 1976 the Albion chapter voted to make its
membership coeducational.
Omicron Delta Kappa, national
leadership honorary, was established at Albion in 1942 to honor juniors
and seniors who have actively contributed to campus life and
scholarship.
Alpha Lambda Delta, national freshman scholastic
honorary, recognizes students who have received a 3.5 average at the end
of their first semester or have an accumulative 3.5 at the end of their
freshman year, based on at least three units of graded courses per
semester. Alpha Lambda Delta was established at Albion in 1940.
Departmental Honoraries and Clubs
Many academic departments of the College sponsor honoraries in
recognition of high scholarship. Minimum requirements for membership in
these honoraries usually include: a departmental grade average of 3.0;
an all-College grade average of 2.5; a major or minor in the respective
department; and sophomore standing, although second semester freshmen
are eligible in very unusual cases. The departments and their respective
organizations include:
Biology--Beta Beta Beta (national)
Chemistry--Fall Chemistry Club
Economics--Omicron Delta Epsilon (national)
English--Joseph J. Irwin Honorary Society
Geology--Sigma Gamma
Epsilon (national)
History--Phi Alpha Theta (national)
Mathematics--Kappa Mu Epsilon (national)
Music--Pi Kappa Lambda (national)
Physics--Sigma Pi Sigma (national) Political Science--Pi Sigma Alpha
(national) Psychology--Psi Chi (national)
Public Policy--Pi Sigma
Sigma (national)
Many departments also have their own clubs designed to
encourage interest and to supplement the work in the classroom.
Departmental awards are given on a broad range of criteria to students
in the form of prizes, honors and other distinctions. Students are urged
to familiarize themselves with the awards by contacting the respective
departmental chair.
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