Phi Alpha Theta History Club

The Department of History is home to the Zeta-Sigma Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, which was chartered in 1956 at the University of Detroit.

Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honorary, was founded in 1921 at the University of Arkansas. It now has over 281,000 members and 849 chapters in the United States, more than any other accredited four-year college honor society. It is “a professional society whose mission is to promote the study of History through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication and the exchange of learning and ideas among Historians.” It seeks “to bring students, teachers, and writers of History together for intellectual and social exchange.”

To be eligible for membership in Phi Alpha Theta, undergraduate students must complete at least 12 hours in History courses with at least a 3.1 GPA in those courses, have a 3.0 GPA or better overall, and be in the top 35% of their class. Membership is not limited to History majors. The Zeta-Sigma Chapter holds an annual reception/ceremony to induct new members.

The Zeta-Sigma Chapter, together with the History Club (in which all History majors and other interested students may participate), sponsors a variety of events, including speakers, films, trips to historic sites, social events, the annual induction reception/ceremony, and other activities. Members are also encouraged to present scholarly papers at the annual Michigan regional meeting of Phi Alpha Theta and the annual meeting of the Michigan Academy of Arts, Sciences, and Letters.