Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD)
Alpha Kappa Delta is the international sociology honor society.
Member Eligibility
Undergraduates must be sociology majors or demonstrate a serious interest in sociology within an official program of a host institution with a chartered chapter of the Society. Students must:
- Be a senior
- Have a sociology GPA of at least 3.4
- Have taken at least four courses in sociology at the host institution
The department office will contact students who qualify to become a member, via email during the spring eligibility timeframe.
Graduate students must:
- Have completed at least one-half year of graduate study in sociology
- Have a graduate grade-point average of ‘B’ or better
- Continue to be matriculated in a program of study leading toward a graduate degree in sociology at the host institution
Faculty members must:
- Be employed full-time at the host institution
- Have been conferred the Ph.D. in sociology or be employed as a sociologist prior to initiation
- Meet the other requirements set forth above
Benefits of Becoming a Member
- Every new initiate receives a certificate of membership, membership card, and a membership activation form.
- Members who submit completed activation forms receive a free one-year subscription to Sociological Inquiry, the official journal of AKD.
- AKD sponsors student paper contests for members with cash prizes.
- AKD provides honoraria for initiation speakers, funds student travel to regional sociological meetings, and funds research symposia.
- AKD sponsors a Distinguished Lecture series at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, and contributes annually to the ASA Minority Scholarship Fund.
- Members may purchase honor cords for graduation ceremonies, AKD pins, and other memorabilia (please place order through your Chapter Representative).
- AKD Chapters are important in the academic, professional, and social lives of student and faculty members. They provide opportunities for initiating and sharing activities in keeping with the purposes of the Society.
- AKD members who become Civil Service employees receive a two-step boost in pay grade if they list AKD membership on their applications.
