What is Psi Chi?

Our Psi Chi Chapter provides you with the opportunity to join Psi Chi if you meet certain standards required by Psi Chi and the Association of College Honor Societies (the governing body for college honor societies).

Membership in Psi Chi is an earned honor which is for life. A permanent record of your membership is preserved at the Psi Chi National Office and may be used for reference purposes such as applications for graduate school and jobs. The Psi Chi national membership fee is $25. This one-time fee is for lifetime membership, a certificate suitable for framing, and a membership card. There are no annual national dues, but each chapter may have fees. CSULB has a $5 fee for chapter dues and a $10 fee for the activity fund bringing to $40 to total lifetime fee.

When you are inducted into Psi Chi, you become eligible to wear a Psi Chi honor cord, medal, keypins, charms, lapel pins, tie tacs, cloth emblems for blazers or sweaters, etc. A quarterly Psi Chi Newsletter is sent to each chapter for distribution to the members. Psi Chi members are eligible to present research papers/posters at the national, regional, state, international, and local conventions. Members may participate in undergraduate and graduate research award competitions. The names of new members and activities of chapters are published in the Newsletter and preserved for historical purposes. CSULB holds an induction ceremony for new members each semester.

What Are the Goals of Psi Chi?

Psi Chi serves two major goals - one immediate and visibly rewarding to the individual member, the other slower and more difficult to accomplish, but offering greater rewards in the long run.

The first of these is the Society's obligation to provide academic recognition to its inductees by the mere fact of membership.

The second goal is the obligation of each of the Society's local chapters to nurture the spark of that accomplishment by offering a climate congenial to its creative development. For example, the chapters make active attempts to nourish and stimulate professional growth through programs designed to augment and enhance the regular curriculum and to provide practical experience and fellowship through affiliation with the chapter.

In addition, the national organization provides programs to help achieve these goals, including national and regional conventions held annually in conjunction with the psychological associations, research award competitions, and certificate recognition programs. Also, the Society publishes a quarterly Psi Chi Newsletter which helps to unite and inform the members and to recognize their contributions and accomplishments.

What Are the Benefits

The intrinsic value of membership is rewarding to the achiever in that recognition of excellence leads to self-fulfillment and thus to self-realization. By recognizing that what you do does make a difference, you are stimulated to higher productivity. Accomplishments are enjoyed more when shared with others. Furthermore, the contacts made through Psi Chi will be valuable throughout your educational and professional careers.

Concrete advantages of membership include:

• The documents - a membership certificate and card which give tangible evidence of membership.
• The references provided throughout one's lifetime (this service alone is worth the investment).
• The experience gained by working with Psi Chi is excellent for building up a resume; it is difficult to attain that first managerial and creative experience.
• Psi Chi is a springboard for professional growth. Opportunities are made available to the members for promoting their research, receiving national and international recognition, meeting and interacting with leaders in their field, and meeting Psi Chi members of other chapters who also will be future leaders.
• The United States government recognizes membership in Psi Chi as meeting one of the requirements for entrance at the GS-7 level in the Federal service.

The ultimate test of the value of any membership organization lies in the accomplishments of its members. In each year of Psi Chi's history, more and more members have undertaken graduate studies. And now in its sixty-fifth year, Psi Chi is well represented in the professional ranks of all the behavioral sciences. The Membership Directory of the American Psychological Association is studded with the names of Psi Chi members, both active and alumni. This is only one example demonstrating that the Society's purposes are being fulfilled.

Among the National Organization's Requirements for Membership* Are:

• Completion of at least 3 semesters or 5 quarters of the college course.
• Completion of 9 semester hours or 14 quarter hours of psychology.
• Registration for major or minor standing in psychology or for a program psychological in nature which is equivalent to such standings.
• Undergraduates who are elected to Psi Chi must have an overall cumulative GPA of 3.00 and rank in the upper 35 percent of their class (sophomore, junior, senior) in general scholarship. They must also demonstrate superior scholarship in psychology, earning a minimum GPA in psychology courses of 3.50(see note below). Psi Chi accepts the policy of the institution regarding grades.
• For graduate students, an average grade of "B" or better in all graduate courses, including psychology.
• High standards of personal behavior.
• Two-thirds affirmative vote of those present at a regular meeting of the chapter.