"Through knowledge – the challenge to serve"
"The purposes of Phi Alpha Honor Society are to provide a closer bond among students of social work and promote humanitarian goals and ideals. Phi Alpha fosters high standards of education for social workers and invites into membership those who have attained excellence in scholarship and achievement in social work." The Chi Chapter of Phi Alpha, the Social Work Honor Society, was established at Mason in 1990 and students have been inducted since its inception.
National Qualifications for Individual Membership
BSW
Undergraduate students are eligible for membership after meeting the following national requirements and meeting local Chi Chapter requirements:
- Declared social work as a major
- Achieved senior status
- Achieved an overall grade point average of 3.60 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Received a score of competent on all field evaluations and service learning activities
- Supported for induction by the faculty
- Demonstrated the qualities that embody the goals of the national social work honor society
MSW
Graduate students are eligible for membership after meeting the following national requirements and meeting local Chi Chapter requirements:
- Achieved an overall grade point average of 3.90 (on a 4.0 scale) in graduate-level social work courses by the end of the Fall semester prior to Spring graduation. **Note: Students admitted prior to Fall 2019 must have achieved an overall grade point average of 3.80 (on a 4.0 scale) in graduate-level social work courses by the end of the Fall semester prior to Spring graduation.
- Supported for induction by the faculty
- Demonstrated the qualities that embody the goals of the national social work honor society
BSW and MSW students who qualify will receive an invitation for membership in the spring semester of the year the student will graduate. An induction ceremony is held shortly before graduation from the program.
For further information, please contact the Department of Social Work at socw@gmu.edu.