International Sociology Honor Society
About AKD
Alpha Kappa Delta was founded in 1920 by Dr. Emory Bogardus of the University of Southern California for the purpose of stimulating scholarship and promoting the scientific study of society.
Today, Alpha Kappa Delta is comprised of 80,000 scholars from more than 490 chapters around the globe. The name was chosen because the letters represent the first letters of the three classical Greek words that embody the function of the society. They are: anthrôpos, meaning mankind; katamanthanô, meaning to examine closely or acquire knowledge, and; diakoneô, meaning to do service. Together, these words describe the society’s ideals “to investigate humanity for the purpose of service.”
Alpha Kappa Delta supports scholarship in several ways. The Society publishes Sociological Inquiry, a highly respected, peer-reviewed quarterly journal maintaining high standards of scholarship. The Society sets high academic standards for its inductees, requiring at least a B+ average in sociology courses and an overall GPA of at least 3.0.
The Society also sponsors student travel to regional meetings, supporting those who want to present their work and learn from scholarly presentation of others. The Society sponsors annual student paper contests, presenting awards which include monetary prizes, travel support and scholarships. The Society continues to recognize scholarly excellence in sociology by inducting approximately 4,000 lifetime members each year.
In 1964, Missouri State University became the third university in Missouri to sponsor a chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, designated Gamma. The Department of Sociology and Anthropology encourages membership in Alpha Kappa Delta by funding initial membership into the Society and recognizing inductees at an annual awards ceremony at the close of the Spring semester.
Undergraduate Eligibility Criteria
- Must be an officially declared sociology major or demonstrate a serious interest in sociology within an official program of the host institution.
- Must be at least a junior (third year) by standards of the host institution.
- Must have accumulated the equivalent of an overall g.p.a. of 3.0 (by a four point scale where: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0) and rank in the top 35% of their class in general scholarship.
- Must have maintained the equivalent of a 3.0 g.p.a. in sociology courses taken at the host institution prior to initiation.
- Must have completed at least four regular courses in sociology prior to initiation (exclusive of extension or courses graded pass/fail).
Faculty Sponsor of the Local Chapter
Dr. Michael Stout
Office: 471 Strong Hall
Phone: (417) 836-5357
E-Mail: MStout@MissouriState.edu