Alpha Phi Sigma

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title: "Alpha Phi Sigma" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1942-establishments-in-washington-(state)", "association-of-college-honor-societies", "student-organizations-established-in-1942", "criminal-justice"] description: "International criminal justice honor society" topic_path: "society/education" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Phi_Sigma" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary International criminal justice honor society ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox Fraternity"]

Field	Value
letters	ΑΦΣ
name	Alpha Phi Sigma
crest	The_crest_of_Alpha_Phi_Sigma.jpeg
image_size	160px
founded
birthplace	Washington State University
status	Active
type	Honor society
emphasis	Criminal Justice
scope	International
affiliation	ACHS
motto	"To Honor and Promote Academic Excellence; Community Service; Educational Leadership and Unity"
colors	Blue and Gold
publication	The Docket
symbol	Scales of Justice
chapters	550
address	PO Box 292405
city	Davie
state	Florida
ZIP code	33329
country	United States
homepage
::

| letters = ΑΦΣ | name = Alpha Phi Sigma | crest = The_crest_of_Alpha_Phi_Sigma.jpeg | image_size = 160px | founded = | birthplace = Washington State University | status = Active | type = Honor society | emphasis = Criminal Justice | scope = International | affiliation = ACHS | motto = "To Honor and Promote Academic Excellence; Community Service; Educational Leadership and Unity" | colors = Blue and Gold | publication = The Docket | symbol = Scales of Justice | chapters = 550 | lifetime = | address = PO Box 292405 | city = Davie | state = Florida | ZIP code = 33329 | country = United States | homepage =

Alpha Phi Sigma (ΑΦΣ) (Phi is pronounced "fi") is a North American Criminal Justice Honor Society. The society was established at Washington State University in 1942. It is a member of the Association of College Honor Societies.

History

Alpha Phi Sigma was established in January 1942 at Washington State University by Vivian Anderson Leonard, director of the police science academic program, and seventeen students. It was created as an honor society to recognized scholarship and academic performance. Its first president was Glenn Hill, who drafter the society's constitution and bylaws.

By 1976, the society had chartered fourteen chapters. The executive board of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences voted to designate Alpha Phi Sigma as the National Criminal Justice Honor Society at a meeting on March 24, 1976.

Alpha Phi Sigma was admitted into the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) in 1981. By 2012, it had 425 active chapters and 102,175 members. As of 2024, it has charted over 550 chapters.

Its national headquarters is located at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Symbols

Alpha Phi Sigma's motto is "To Honor and Promote Academic Excellence; Community Service; Educational Leadership and Unity". Its symbols in the scales of justice. Its colors are blue and gold. The society's newsletter is called The Docket.

Membership

There are several requirements for becoming a member of Alpha Phi Sigma.

Undergraduate students shall be enrolled at the time of application in the institution represented by the chapter, have declared a major, minor or equivalent in the criminal justice or related field, have completed three full-time semesters or its equivalent, have a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, with a minimum GPA of 3.2 in courses in criminal justice related fields and rank in the top 35% of their class. A minimum of four courses of the above course work shall be in the criminal justice field.

Masters students shall be enrolled at the time of application in a Master's program in the Criminal Justice field in the institution represented by the chapter; have completed four courses, have a minimum GPA of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale. Up to three undergraduate courses in Criminal Justice may be used to satisfy the four-course requirement. These courses must equate to a 3.4 GPA or higher, and the cumulative undergraduate degree program GPA is a 3.2 or higher. In addition, all Masters level coursework must equate to a 3.4 GPA or higher at the institution in which the student is enrolled.

Doctoral Students shall be enrolled at the time of application in a Ph.D. program in the Criminal Justice/ related field in the institution represented by the chapter; have completed four courses, have a minimum GPA of 3.6 on a 4.0 scale. Up to three Masters courses in Criminal Justice may be used to satisfy the four-course requirement. These courses must equate to a 3.6 GPA or higher, and the cumulative master's degree program GPA is a 3.4 or higher. In addition, any Ph.D. level coursework must equate to a 3.6 GPA or higher at the institution in which the student is enrolled.

Law School Students must have completed their first academic semester, with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher, on a 4.0 scale.

Chapters

Main article: List of Alpha Phi Sigma chapters

As of 2024, Alpha Chi Sigma has charted over 550 chapters.

References

References

1. [http://www.alphaphisigma.org/Handbook.pdf Handbook, Page 2] {{webarchive. link. (2007-06-30 Retrieved 9 June 2007)
2. (March 29, 2012). "Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society- Criminal Justice - An ACHS Member Society".
3. "About Us".
4. [https://www.alphaphisigma.org/applications-1.html Alpha Phi Sigma Website], additional text.

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