The society shall receive into its membership, irrespective of membership in or affiliation with other organizations, only those who attain its standards of high academic achievement in the study of the Spanish language, the literature and culture of Hispanic nations, and other college-level subjects. Membership may also be granted to those persons who give evidence of professional merit, proficiency, or special distinction in the fields of Hispanic study and culture or who have made significant contributions to these fields of endeavor. Membership shall be conferred in strict accordance with the standards established by the Association of College Honor Societies. The bases of selection shall be:
- the scholastic or professional record of the candidate;
- the distinction the candidate has achieved in the field of Hispanic studies;
- the candidate’s demonstrated support of the goals and ideals of the society;
- the character of the candidate. Reception into membership shall be without formal pledge or secret order training.
Active membership shall be limited to college students who have demonstrated high scholarship in general and excellence in the academic study of Spanish. Specifically, they must meet the following requirements:
- Each must have completed three years of study of college-level Spanish (eighteen semester credit hours) or the equivalent thereof, including at least three semester hours of a course in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture and civilization at the junior (third-year) level. A student may be admitted to active membership while still enrolled in the second junior-level course if all other requirements have been met and if the instructor of the course certifies that the student’s work is of at least “A-” quality.
- The candidate for active membership must have an overall A- grade average or higher for all Spanish courses taken.
- The candidate must rank in the upper 35% of his/her class–sophomore, junior, or senior–and must have completed at least three semesters or five quarters of college work. In cases where an institution does not record class rank, the candidate must have a 3.20 cumulative GPA.
- Graduate students who have been unconditionally admitted to a degree-granting program may be elected to membership upon completion of two graduate courses in Spanish with an average which, if continued, will make them eligible for a graduate degree.
- Sigma Delta Pi shall not discriminate on any basis prohibited by law.
[As taken from the National Society’s Bylaws
with our own chapter requirements included]