Want a new way to market your academic program and recognize student achievement?
Start an Urban Studies Honor Society chapter at your institution!
About Upsilon Sigma – The Urban Studies Honor Society
The Urban Affairs Association has established the first international honor society, Upsilon Sigma – The Urban Studies Honor Society, to recognize the academic achievements of undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in urban studies and related fields.
Urban Studies is a broad umbrella term for academic programs and research that focus on the social, political, economic, spatial, physical, historical, cultural, and environmental dynamics of urban contexts. Given the varied academic homes for urban studies, we welcome applications from all disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary fields. Eligibility for participation in the Society will be judged on the basis of individual program attributes.
Chapter Application Deadlines
We invite applications from academic units to establish chapters of Upsilon Sigma. Each year, there will be three application periods, one in the Fall, the second in the Spring, and the third in the Summer. For the 2020-2021 academic year, we have established the following application periods:
Fall 2020 Application Period
November 1 – Application due to the UAA Executive Office
December 1 – Application review decisions announced
Spring 2021 Application Period
February 1 – Application due to the UAA Executive Office
March 1 – Application review decisions announced
Summer 2021 Application Period
July 1 – Application due to the UAA Executive Office
August 1 – Application review decisions announced
Basic Requirements to Establish an Upsilon Sigma Chapter
- Successful chapter application
- Annual UAA Institutional Membership (dues are $345 per year)
- Student induction fees (one-time induction fee of $35 per student)
Current Upsilon Sigma Chapters
- Cleveland State University (Levin College of Urban Affairs)
- Georgia State University (Urban Studies Institute)
- Manhattan College (Urban Studies Program)
- Northeastern University (School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs)
- Rhodes College (Urban Studies)
- Rutgers University-Camden (Department of Public Policy and Administration)
- Rutgers University-Newark (Global Urban Studies)
- The Ohio State University (City and Regional Planning Program)
- University of Connecticut (Urban and Community Studies)
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Department of Urban and Regional Planning)
- University of Mary Washington (Urban Studies Minor)
- University of Nebraska, Omaha (Urban Studies Program)
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (School of Public Policy and Leadership)
- University of Washington Tacoma (Urban Studies)
- Washington University in St. Louis (Urban Studies)
Full details on the application process and requirements are available on the UAA website: Upsilon Sigma Homepage
Questions regarding Upsilon Sigma should be sent to: support@uaamail.org
