Omicron Delta Epsilon, one of the world's largest academic honor societies, was created through the merger of two earlier honor societies, Omicron Delta Gamma and Omicron Chi Epsilon. At the time of their merger in 1963 each had 28 chapters, those of the former being primarily located in the Midwestern and Pacific states of the USA, and those of the latter concentrated at colleges and universities along the Eastern Seaboard and in Texas. Omicron Delta Epsilon has been a member of the Association o f College Honor Societies since 1981.

Omicron Delta Gamma (The Order of Artus) was founded in 1915 by John R. Commons, University of Wisconsin, and Frank Taussig, Harvard University, through the union of the economics societies of their Universities. The intent of the society was the encouragement of a closer academic and social relationship between honor students and faculty on an informal basis, facilitating the exchange of information and views.

Omicron Chi Epsilon was the younger of the two organizations, having been founded in 1955 by Alan A. Brown while he was a student at the City College of New York. From its inception, the society sought to provide means not only to confer suitable honors on the more promising students but also to encourage scholarship through organized meetings and conferences and through the publication of its official journal, THE AMERICAN ECONOMIST, founded in 1957.

The objectives of Omicron Delta Epsilon are recognition of scholastic attainment and the honoring of outstanding achievements in economics; the establishment of closer ties between students and faculty in economics within colleges and universities, and among colleges and universities; the publication of its official journal, THE AMERICAN ECONOMIST, and the sponsoring of panels at professional meetings as well as the Irving Fisher and Frank W. Taussig competitions

Each year ODE awards THE IRVING FISHER ARTICLE AWARD, which pays $500 and provides an invitation to present the paper at the next annual meeting of the American Economic Association (with travel expenses paid by ODE) and publication of the article in THE AMERICAN ECONOMIST (at the option of the winner). This competition is open to ODE graduate students in economics or those members who have received their Ph.D. or M.A. not more than two years prior to entering the competition.

Currently, Omicron Delta Epsilon has 535 chapters located in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Egypt, and France. With such a broad, international base, chapter activities vary widely, ranging from invited speakers, group discussions, dinners, meetings, etc., to special projects such as review sessions and tutoring for students in economics. Omicron Delta Epsilon plays a prominent role in the annual Honors Day celebrations at many colleges and universities

ADMISSION PROCEDURE

Undergraduate candidates for election to any chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon must have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours of economics courses, have earned at least a B average in the economics courses and have an overall scholastic average of B or better. They do not necessarily have to be economics majors, but they must have a genuine interest in economics.