An Honor Cord is a token consisting of twisted cords with tassel

Tassel

A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe.-Etymology:...

s on either end awarded to members of honor societies

Honor society

In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America...

 or for various academic and non-academic achievements, awards, or honors. Usually, cords come in pairs with a knot in the middle to hold them together. Sometimes sashes, stoles, or medallions are given in place of cords. They are most often worn at academic ceremonies and functions. With cap and gown, and (sometimes) the hood, high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 or university

University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

 degree candidates have worn these cords at the discretion of the educational institution, but they are not usually worn with academic regalia after the academic year in which the honor was awarded. Unlike hoods and stoles

Academic stole

An academic stole is a vestment used by various organizations to denote academic achievement. Its use includes membership of a professional organization, a high school valedictorian award, and adorns the academic regalia representing some university and college courses.A stole takes the form of a...

, by tradition more than one cord may be worn at the same time.

List of collegiate honor societies and the color of their cords

(Mostly taken from The Association of College Honor Societies)

Honor Society	Color (S-Stole, M-Medallion)
Alpha Beta Gamma Alpha Beta Gamma Alpha Beta Gamma is an international business honor society established in 1970 to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students in business curricula. Alpha Beta Gamma provides leadership opportunities, forums for the exchange of ideas and the stimulation of interest in...	S - Sapphire Blue (Adviser, Gold)
Alpha Chi	White stole with blue monogram
Alpha Delta Mu
Alpha Epsilon	Honor Gold or Blue and Green
Alpha Epsilon Delta Alpha Epsilon Delta Alpha Epsilon Delta is a U.S. health preprofessional honor society. The organization currently has more than 144,000 members within 186 chapters at universities throughout the United States, making it the world's largest Honor Society serving all students from different backgrounds in the pursuit...	Red and Violet
Alpha Gamma Sigma	Double Gold Cord
Alpha Kappa Delta Alpha Kappa Delta Alpha Kappa Delta is an international sociology honor society.Founded in 1920 by Emory S. Bogardus, of the University of Southern California sociology department, the name is derived from the Greek anthrôpos meaning mankind, katamanthanô, meaning to examine closely or acquire knowledge, and...	Teal
Alpha Kappa Mu Alpha Kappa Mu The Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society is an American collegiate honor society recognizing academic excellence in all areas of study. Juniors, seniors, and graduate students are permitted to join...	Royal Blue and White
Alpha Lambda Delta Alpha Lambda Delta Alpha Lambda Delta is an honor society for students who have achieved a 3.5 GPA or higher and are in the top 20% of their class during their first year or term of higher education.-History:...	Red, Gold, and White
Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members...	Royal Blue and Old Glory Gold
Alpha Phi Sigma Alpha Phi Sigma Alpha Phi Sigma is the only Criminal Justice Honor Society accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies. Traditionally a national organization serving United States universities, recent expansion into Canadian universities has distinguished Alpha Phi Sigma as an international honor...	Blue and Gold S - Gold / M - Blue
Alpha Pi Mu	White and Gold
Alpha Psi Omega Alpha Psi Omega Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society is an American recognition honor society recognizing participants in collegiate theatre. The Alpha Cast was founded at Fairmont State College on August 12, 1925 by professor Paul F...	Light Blue and Amber
Alpha Sigma Lambda Alpha Sigma Lambda Alpha Sigma Lambda is a national honor society for non-traditional undergraduate students who achieve and maintain outstanding scholastic standards and leadership characteristics while adroitly handling additional responsibilities of work and family .The founding chapter was established by Dr...	Maroon/Burgundy and Gold
Alpha Sigma Mu
Alpha Sigma Nu Alpha Sigma Nu Alpha Sigma Nu was founded at Marquette University in 1915 by John Danihy, S.J., Dean of Journalism. In his travels and reading, Father Danihy had encountered and admired honor societies...	M - Gold Medallion on Maroon Ribbon
Beta Beta Beta	Forest Green and Red
Beta Gamma Sigma Beta Gamma Sigma Beta Gamma Sigma or ΒΓΣ is an honor society for business students and scholars. Founded in 1913 at the University of Wisconsin, it has over 650,000 members, selected from over 500 chapters in AACSB-accredited business schools...	Gold Cord, Yale Blue Tassel, Gold Wrap and Yale Blue Cord, Gold Tassel, Yale Blue Wrap
Beta Kappa Chi	Royal Blue
Beta Phi Mu Beta Phi Mu Beta Phi Mu is the international honor society for library & information science and information technology. Founded by a group of librarians and library educators, the society's express purpose is to recognize and encourage "superior academic achievement" among library and information studies...	Purple and White
Chi Epsilon Chi Epsilon Chi Epsilon is the national civil engineering honor society in the United States. It honors engineering students who have exemplified the "principles of scholarship, character, practicality, and sociability...in the civil engineering profession." There are currently 136 chapters, of which 130...	S - Purple and White
Chi Sigma Iota	Blue and White
Delta Epsilon Iota Delta Epsilon Iota DEI is a co-ed Professional academic honor society. The Delta Epsilon Iota Honor Society was founded on December 7, 1994 at the University of Georgia. It is currently headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia...	Royal Blue and Old Gold
Delta Epsilon Sigma Delta Epsilon Sigma Delta Epsilon Sigma is a national scholastic honor society that was established in 1939 for students of Catholic universities and colleges in the United States. The society was founded at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa in 1939 by Father Fitzgerald. Requirements for membership are as follows...	Gold and Maroon
Delta Mu Delta Delta Mu Delta Delta Mu Delta is an international honor society that recognizes academic excellence in Baccalaureate, Master's, and Doctorate degree business administration programs at Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs -accredited schools...	Purple and Gold
Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha
Delta Tau Alpha	Hunter Green and Harvest Gold
Epsilon Pi Tau Epsilon Pi Tau Epsilon Pi Tau is an international honor society for professions in technology.Membership in Epsilon Pi Tau may be at one of three levels: General Member, Laureate Member, and Distinguished Service Member. The latter two levels are attained through professional performance and accomplishment...	Blue, White and Gold
Eta Kappa Nu Eta Kappa Nu Eta Kappa Nu is the electrical and computer engineering honor society of the IEEE, founded in October 1904 by Maurice L. Carr at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The organization currently has around 200 student chapters and about 3,000,000 members and is headquartered in Chicago,...	Gold Cord w/ Navy Blue and Scarlet Red Tassels
Gamma Sigma Alpha	Gold and Red
Gamma Sigma Epsilon	Blue and White
Gamma Theta Upsilon Gamma Theta Upsilon Gamma Theta Upsilon is an international honor society in geography.-History:On May 15, 1928, a local professional fraternity by the name of Gamma Theta Upsilon was formed at Illinois State University under the guidance of Dr. R. G. Buzzard. Before that is was the Geography Club at Illinois State...	Brown, Light Blue, and Gold
Golden Key International Honour Society Golden Key International Honour Society The Golden Key International Honour Society is an Atlanta, Georgia-based non-profit organization founded in 1977 to recognise academic achievement among college and university students in all disciplines....	Blue and Gold
Indian University Scholar Society
Kappa Delta Pi Kappa Delta Pi Kappa Delta Pi, International Honor Society in Education, was founded in 1911 and was one of the first discipline-specific honor societies. Its membership is limited to the top 20 percent of those entering the field of education. Kappa Delta Pi claims over 600 chapters across North America and...	Purple and Jade Green
Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi Kappa Kappa Psi is a fraternity for college and university band members. It was founded on November 27, 1919 at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. William Scroggs, now regarded as the "Founder," together with "Mr. Kappa Kappa Psi" A...	Blue and White
Kappa Mu Epsilon Kappa Mu Epsilon Kappa Mu Epsilon is a mathematics honor society founded in 1930 to focus on the needs of undergraduate mathematics students. There are now over 100 chapters at various American universities and colleges, primarily at mid-sized public universities or smaller private institutions...	Pink and Gray
Kappa Omicron Nu	Burgundy and Cream M - Gold/Burgundy w/ Burgundy Ribbon
Kappa Theta Epsilon	Yellow and Purple
Kappa Tau Alpha Kappa Tau Alpha Kappa Tau Alpha is an American college honor society which recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication...	Light Blue and Gold
Lambda Iota Tau Lambda Iota Tau Lambda Iota Tau is an American international honor society for literature, whose purpose is to recognize and promote excellence in the study of literature in all languages...	Purple and Gold
Lambda Pi Eta Lambda Pi Eta Lambda Pi Eta is the official communication studies honor society of the National Communication Association . As a member of the Association of College Honor Societies , Lambda Pi Eta has over 400 active chapters at four-year colleges and universities worldwide.Lambda Pi Eta was founded in 1985 at...	Red, White, and Gold
Lambda Sigma Lambda Sigma Lambda Sigma is an American college sophomore honor society. Originally named the Society of Cwens, the society was established at the University of Pittsburgh in Fall 1922 as a women's honors society, and became a national organization with the 1925 foundation of chapters at Miami University and...	Blue and Gold
Mu Kappa Tau	Blue and Gold
National Residence Hall Honorary National Residence Hall Honorary The National Residence Hall Honorary, or NRHH, is the premiere honorary dedicated to recognizing leaders in the residence halls and serves as the recognition branch of NACURH. NACURH, as an organization, believes that recognition is necessary in a strong Residence Hall community...	Blue and White
National Society of Collegiate Scholars National Society of Collegiate Scholars The National Society of Collegiate Scholars is a national nonprofit academic honor society for college students in the United States. NSCS has active chapters at more than 280 colleges and universities in the United States, including in the District of Columbia, and in Puerto Rico, consisting of a...	Burgundy and Gold
Omega Chi Epsilon Omega Chi Epsilon Omega Chi Epsilon is an American honor society for chemical engineering students. The first chapter was formed at the University of Illinois in 1931. The second chapter was formed at the Iowa State University in 1932. The organization is a member of the Association of College Honor...	Maroon and White
Omega Rho	Blue and Red
Omicron Delta Epsilon Omicron Delta Epsilon Omicron Delta Epsilon is an international honor society in the field of economics. Resulting from the merger of Omicron Delta Gamma and Omicron Chi Epsilon, ODE was founded in 1963 . Its board of trustees includes well-known economists such as Robert Lucas, Kenneth Arrow, and Robert Solow...	Blue and Gold
Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Delta Kappa Omicron Delta Kappa, or ΟΔΚ, also known as The Circle, or more commonly ODK, is a national leadership honor society. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as Circles, are located on over 300...	Sky Blue, White, and Black
Phi Alpha Delta Phi Alpha Delta ΦAΔ , or P.A.D., is the largest co-ed professional law fraternity in the United States of America. Phi Alpha Delta has members who are university students, law school students, lawyers, judges, senators, and even presidents. It was founded in 1902 and today has over 300,000 initiated members...	Purple and Gold
Phi Alpha Theta Phi Alpha Theta Phi Alpha Theta is an American honor society for undergraduate and graduate students and professors of history.The society is a charter member of the Association of College Honor Societies and has over 350,000 members, with about 9,500 new members joining each year through 860 local chapters.-...	Madonna Red and Madonna Blue
Phi Delta Phi Phi Delta Phi Phi Delta Phi, ΦΔΦ, is the world's second largest legal fraternity. Phi Delta Phi is the second oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States and third oldest in North America...	Red, Blue, and Gold
Phi Eta Sigma Phi Eta Sigma Phi Eta Sigma is an American freshman honor society. Founded at the University of Illinois on March 22, 1923, is the oldest and largest freshman honor society and now has more than three hundred chapters throughout the United States and more than 1 million members.-Eligibility:Any first-year...	Gold and Black
Phi Kappa Phi Phi Kappa Phi The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is an honor society established 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study and to promote the "unity and democracy of education"...	Navy and Gold S - Gold / M - Royal Blue Ribbon
Phi Lambda Upsilon Phi Lambda Upsilon Phi Lambda Upsilon National Honorary Chemical SocietyFounded in 1899 at the Noyes Laboratory of the University of Illinois. Phi Lambda Upsilon was the first honor society dedicated to scholarship in a single discipline, chemistry.-Objectives:...	Blue, Pink
Phi Sigma Phi Sigma Phi Sigma is an honor society for students of biological sciences. Phi Sigma was founded on March 17, 1915 at Ohio State University. It became a member of the Association of College Honor Societies in 1950. The Greek letter, Phi and Sigma, signify "fellows in science." The coat of arms contains...	Yellow, Green, and White
Phi Sigma Theta	Gold, Green and Purple
Phi Sigma Iota Phi Sigma Iota Phi Sigma Iota, or ΦΣΙ, is an honor society whose members are elected from among outstanding advanced and graduate students of foreign languages and literatures including Classics, Comparative Literature, Philology, Bilingual Education, and Applied Linguistics...	Gold
Phi Sigma Tau Phi Sigma Tau Phi Sigma Tau is an international honor society for philosophers. Its essential purpose is to promote ties among philosophy departments in accredited institutions and students in philosophy nationally...	White and Purple
Phi Theta Kappa Phi Theta Kappa Phi Theta Kappa, also ΦΘΚ or sometimes PTK , is the international honor society of two-year colleges and academic programs, particularly community colleges and junior colleges. It also includes Associate's degree-granting programs offered by four-year colleges...	Blue and Gold S - Gold / M - Gold
Phi Upsilon Omicron	Yellow, White, and Purple
Pi Alpha Alpha Pi Alpha Alpha Pi Alpha Alpha is the national honor society for students of public administration. It is administered by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration in the United States....	Light Blue and Yellow
Pi Alpha Xi	Cerulean blue and Nile green
Pi Deta Phi	Red, White, and Blue
Pi Gamma Mu Pi Gamma Mu Pi Gamma Mu or ΠΓΜ is the oldest and preeminent honor society in the social sciences. It is also the only interdisciplinary social science honor society. It serves the various social science disciplines which seek to understand and explain human behavior and social relationships as well as their...	Royal Blue and White
Pi Kappa Lambda Pi Kappa Lambda Pi Kappa Lambda is an American honor society for undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors of music. There are currently 205 active chapters and approximately 64,500 individual members....	Gold and White
Pi Mu Epsilon Pi Mu Epsilon Pi Mu Epsilon is the U.S. honorary national mathematics society.The society was founded at Syracuse University on May 25, 1914, by Professor Edward Drake Roe, Jr, and currently has chapters at 337 institutions across the nation.-Goals:...	Gold, Purple and Lilac
Pi Omega Pi	Silver, Royal Blue, and Gold
Pi Sigma Alpha Pi sigma alpha Pi Sigma Alpha , the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political science in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic achievement in the field of political science...	Red, White, and Black
Pi Sigma Epsilon Pi Sigma Epsilon 'ΠΣΕ ' is the only national, professional fraternal organization in sales, marketing, and management in the United States. The fraternity was developed by four members of the Sales and Marketing Executives association of Atlanta, Georgia...	Gold and Royal Purple
Pi Tau Sigma Pi Tau Sigma Pi Tau Sigma is an International Mechanical Engineering Honor Society. Pi Tau Sigma's core values are:*Integrity ,*Service , and...	Red and Blue
Pi Theta Epsilon	Navy and Gold
Psi Beta	Royal Blue and Gold
Psi Chi Psi Chi Psi Chi is the International Honor Society in Psychology, founded in 1929 for the purposes of encouraging, stimulating, and maintaining excellence in scholarship, and advancing the science of psychology. With over 1,050 chapters, Psi Chi is one of the largest honor societies in the United States...	Gold w/ Royal Blue and Gold Tassels
Rho Chi	Royal Purple and White
Rho Theta Sigma
Sigma Beta Delta	Hunter Green and Gold
Sigma Alpha Lambda Sigma Alpha Lambda Sigma Alpha Lambda is a National Leadership and Honors Organization in the United States dedicated to developing the individual and serving the campus and community...	Navy, Black, and Gold
Sigma Alpha Pi	Platinum and Black
Sigma Delta Pi Sigma Delta Pi Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society , was established on November 14, 1919, at the University of California at Berkeley. Its insignia is the royal seal of Fernando and Isabel, representing Castille, León and Aragón...	Red and Gold
Sigma Lambda Alpha Sigma Lambda Alpha Sigma Lambda Alpha ', Sorority, Inc. is a Latina based Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women, dedicated to the ideals of community service, academic achievement, and cultural awareness of the different Hispanic cultures and traditions...	Gold and Green
Sigma Lambda Chi	Green and Gold S - Silver Logo
Sigma Pi Sigma Sigma Pi Sigma Sigma Pi Sigma is the National Physics Honor Society. It strives to promote physics at all stages, to promote fraternity between those who excel at physics, and to promote service among its members. It is closely associated with the Society of Physics Students .- External links :*...	Forest Green and Ivory
Sigma Tau Delta Sigma Tau Delta Sigma Tau Delta is an international collegiate honor society for students of English. It presently has over 800 active chapters located in Europe, the Caribbean, the United States, and 1 chapter in the Middle East , with more than 1,000 faculty sponsors...	Cardinal and Black
Sigma Theta Tau Sigma Theta Tau The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International exists to improve the health of people by increasing the scientific base of nursing research...	Orchid and White
Sigma Xi Sigma Xi Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society is a non-profit honor society which was founded in 1886 at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a handful of graduate students. Members elect others on the basis of their research achievements or potential...	Silver and Blue
Tau Alpha Pi	Green and Gold
Tau Beta Pi Tau Beta Pi The Tau Beta Pi Association is the oldest engineering honor society in the United States and the second oldest collegiate honor society in America. It honors engineering students who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity...	Orange and White S - White with Orange Bent
Tau Beta Sigma Tau Beta Sigma Tau Beta Sigma is a co-educational national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and university bands. The Sorority, headquartered at the historic Stillwater Station in Stillwater, Oklahoma, numbers over 3,500 active members in 145 active chapters, and over 40,000 alumni...	Blue and White
Tau Sigma Delta
Theta Alpha Kappa Theta Alpha Kappa Theta Alpha Kappa is the national honor society for Religious Studies and Theology. It was founded in 1976 at Manhattan College in Riverdale , New York for the purpose of recognizing the academic achievements of religion and theology students...	Scarlet
Upsilon Pi Epsilon Upsilon Pi Epsilon Upsilon Pi Epsilon : International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines, is the first and only existing one of its kind....	Maroon and White