New members are elected as Members in Course, Honorary Members or Alumni/ae Members.

Members in Course are elected primarily on the basis of broad cultural interests, scholarly achievements and good character. A candidate must be majoring in liberal subjects and be taking a program that includes no less than 90 semester hours of liberal studies, exclusive of hours earned in applied or professional work. Grades earned in applied or professional work are not counted in computing the grade point ratio required for purposes of eligibility. Applied and professional work includes all training intended to develop skill or vocational techniques in such fields as business administration, dentistry, education, engineering, journalism, law, military and naval science, nursing, physical therapy, speech, and applied art and music. Consideration is given to the breadth of the program of each candidate as shown by the number and variety of courses taken outside the major. Consideration is also given to the balance and proportion in the candidate's degree program as a whole. Candidates must demonstrate knowledge of mathematics, logic or computer science and knowledge of a foreign language at the intermediate level.

The number of undergraduates elected in any year, including those who may be elected as juniors, may not exceed ten percent of the undergraduates expected to receive the liberal bachelor's degree in that year. A maximum of one-fifth of the members elected in any year may be elected on the basis of their junior standing.

Individuals who have not graduated from Marquette University but who, by contributions in the fields of the humane sciences and letters or by works of pure literature, have given clear evidence of the possession of distinguished scholarly capacities, may be elected as Honorary Members. Graduates of Marquette University of no less than ten years standing who, by contributions in the fields of the humane sciences and letters or by works of pure literature, have since graduation given clear evidence of distinguished scholarly capacities may be elected as Alumni/ae Members.