THIS IS A TWO-SEMESTER COURSE.

In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of spoken communication. The focus will be threefold: study, theory, and application.

The study component of the course will focus on the greatest speeches and debates in history, from Socrates’s Apology to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and beyond. Students will analyze these famous speeches and debates from the perspective of argumentation, structure, and rhetorical devices, forming the theoretical basis for in-class application.

The application component of what the students learn will consist of several speeches and debates that will be conducted live in the class meetings. Students will present individual speeches and will engage in two-person debates. They will be coached in how to avoid common errors, such as saying like as a filler word, how to speak extemporaneously when called upon (particularly in an oral exam), and how to be effective and engaging when addressing an audience.

Class Meetings: Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Fall Semester: September 2 – December 16, 2025*
Spring Semester: January 13 – May 12, 2026*
*Note that there will be no class meeting on Nov. 25 for Thanksgiving break and on Mar. 10 for spring break.

Student Expectations: Homework will consist of reading texts provided by the instructor and preparing for speeches and debates.

Student Support: The instructor is available via email, as well as in one-on-one video conferences upon request.

Feedback/Assessment: The instructor will provide coaching in the students’ speech and debate performances, as well as analysis of the elements of public speaking and debating.

Materials/Supplies: The instructor will provide PDFs of all assigned readings, as well as transcripts and audio/video recordings of famous speeches and debates.