HONR 210 - Speech & Debate

Lecture Hour(s): 3
Lab Hour(s): 0
Credit Hour(s): 3

Speech and Debate is an integrated, honors-level course designed to develop students’ oral communication, critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and argumentation skills. The course is intentionally divided into two complementary halves. The first half focuses on the theory and practice of public speaking, including audience analysis, speech organization, research, delivery, and ethical communication. The second half emphasizes argumentation and debate, including critical thinking, evidence evaluation, case construction, refutation, and reasoned decision making.

Through speeches, debates, critiques, and reflective assignments, students will learn to communicate effectively in academic, professional, and civic contexts. As an honors course at a small HBCU, this class emphasizes leadership, cultural awareness, ethical responsibility, and respectful engagement with diverse perspectives.

Prerequisite(s): HONR 102 or ENGL 102