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Communication Division

Speech and Debate

The Pepperdine Speech and Debate team is a full-service intercollegiate forensics program. The term "full-service" means that we have competitors in policy debate, parliamentary debate and individual event competitions. The term "intercollegiate" means we compete in tournament settings against other two- and four-year institutions of higher education. The team offers competition in the following events:

  • Cross-examination, team policy debate.
  • Parliamentary debate.
  • Platform speaking, including informative, persuasive, and communication analysis.
  • Limited preparation speaking, including impromptu and extemporaneous.
  • Oral interpretations, including prose, poetry, duo, and program of oral interpretation.

Participants receive coaching for competitions from an extremely talented and well-trained coaching staff.

The Pepperdine Speech and Debate team sponsors and/or participates in public speaking events on campus and in the community. These events will include competitors as well as other members who choose not to compete in intercollegiate competitions.

In order to compete against other institutions of higher education, the Pepperdine Speech and Debate team travels to regional and national competitions. These competitions typically take place Friday though Sunday, and some require traveling on Thursday and/or Monday. This travel is school sanctioned, but it is important to keep up in classes in order to guarantee instructors will excuse you for the travel.

Speech and Debate team members are encouraged to volunteer for community service in the area of speech and debate. Members may help local high school speech and debate teams prepare for competitions. Members may also act as volunteer judges for local high school or service group speech competitions. In addition, members may help in the Pepperdine Speech Lab or tutor for Speech 180 classes.

The Pepperdine Speech and Debate team will offer an academic setting in which participants can also enjoy social interaction. You will get to know other students here at Pepperdine, as well as students from other colleges and universities.

For more information, please contact Dr. Sarah Stone Watt at .