The new Speech and Debate Program at the University of Houston is the result of the unification of the Policy Debate and Forensics programs.

SDP features a competitive debate and individual events team, a public debate series, and an exciting cluster of courses. The program draws on rhetorical theory and requires research into complex matters of public policy such as energy, the environment, and health care.

By demanding research, evidence, and reasoning, SDP pushes students to understand contemporary political issues and to make informed, real-world decisions. Tournaments foster public speaking ability, encourage civic engagement, and develop leadership.

Through partnerships with high school debate programs such as HUDL, the Houston Urban Debate League, and the annual public debate series, SDP engages the community in a dialogue about pressing policy issues. Future collaborations with the University of Houston Law Center, the Phronesis Program in Politics and Ethics, the Medicine & Society program, and the Leadership Studies Program provide further opportunities for development.

SDP at Houston is open to all students, from novices to seasoned competitors.