Debate Curriculum

Take a Deep Dive into Policy Debate

Policy Debate is the only format offered at the Northwestern Debate Institute. Unlike other debate styles, it uses a single topic for the entire academic year. For 2026-27, the topic is: "Resolved: The United States federal government should establish national health insurance in the United States."

Policy debates last about 90 minutes, followed by 15-30 minutes of judge deliberation. Because teams rely heavily on research and evidence, successful competitors spend significant time preparing arguments and supporting materials; the amount of work required to be competitive in Policy Debate is a key differentiator to other formats.

Policy Debate Curriculum

Students begin by building foundational knowledge of the annual debate topic through lectures, guided research, and speech preparation. As the program progresses, students participate in practice debates, receive individualized coaching and feedback, and collaborate with peers to develop evidence and arguments.

Through a combination of lectures, labs, independent research, speech revisions, and competitive rounds, students learn how to construct persuasive arguments, analyze complex issues, and think strategically under pressure. The program culminates in an institute-wide debate tournament where students put their skills into practice.

Upon completion of the Northwestern Debate Institute, students leave prepared for the upcoming tournament season, with enhanced skills in:

Research and evidence-analysis
Argument construction and refutation
Efficient Delivery
Strategic thinking
Collaboration and teamwork

Students who continue into the extended 2-week session receive additional curriculum tailored to the cohort, often including advanced Policy Debate instruction, one-on-one coaching, and additional competitive opportunities.