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Those who have a fear of speaking in front of others will want to find out about public speaking requirements in college before they enroll. If the thought of standing in front of the room and speaking for a few minutes makes your knees tremble and your heart jump in your chest, you might decide to enroll in an online college that lets you hide behind your computer. You should keep in mind though that some of these schools have the same requirement in place.
Types of Public Speaking Classes
One thing you want to look at is the type of public speaking classes available. Some serve as an introduction to the topic. You’ll spend weeks going over your textbooks to learn how to communicate effectively, how to command the attention of the room and even how to research and write your speeches. The class may end with a day where each student gives a speech of five minutes or less. Other classes focus more on the debate side of public speaking. You’ll learn how to look at topics from various angles, develop your own point of view and speak on that topic.
Online Colleges
Students sometimes assume that online colleges do not have a public speaking requirement. They imagine themselves doing homework on the computer, chatting with other students on a discussion board and completing all their work without anyone ever seeing their faces or hearing their voices. Some colleges do have a public speaking requirement though and ask that you take this class during your freshman or sophomore year. This helps you gain some confidence and gives you experience speaking in front of a larger group of people.
How You Complete This Requirement
As online schools often have smaller classes, you might wonder how you would complete these public speaking requirements in college. Online colleges often require that you give a speech in your own city. Some will provide you with a list of clubs and places where you can speak. You’ll need to arrange for someone to sit in the audience and film your speech, and the video must clearly show that you are on stage and in front of a crowd. After you upload the video, your professor will grade you based on how well you performed, the extent of your research and knowledge and whether you followed the rules of the assignment.
Benefits of Public Speaking Classes
Even if your college does not require that you take a public speaking class, you’ll find some benefits to taking at least one. USA Today lists these benefits as including helping you develop strong listening skills, assisting you in your other classes, helping you conquer your fears and letting you express your own opinions. While these classes will help you stand in front of an audience and speak, you’ll also need to know how to develop your own thoughts and opinions, find research that backs up those opinions and express yourself in a way that makes others listen to you.
Taking a public speaking class in an online college often requires that you perform speeches on your own and film a video that you submit for credit. While you might think that there are little to no public speaking requirements in college, some online schools require that you take at least one class.
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