This 4-course series created by the University of Washington is one of the highest quality courses that will help you up your speaking game. The instructor Dr. Matt McGarrity is UW’s distinguished lecturer and has won several awards and accolades for public speaking research. He has spent an entire career helping nervous novice speakers grow into confident communicators. In this course, he helps learners hone public speaking and speech writing techniques. You will learn about how to design impromptu speeches, master the speech preparation process, and deliver informative and persuasive speeches in the most effective manner.

This public speaking specialization is for speakers at all levels. It’s a self-paced program with flexible deadlines that will take about 4-6 months to complete with around 3-4 hours of work per week. Throughout the courses, learners will record speeches, providing and receiving peer feedback. Although it does not come with any college credit, financial aid is available.

The courses in this specialization draw from the fields of communication, linguistics, and debate creating a comprehensive curriculum and including the following:

Introduction to Public Speaking

• Speaking to Inform: Discussing complex ideas with clear explanations and dynamic slides
• Speaking to Persuade: Motivating audiences with solid arguments and moving language
• Speaking to Inspire: Ceremonial and Motivational Speeches

Key Highlights

• Increase your confidence and presence as a dynamic speaker
• Learn innovative techniques to design and deliver compelling presentations
• Develop delivery techniques for voice, movement, and gesture that engage audiences
• Learn how to use storytelling, argument, style, topic framing, and evidence to get your point across effectively
• Prepare effective speeches for various purposes (informative, persuasive, praise), occasions (workplace, special events, etc.), and audiences.

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