Membership on the MSU Speech and Debate Council is open to all MSU students interested in promoting civil debate at MSU and beyond. Membership on the MSU Debate Team is by tryout held each August and open to all MSU students. For more information either the Council or on tryouts, contact us at debate@msstate.edu.
The team competes in debate under the International Public Debate Association (IPDA), which is the largest intercollegiate debating association in the country. IPDA events focus on a balanced style of debating, combining logic and reasoning with engaging delivery. It is a one-on-one extemporaneous form of debate with topics selected thirty minutes before each round of competition.