Classes meet once a week for 1.25-1.5 hours depending on age. Each class allocates time slightly differently depending on level, but generally, the classes are 15 minutes of public speaking practice/drills, 50 minutes of debate lecture/practice/activities, and 15 minutes of critical thinking activities. Every few weeks we will have in-class debates for the full class.

We have in-person classes in Denver and Parker. We also offer online classes.

Yes, we offer free trial classes so students can get a sense of what our classes are like prior to enrolling. You can register for a free trial class here

Our policy on refunds is dependent on the timing of withdrawal requests. Bergen Debate makes significant advance commitments to faculty, curriculum planning, and facility scheduling in order to provide an excellent educational experience for our students. Accordingly, we depend on the assumption that registrations reflect confirmed participation.That said, we understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise. Our refund and credit policy is designed to be both fair to families and consistent with the operational commitments we make each term.
‍
1. Prorated Refund or Credit — Before 2nd Class: Families who request withdrawal before the time/date of the student’s 2nd class are eligible for a prorated refund of tuition or, if preferred, a prorated class credit applicable to future Denver Debate programs or products within 12 months. Eligibility for this refund or credit is contingent upon the student not attending any subsequent classes after the withdrawal request.
‍
2.. No Refunds or Credits — After 2nd Class: Once the time/date of a student’s 2nd class has passed, no refunds or credits of any kind will be issued. At that point, all tuition payments are fully non-refundable.
‍
‍3. Transfers and Substitutions: When possible, Denver Debate will make reasonable efforts to assist families in transferring registration to another class, session, or format (such as online programming or private coaching) to ensure students receive full value from their tuition.

We use Public Forum (PF) Debate, which is a two-versus-two style of debate focusing on current events, research, and critical thinking. It is the most popular and largest competitive debate event in North America.

Topics are set by the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) and change every 1-2 months of the debate season. You can view the topic listing here. Topics cover domestic and international economics, international relations, and moral issues

Yes, prior experience can often change a student's course recommendation. Please reach out to us at info@denverdebateclub.com to get more direct guidance on which course to register for if your student has prior experience.

We are proud to have an elite faculty of college graduates who were former champion debaters, coaches, and teachers instructing our classes. Please visit our faculty page to learn more!

Course registration is based on semester - Fall, Winter/Spring, and Summer. Typically, Fall registration will open in late February and remain open through the start of classes in late August or September. Winter/Spring registration will open in October and remain open through the start of classes in late January. Summer registration opens in February and remains open through the start of each session. For both Fall and Winter/Spring students may register up to three weeks after the start of the semester. For Summer, there is no late registration permitted for a session.

At most 12 students unless noted otherwise for partnership purposes.

Yes, our students will have practice debate rounds in their classes to get experience in live competition. Additionally, students are eligible to compete in both the IntraClub Competitions (starting at Level 2A) as well as being part of the Travel Team (starting at Level 2B). All students are eligible to compete at the End of Semester tournament.

You can view the semester schedule including days off here.