NCFCA College Speech Pathway
Turn NCFCA preparation into three college credits.
Eligible NCFCA students enroll in Southeastern University's COMM 1443: Fundamentals of Speech Communication for Fall 2026. The NCFCA curriculum Foundations of Speech — or a curriculum of the student's choice — is the learning foundation; existing or planned competition work is then adapted to meet the specific requirements in the existing COMM 1443 syllabus. The same research, writing, and speech preparation can advance both the NCFCA season and the college assessments required by Southeastern University.
A true 2-for-1 plan
The same research, writing, and practice can advance both a student's NCFCA preparation and their college assignments. Nothing is added to the week; what changes is what the week is worth.
Adapt existing work or plan future work intentionally
A student may reshape a speech, debate case, research file, or apologetics study already in hand. They may also design new NCFCA work, keeping in mind the broad COMM 1443 assessment categories.
Meet the syllabus requirements without starting from zero
The university syllabus remains the standard, and students must satisfy the specific assignments from the syllabus — but the NCFCA materials provide guidance and a framework for those assignments.
Use the NCFCA curriculum as the learning foundation
The NCFCA curriculum, or a similar speech and debate curriculum of your choice, supplies the rhetorical, research, organizational, audience, and delivery instruction students apply to their college work. There are additional books listed in the syllabus, but these are recommended and supplemental only, not required.
Follow an NCFCA-specific roadmap
The Christian Halls companion guide identifies the broadest workable assignments from SEU, recommends the most useful submission format for each assessment that maps onto NCFCA clubs, and shows exactly where existing or future NCFCA work must be adapted.
Earn official college credit
COMM 1443 is an official Southeastern University dual enrollment course worth three credit hours. The Fall 2026 section is confirmed and guaranteed to run.
Fundamentals of Speech Communication
The basic principles of public speaking. Students learn to research, organize, and deliver formal presentations; use verbal and non-verbal communication to connect with an audience; and adapt a message for a variety of audiences and contexts. Coursework centers on classical rhetoric — the use of language, narrative, vocal variation, and effective method before both large audiences and small groups. Graded work comprises a prompt selection, three working outlines, three major assessments, and a final reflection.
A standard 3-credit course is $300, plus Southeastern's $175 per-semester technology fee. The student's NCFCA curriculum — Foundations of Speech, or another speech and debate curriculum of the student's choice — is the recommended learning foundation for this pathway and is purchased separately. The books listed in the syllabus are supplemental references only: they are not required purchases, no readings from them are assigned, and the assessments are not tied to them.
Join MyHall
Create an account at Christian Halls — there is no cost. This step lets the student first create, and then access, the MyHall profile.
Open MyHall →Join the Christian Halls Virtual Hall
Normally you would join a local Christian Hall community near you, or through your club. For now, join the Virtual Hall, where students can enroll for the NCFCA class.
Join the Virtual Hall →Add the Fall 2026 NCFCA tutorial
Add the tutorial titled "NCFCA to College Credit: COMM 1443 — Fall 2026" to your student account.
Apply to Southeastern University
Complete the SEU application as a dual enrollment student, using the program and location instructions supplied by Christian Halls. The step-by-step guide walks you through the process.
Apply to SEU →Look for your confirmation email
Once the required steps are complete, watch for an SEU confirmation email and account-access instructions.
Begin preparation on August 26
Use the NCFCA curriculum and the MyHall companion tutorial to compare current or planned NCFCA work against the nine assessment prompts, and identify the strongest route through the syllabus for your intentions at NCFCA.
Complete the graded course during Fall B
From October 21 through December 15, use the Southeastern University course environment for official prompt instructions, submissions, instructor communication, and grades.
Who is this for?
High school students participating in NCFCA speech or debate who are ready for an accelerated, college-level communication course.
Is this automatic college credit for NCFCA participation?
No. Students must enroll in COMM 1443 and successfully complete all official course requirements.
Can students submit a speech they have already prepared?
An existing speech may be a strong starting point, but it is not automatically a finished college submission. The student must adapt it to the selected prompt and meet the required learning outcomes, audience, structure, research, citations, length, delivery, and written components.
Can students design their NCFCA work around a course prompt?
Yes — this is one of the strongest uses of the pathway. A student can choose a broad prompt, plan a new speech or research project with that prompt in mind, use the work for NCFCA preparation, and then adapt the final artifact for the college assessment.
Can debate work be used?
Research and argumentation from Policy or Lincoln-Douglas debate may support a persuasive or research-based assessment. The work generally needs to be reshaped as a stand-alone speech or presentation that meets the selected prompt.
Can Apologetics or Extemporaneous work be used?
It may provide a useful foundation, particularly for a worldview or social-issue prompt, but the final submission must meet the course's full research, organization, citation, length, and format requirements.
Who grades the work?
Official course submissions are evaluated in the Southeastern University course environment according to the COMM 1443 syllabus and grading rubric.
How much work should students expect?
Study and assessment preparation begin August 26 and continue through the fall via NCFCA research, writing, and speech development. During the official eight-week Fall B assessment window, the syllabus estimates approximately 6–9 hours per week. Individual workload varies with the student's preparation and selected formats.
Which textbook do students use?
Students use their NCFCA curriculum, or another speech and debate curriculum, as the course's learning foundation. The books listed in the assessment syllabus are optional supplemental references — not required textbooks or required purchases for this pathway.
What format should students use for the major assessments?
The syllabus permits multiple formats. The companion guide recommends an essay for Assessment 1, because it is primarily rhetorical analysis, and recorded speeches for Assessments 2 and 3, because those emphasize delivery, audience adaptation, research, and organization.
When does the pathway begin if the graded assessments are in Fall B?
New student applications and registration remain open through August 26. Study and assessment preparation begin that day. The graded Fall B assessment window begins October 21.
Is the Fall 2026 section confirmed?
Yes. The class has already met its cohort requirement and is guaranteed to run.
What is the difference between MyHall and the SEU course?
The MyHall tutorial provides the NCFCA-specific roadmap, pre-course preparation, planning support, and reminders. The Southeastern University course environment contains the official assessment instructions, submissions, instructor communication, and grades.
Will the credits transfer?
Transfer policies vary by institution. Families should confirm transferability with the college or university the student may attend.
This program is a natural fit for tutors and founders from the NCFCA. If you are part of that network, the formation pathway is two-sided: students enroll here; tutors and founders engage through MyHall.
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Learn more about NCFCA at ncfca.org