School Services

The Melbourne University Debating Society is a non-profit organisation that aims to foster the art of debating. In the community, we focus especially on developing school students’ skills, preparing them for the DAV Schools’ Competition.

• About MUDS' Coaching
• Coaching Essentials
• Regular Coaching
• Demo Debates
• Adjudication
• Coaching Clinics
• Extension Coaching
• Public Speaking
• British Parliamentary
• Mooting ('legal debating')
• Competitions
• MUDS Masterclass
• Teacher training
• Contact us

Over recent years, the Melbourne University Debating Society has grown, and the services that we offer have grown too. As well as the same high-quality debating coaching, we now coach public speaking, British Parliamentary debating, mooting — even debater and adjudicator training for teachers!

These new services extend your students’ learning. MUDS’ philosophy is that winning is important, but learning is more important. We think that victory is most satisfying when it is the product of the student’s own understanding. We believe in teaching students how to think like debaters – not getting coaches to write their speeches for them! Whether as stand-alone programs or intensive training for DAV competitive debating, we’re sure that students will welcome the challenges that our coaches set.

Our coaching pool comprises some of the most accomplished debaters and adjudicators in the country — and indeed, the world. In recent years, we have had among us: finalists at the World Universities Debating Championships (2006-2008), grand finalists at the World Masters Championships (2007), and the best speaker of the 2006 Australasian Debating Championships.

We transfer this success into our coaching. Every year, some of the teams under our tutelage reach the DAV finals. Some even win the competition. All have learnt something new. We hope that you’ll give us the opportunity to repeat the experience in 2008.

These coaching essentials are the base ingredients for all our curriculum-type programs, including extension programs. If you seek only one type of service, this is the section for you.

Regular Coaching
Arranging regular coaching sessions into a curriculum ensures that your students consolidate and develop their skills consistently. Ideal for DAV round-by-round coaching.

$45 per coach per hour

Demo Debates
Demonstration debates are crucial in any coaching program because we show students how to debate, not just tell them. Exhibition debates don’t have to star solely MUDS staff: show off some of your school’s top debaters by having them debate with us or against us!

$30 per speaker per debate

Adjudication
Our adjudicators have extensive DAV and international experience, ensuring that your students receive excellent feedback and the right decision.

$45 per adjudicator per debate

Coaching Clinics
MUDS is happy to conduct workshops for large numbers of students. Clinics can be a couple of hours long; they can even be half- or full- day workshops for an entire debating squad or year level.

$65 per coach per hour

The 3-vs-3 style of debating is only a morsel in a smorgasbord of debating and public speaking. Our extension programs are challenging and fun. Gifted students benefit especially from this training.

We’d love to help you design an extension program: email us!

Public Speaking
MUDS members are also accomplished public speakers and adjudicators. Some are senior adjudicators in various competitions across Victoria. We can run workshops to complement your English curriculum or to give winning insight to your competitive speakers.

British Parliamentary
BP is a dynamic, tactical and sophisticated style of debating that is only beginning to flourish in school debating. Each debate involves four teams of two speakers divided into Government and Opposition benches. BP trains very quick thinking because speakers must take questions during their speeches.

Mooting (‘legal debating’)
Legal argument demands that speakers support everything they say with logical and legal analysis. Your students will discover a sophisticated new way of thinking, learn some of the principles that underpin our legal system, and how to conduct themselves in a courtroom.

MUDS boasts some of the best mooters in Victoria. Our membership includes the winning teams of the Melbourne Law School mooting competition for the past two years, as well as the coaches of the 2007 National Champions of the Bond University Mooting Competition.

Competitions
MUDS can run interschool competitions for you in either 3-vs-3 or BP style. These are ideal for extending gifted students’ skills, especially if the competition involves other gifted students from nearby schools.

MUDS Masterclass
The Masterclass is a new initiative. We invite students with special potential to undertake additional coaching and debate at a university level. This is an elite, invitation-only program open only to students whom we coach.

Adjudicator and debater training for teachers at your school. Learn to think like DAV adjudicators and take an active, practised role in training your students.