Public Speaking

Don't let fear of public speaking hold you back. Wake Tech has courses designed to help you overcome your fears and become a confident and effective public speaker.

With our expert instruction and hands-on training, you will learn the secrets of captivating an audience and delivering a message that resonates. Our courses cover everything from body language and voice control to speech structure and storytelling.

Our instructors are seasoned professionals with years of experience in public speaking and presentation training. They will provide you with personalized feedback and guidance to help you improve your skills and achieve your goals.

The non-degree courses will not transfer to meet high school or college degree requirements. However, many do provide Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for teachers and will count as academic credit for those on J-1 visas.

For more information, email [email protected].

Public Speaking Courses

Mastering Public Speaking

You can become an effective public speaker! In this course, you will discover how to talk confidently and persuasively to both large audiences and small groups. You will also learn how to plan and deliver your presentations skillfully and how to manage one of the most common public speaking barriers-fear. You'll learn the secrets to presenting a speech, how to handle questions and manage conflict in meetings, and even how to shine in a job interview. You will get tips for training your voice and learn how to use both verbal and nonverbal communication effectively. By the time you finish this course, you'll have an entire set of skills you can use on the job, in social settings, and in any other situation where you need to communicate with ease and authority!

Course Objectives

Become an effective public speaker by discovering how to talk confidently and persuasively to both large and small groups.

Gain the skills you need to communicate with ease and authority on the job or in any social setting.


Outline of Instruction

Lesson 1 - You Can Do It!

Lesson 2 - Understanding How Communication Works

Lesson 3 - Taking the Fear out of Fear

Lesson 4 - Developing a Confident Voice

Lesson 5 - Harnessing the Power of Nonverbal Communication

Lesson 6 - Speaking Well in Social Settings

Lesson 7 - Acing Interviews

Lesson 8 - Impromptu Speaking

Lesson 9 - Preparing and Delivering Short Talks

Lesson 10 - Managing Questions, Conversations, and Conflict

Lesson 11 - Mastering the Long Speech

Lesson 12 - Managing Equipment and Media


Contact Hours

24

CEUs

No

Industry Standard, State or National Certification

Certification

None

Website

None

Certification Learning Outcomes/Requirements

CE or CU Articulation

No

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Learning Supplies Needed

Hardware Requirements:
This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.

Software Requirements:
PC: Windows 8 or later.
Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:
Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.

Clinical Site/Special Facilities

None

Requirements for Successful Completion

90% attendance
• Students must successfully pass 10 quizzes with a minimum grade of 70% by the second quiz attempt.
• If all quizzes are not passed with 70 or better by the second attempt, the final exam score must be 70% or higher on the first attempt for successful completion.
• The Final Exam must be taken by the Wake Tech course end date.

Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements

N/A

Intended Audience

This course is for anyone who would like to improve their public speaking skills.

Specific Industry or Business Support Needs

N/A

Wake County Need for Industry Positions

N/A

Industry or Job Titles Related to Training Outcomes for Employment

Related Courses

Course Contact Information

Courtney Boney
919-532-5581
[email protected]

No active courses available at this time.

To be notified when this course becomes available, please use Wake Tech’s Notify Me service .

Enhancing Presentation and Public Speaking Skills Through Improv

The world is all about communication! In this course, you learn to build resilience to nerves and stage fright, to speak with clarity and intention and respond intelligently with composure. You learn how to deliver a speech for any occasion. You discover that body language builds a quick rapport with those around you by increasing awareness of physical cues and vocal tones. Improv techniques help to improve essential listening skills, making you more attuned to your audience's reactions so that you may adjust accordingly. This increased awareness also gives you the confidence to add something to any conversation, not just speeches.

Course Objectives

Learn the basic principles of physical communication

Learn to project and enunciate

Learn how to create a pace/rhythm in your speech

Learn how to listen and focus on the moment and adapt – "Read the room"

Learn how to harness unique strengths for passionate verbal delivery

Learn how to become a confident and engaging speaker


Outline of Instruction

Work on improv techniques showing how body language can convey information quickly

Learn how to become a confident and engaging speaker

Lessons in how to improve your vocal tone and pitch

Practice how to be concise and getting to the important point of the conversation

Learn the basic improv principles to improve your reaction time to respond with composure


Contact Hours

20

CEUs

No

Industry Standard, State or National Certification

Certification

None

Website

None

Certification Learning Outcomes/Requirements

CE or CU Articulation

No

Prerequisites

N/A

Learning Supplies Needed

N/A

Clinical Site/Special Facilities

None

Requirements for Successful Completion

85% attendance

Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements

N/A

Intended Audience

This is the perfect class for anyone and everyone interested in improving their public speaking skills.

Specific Industry or Business Support Needs

N/A

Wake County Need for Industry Positions

N/A

Industry or Job Titles Related to Training Outcomes for Employment

Related Courses

CSP-4000IY2

CSP-4000JW3

CSP-4000JK2

CSP-4000JQ2


Course Contact Information

Community & Career Education Staff
919-532-5700
[email protected]

Current Opportunities
Details Section Date(s) Location Price Seats  
329189 09/02/26 - 10/21/26 Northern Wake Campus 149.00 4 Register

If you would like to be notified when additional sections become available, please use Wake Tech’s Notify Me service .

Advanced Improv

Improv is all about communication! This class focuses on the core principles of improv, balancing each player's point of view with the audience's perspective. Through exploring multiple forms of improv and their goals and purposes, students develop a clear yet flexible mindset, sharpen their listening skills and deepen overall awareness, while being reminded that strong, relatable scenes are built on confidence in what feels true, openness to verbal and nonverbal offers and a willingness to laugh at themselves and support their peers.

Course Objectives

Apply the principles of improv in advanced performance scenarios

Explain how trust supports effective sharing and adaptability in scenes

Demonstrate a sense of urgency by advancing scenes efficiently while maintaining authentic moments

Practice active listening and demonstrate present-moment focus during exercises and performances

Collaborate effectively by identifying and leveraging individual strengths within a group

Adapt a performance approach to work productively with diverse personalities while contributing to a positive ensemble environment


Outline of Instruction

Explore foundational tools of improv

Practice a variety of improv focus techniques, tools and games

Analyze the different goals of improv games and scenes

Develop concision by identifying and delivering the key point of a conversation

Collaborate to create group stories that reflect diverse perspectives

Experiment with accents, emotions and body language to develop dynamic characters


Contact Hours

20

CEUs

No

Industry Standard, State or National Certification

Certification

None

Website

None

Certification Learning Outcomes/Requirements

CE or CU Articulation

No

Prerequisites

Students taking this course should have already successfully completed approximately 40 hours of instruction and practice with improv.

Learning Supplies Needed

N/A

Clinical Site/Special Facilities

N/A

Requirements for Successful Completion

85% attendance

Accreditation/Special Approval Requirements

N/A

Intended Audience

This course is intended for students of improv who have already successfully completed approximately 40 hours of instruction and practice with improvisational technique.

Specific Industry or Business Support Needs

N/A

Wake County Need for Industry Positions

N/A

Industry or Job Titles Related to Training Outcomes for Employment

Related Courses

CSP-4000LZ2

CSP-4000IY2

CSP-4000JW3

FVP-3100F3

CSP-4000MD2


Course Contact Information

Community & Career Education Staff
919-532-5700
[email protected]

Current Opportunities
Details Section Date(s) Location Price Seats  
329188 08/05/26 - 09/23/26 Northern Wake Campus 149.00 3 Register

If you would like to be notified when additional sections become available, please use Wake Tech’s Notify Me service .