Overview
Effective communication is a core competency in any professional field, whether academia or industry. At UC Santa Barbara, we want to empower graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to find their unique voice.
The Fundamentals in Public Speaking certificate provides a way for students and scholars to both develop and demonstrate competency in this area. During Winter 2026, the Graduate Division is offering extensive training opportunities in public speaking that focus on skills like content development, stage presence, and visuals. The workshops center around the development of short 3-minute talks that can be used in a variety of settings such as networking events, entrepreneurial pitches, and Grad Slam.*
The series is open to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in any discipline and at any stage in their program. Attendees can opt to come to some or all of the workshops, but in order to be awarded the certificate, they must complete all of the requirements detailed below.
*Note: While the series is particularly useful for graduate students who plan to present at Grad Slam, participation in the competition is not required. Grad Slam is only open to currently enrolled graduate students.
2023 Grad Slam Champion Annette Hilton
Certificate Completion Requirements
Students and scholars must fulfill the requirements from each of the 3 parts below.
All sessions are held in person unless noted otherwise. Participants can learn more about each session and sign up to attend via the Graduate Student Resource Center page on Shoreline. Participants are expected to stay for the entirety of each event they are using to fulfill the requirements. Attendees should ensure that they are checked in AND checked out on Shoreline by one of our staff members in order for their attendance to count toward the certificate requirements.
Part One | Plan
Students and Scholars must attend
at least two of the workshops in Part One.
- Crafting Your Elevator Pitch: Friday, January 23, 2026 from
1pm - 2:30pm in the Student Resource Building Multipurpose Room - Finding Your Stage Presence: Friday, February 6, 2026 from
1pm - 2:30pm in the Student Resource Building Multipurpose Room - Mastering the Slam: Insider Tips from Judges and Alums: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 from 12pm - 1pm on Zoom
**Leadership Certificate Series Sessions may qualify as one of the required workshops from this section.
Part Two | Prepare
Students and Scholars must attend
at least two of the three workshops in Part Two.
- Design Awesome Slides: Friday, January 30, 2026 from 1pm - 2:30pm in the Student Resource Building Multipurpose Room
- The Art of the Research Pitch: How Clear Visual Storytelling and Slide Design Can Reach Any Audience: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 from 1pm - 2:30pm in the Student Resource Building Multipurpose Room
- Best Practices in Slide Design for Scientific Presentation:
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 from 12pm - 1pm on Zoom
Part Three | Practice & Present
Students and scholars must present at one of the following opportunities.
- Grad Slam Preliminary Rounds: Friday, February 20, 2026, Friday February 27, 2026, and Friday, March 6, 2026
- Grad Slam/Elevator Pitch Practice Round: Friday, February 13, 2026 from 12pm - 2pm in the Student Resource Building Multipurpose Room
- Conference Presentation of Your Choice
- Interdisciplinary Humanities Center Capstone Project Presentations
PRACTICE SESSION INFORMATION
- Presenter slots are offered on a first-come first-served basis
- The presentation order for all practice sessions will be randomized
- Students not participating in a GSRC event will be asked to provide proof of participation to fulfill the Part Three requirement.
Receiving the Certificate
Once participants complete all requirements, they must submit the Participation Verification Form in order to officially receive the certificate. Participants are expected to stay for the entirety of each event, and Graduate Division staff will use check-in and check-out data from Shoreline to cross-reference information entered by participants on the form. A digital copy of the certificate will be issued within one month of completion of the form.
Questions?
Contact Anna Theogarajan, Director of Professional Development for the Graduate Division.