Students take a minimum of seven courses, including those in the history of music and lyric theater, dance and musical theater techniques, and voice and actor training. The oldest continuous debate program in the country, the Northwestern Debate Society helps students develop analytical and communication skills through research, individual coaching, discussion, and intercollegiate competition. Each year members compete in two-person policy debate tournaments across the nation. The society also sponsors two debate tournaments on campus. The programs are not restricted to foreign language majors and have included students from each of Northwestern's six undergraduate schools, most often during their junior year.
Full credit is awarded for successful completion of the study-abroad program.
Students enrolled in a number of departments at Northwestern may simultaneously pursue secondary teacher certification through the School of Education and Social Policy. Areas of certification include art, biological sciences, chemistry, economics with history, English, French, German, history, mathematics, physics, political science with history, sociology with history, and Spanish. This program helps students understand the nature of leadership and prepares them for leadership roles in campus, community, and professional settings. Selected freshmen and sophomores take two courses in the history and strategy of leadership. After completing the leadership program, students are asked to play a more active role in the Northwestern community and the surrounding area through independent study, internships, and extracurricular involvement.