Sacred Heart University participates in the Northeast Regional Ethics Bowl debate competition, in which teams from various colleges debate contemporary ethical cases.
All teams are given 15 ethical cases to prepare. The event typically consists of three rounds of debate, each consisting of two cases. After three rounds, the top teams proceed to the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. The top four or five teams receive invitations to compete in the national Ethics Bowl competition held in the spring.
Students hone a variety of skills from practice and competition, including analysis, critical reasoning and mastering the nuances of contemporary social, cultural and political issues. Recent cases have included issues surrounding open-source medical devices, having children in the midst of climate-change threats and public decency laws.
SHU students go head-to-head with a host of top-flight teams, including Tufts University, Villanova University, West Point Military Academy, Northeastern University, Boston College and Marist College.
