Students’ Perception of the ESP Courses at the University of Prishtina

Abstract

It is widely accepted that three main factors that have contributed to the growth of English for specific purposes (ESP) are the increased demand for English to suit particular needs of learners on the one hand, and on the other the developments in linguistics and educational psychology, factors that brought about the need for increased specialization in language learning (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987).Considering the diversity of study fields offered at the University of Prishtina, the paper in general investigates the English courses offered in different academic units, including the status, the content, as well as the outcomes of these courses. In particular, in their research the authors focus on ESP courses offered in two University of Prishtina academic units: Faculty of Philology and Faculty of Economy.The paper presents the analysis of the course content, its delivery, as well as outcomes, highlighting similarities and differences, as well as various interrelated factors that influence the students’ success rate.As the consequence of the authors’ learning – centered approach, the paper also presents students’ perception of the courses as a crucial factor in course evaluation aiming at empowering students as stakeholders in the learning process.