Language Needs Analysis of Graduate Students of Humanities and Sciences at Shahid-Bahonar University of Kerman: Lacks and Wants

The present study aimed at investigating the foreign language learning needs of graduate students of humanities and sciences in Shahid-Bahinar University of Kerman. To this end, a mix method approach-qualitative and quantitative- was utilized on the basis of interviews and questionnaires. 252 graduate students (169 females and 83 male) as well as 30 instructors were selected on the basis of convenience sampling to participate in the study. The participated learners and instructors completed the needs analysis questionnaire to reflect on their language learning needs in ESP courses. Then students and instructors were interviewed to elicit their opinions concerning the students’ language demands, language needs, attitudes towards language instruction, length of the course as well as the content, syllabus, methodology of the specialized English course. The results of needs analysis revealed major discrepancies between students’ and instructors’ perceptions of students’ language needs. For the students reading, speaking, writing and then listening respectively should be emphasized. But for the instructors, reading, writing speaking, and listening respectively are of more importance. Most of the students believed that respectively, number of students in the classes, content of ESP books and methodology of instructors are the most important factors in ESP courses. This is when that instructors put more focus on the method of evaluation, methodology and content of books in ESP courses. It is hoped that the findings of this study would reveal insight into syllabus design and curriculum development for ESP programs in Iran.