Needs analysis in ESP context: A case study of People’s Police University Students

Abstract

This paper investigates the learning needs of students enrolled in an ESP course at the People’s Police University. A qualitative case study research design was employed through in-depth interviews with 20 undergraduate students. The findings show that the students perceived reading and writing as critical English skills needed for their future profession. The need to thoroughly understand the specialized subject matter in both English and Vietnamese was also reported. Also, the students wished to gain access to extra resources to assist their studying of ESP courses. The students experienced difficulties in mastering technical terms and specialization and comprehending online resources in English. Implications are made based on the findings. The study results would serve as a reference for language program managers, course designers, and English language instructors to enhance ESP courses’ quality in Vietnamese universities.