ESP Course Design and Employability: A Small-Scale Exploratory Study at Tourism Faculties

Abstract

English for Specific Purposes is designed to meet students’ career-related needs. This study examined the ESP courses across tourism faculties by focusing on Hotel Management, Travel Management, and Tour Guidance Programmes to see the relationship between employment needs across these programmes and English for Specific Purposes classes. Data was collected through qualitative surveys and syllabi. Qualitative surveys were conducted with undergraduates and graduates of the mentioned programmes. Also, course syllabi across 26 programmes were analysed through content analysis. Findings were evaluated according to employability framework described in the literature. The evaluation indicated a mismatch between ESP course content and the career-related needs of undergraduates and graduates across tourism faculties. Using the findings, a dynamic revision approach towards ESP course contents across tourism faculties is recommended.

Keywords

• Dynamic ESP revision
• ESP and employability
• student perceptions

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