Jordanian Economics and Administrative Science Students’ Perceptions of the Need for Business English Courses and the Potential Impact of the Use of English as the Predominant Medium of Instruction on Academic Achievement

Abstract

This study investigates the need for Business English courses, the impact of using English as the predominant medium of instruction on academic achievement and the potential difficulties resulting from this use as perceived by 326 students from the departments of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Yarmouk University, Jordan. The effect of the students’ field of study, year of study, and GPA on their perceptions is also investigated. The students were undecided as to the impact of the use of English as the predominant medium of instruction on their academic achievement. Field of study, year of study, and GPA were found to affect the respondents’ perceptions of the impact of and the difficulties resulting from the use of English as the predominant medium of instruction but not those of the need for Business English courses. The findings reveal that although the respondents seemed aware that their proficiency in English is positively related to their academic achievement, they were not always able to make the connection between business concepts and specialized Business English courses, probably because of their lack of exposure to these courses. It was fairly evident that the students across the sample are not fully satisfied with the content of the English language skills courses offered by the University and, thus, would welcome the provision of specialized Business English courses.