摘要
Needs analysis is considered a necessary first step in designing ESP courses. This study, therefore, aims at analysing students at the Faculty of Public and Environmental Health （PEH） at the University of Khartoum （U of K）, Sudan, needs for English language. The study adopted the needs analysis framework suggested by Dudley-Evans and St John （1998） focusing on target needs analysis, present situation analysis, and learning means needs analysis. The study used a questionnaire, a proficiency test, and an interview to collect data. The participants were 490 students at PEH （390 participated in the questionnaire and 100 in the proficiency test） and two professors at the Faculty. The study found that PEH students need English language for academic study. The students rated their proficiency as good, but the test revealed that they were of weak proficiency. All the four skills in addition to vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation are regarded as important to the students. Similarly, almost all the sub-skills are found to be important. The students have a variety of leaming needs such as learning in pairs, groups, and through ICT. The study recommends that PEH students＇ proficiency should be raised and a course that meets the students＇ needs is needed.
