Abstract

The major objective of this research was to evaluate the ability of a university undergraduate English language curriculum to prepare trainees to launch entrepreneurship and professionally serve effectively in organizations where they would be employed upon the completion of their studies. The study used a descriptive survey design, which allowed the researcher to qualitatively evaluate the curriculum currently in use against the contextually established criteria. The research instruments used to collect the data were document analysis and semistructured interviews. Accordingly, the results from both tools unequivocally revealed that the curriculum, by and large, consists of relevant and timely content that enriches the English language competence of graduates. Furthermore, it encourages the most frequent application of the learner-centered approach. However, detailed analyses of the data indicated that the curriculum developing team produced the curriculum without assessing and analyzing the needs of the learners and other stakeholders. Almost all courses, except “Business Communications” and “Translation”, have not included content that helps graduates launch entrepreneurship. To help graduates create their jobs as professionals in the ELT industry, courses such as Internship, Modern Methodologies to Teaching the English Language, Supplementary English Language Learning Materials Development, English for Tourism, English for Emigrants, and skills that enable them to write business/research proposals, short stories in English, mini dictionaries that translate from English to different local vernaculars and vice versa, promotion/advertisement texts, brochures, leaflets, and curriculum vitae should have been included. Thus, the researcher recommends that the English curriculum currently in use in all Ethiopian universities be revised or rewritten by giving due attention to the aforementioned courses and skills.

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