A preliminary analysis of the language syllabuses and language students at Southampton University (England) is used to determine needed improvements in language teaching methodology and to establish clear aims and objectives that will build on students' previous experiences, plug gaps that remain, and relate this language learning to the components of the courses and to future professional use of the language. An emphasis on translation skills would remain, but would shift from being that of preparing students for a prose or unseen in the final examinations to that of preparation for more vocationally-focused language learning. The paper suggests that the typical translation/prose-based program plus unstructured conversation classes constitute inappropriate methodology for foreign language teaching and has limited objectives. After detailed descriptions of the students and the particular language program at Southampton University (England), it is concluded that it remains essential to convince colleagues of the need for language specialists and to explain the rationale and goals of new language teaching methods to both students and teachers. (Contains four references.) (NAV/Author)