This study aims to investigate the vocabulary problems in the academic writing of MA ELT Libyan students in Nottingham Trent University. For this purpose, two research questions were posed and the answers to these questions were provided and discussed. The data for the study were collected via two questionnaires (preliminary and main questionnaire) and interviews. The present study attempted to elicit information from ten postgraduate students from Misurata (the 7th October) University. They enrolled in the School of Arts and Humanities on the MA in English Language Teaching course. The findings indicate that those students faced problems in using vocabulary appropriately. These findings agree with the studies of Ibrahim and Nambiar (2011), Al-Khasawneh (2010), Bacha (2002) and Daoud (1998) that Arabic students face problems with vocabulary in academic writing. The main reasons for these problem are related to the Libyan students' learning experience in Libya. This suggests that Libyan teaching is inappropriate at several levels including wrong methods, wrong curriculum and wrong teaching environment. Based on my research, it is proposed that a complete solution to improving the MA ELT students' grasp of academic vocabulary must involve the Libyan education system, the UK institutions and the students themselves. As a first step, additional attention should be given to teaching academic vocabulary to groups like these students, but the main recommendation is to encourage the students' autonomy in language learning (Nation, 2001) and inspire them to take more responsibility for achieving academic success in the host country by improving themselves. [A bibliography is included.]