In this paper reasons for choosing English as an optional course at the School o f Dental Medicine, University o f Zagreb, have been examined and compared with the reasons o f veterinary students. The results o f the study, involving 134 students, show that there are several aspects o f learning English which dental students consider to be the most important as well as the most effective ones for them. These are: “educational aspect” (enabling students to satisfy some o f their personal needs such as acquiring prestige and power, advancing the ability to face a greater challenge, developing cultural tolerance etc), “professional aspect”(enabling students to understand written information concerning dental medicine), “communicative aspect”(enabling students to communicate with the members o f other linguistic groups), “informative aspect”(enabling students to get acquainted with information o f different kinds), “cultural aspect” (enabling them to fully understand various cultural products). The “integrative aspect” o f learning, which would enable a person to incorporate into an English speaking country, is estimated as a very important one by female students. The results show that the students chose this course o f their own volition and not for some external reasons. The results also show that both dental and veterinary students have similar attitudes towards an English for Specific Purpose course. Their reasons for choosing English as an optional course are identical. Dental students would like to attend an English for Specific Purpose course throughout the fourth and/or fifth year o f their studies. More research is needed.
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