The article deals with a problem of differences in linguistic competences which non-linguistic students are developing while studying English at the University. Despite the uniformity of requirements stated by the National curriculum, various teaching approaches help to develop competences which differ greatly. The analysis of competences formed by employing traditional approaches to language teaching (grammar-translation, direct, communicative) and a mixed approach which includes elements of traditional approaches is conducted in the article. The same competences differ in content, when various approaches are concerned. The data collected from the students’ assessment of the teaching effect of different approaches prove that the mixed approach makes a better effect on language teaching of non-linguistic students. Such an approach is advantageous as it takes into account the level of the group, specialization and social demand and it is adaptable for each group’s learning trajectory