The modern system of teaching foreign languages to university students is discussed. The development of linguistic competences, including the word-formation competence is analyzed. The discursive approach to the word-formation competence development is described. Three types of the professional discourseeconomic, political and engineering -are analyzed from the perspective of those word-formation modes which are typical of them. The most common models are distinguished. It is proved that

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... ion and compounding are characteristic of the political and economic types of the professional discourse, while compounding is prevailing in the engineering discourse. The conclusion is made that the knowledge of word-formation models specific for different types of the professional discourse can help students to develop the word-formation competence for successful communication in a foreign language.