The problem of the status of a foreign language in the context of actualization of practical training of students and graduate students and increasing demand by employers' professional foreign language competence of graduates of Russian non-language universities were raised. Foreign language for a modern graduate, for example, a technical university, no longer the “passing discipline”, which not yet so long ago could not remember after receiving a diploma, but an effective tool for solving professional tasks of various types, and often the key to building a professional career. The results of a critical assessment of the current system of foreign language training of students and graduate students in several dozens of non-language universities conducted by the authors of the open documentation laid out on the Internet showed its imperfection in terms of professionalization and led to the conclusion about the need to change primarily with the emphasis on communication. Initious training of students with their future professional activities, and the presence of prerequisites for this. The regulatory and legal framework necessary to conduct changes has already been formed, so the initiative of local changes in the system should manifest themselves «on the ground» by the universities themselves. The authors of the article describes corrective activities regarding the foreign language training of students of a non-language university related to clarifications or changes in the basic characteristics of education and / or organizational and pedagogical conditions for the implementation of specific educational programs for training students and graduate students of directions 22.03.02 “Metallurgy”, 22.04.02 «Metallurgy» and 22.06.01 “Material Technologies” Department “Metallurgical Technologies and Equipment” of the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University named after R.E. Alekseev, and already proven its effectiveness. Among them: extension in practical classes in the language as a study within each of the levels and transition from a level on the level of training in the share of foreign language practical training associated with the implementation of students in individual types of work related to future professional activities and aimed at forming, consolidation, development of practical skills and competencies on the profile of the relevant educational program; conducting practical training on optional disciplines of foreign language preparation included in the curriculum is fully in the format of practical training, as well as the organization of practical foreign language preparation within the framework of the production practices of students on the sites of Russian and foreign organizations engaged in the profile of a specific educational program.