Abstract. The study is aimed at conditioning and substantiating a model for the development of discourse competence in language students. Proposed possible solution to the described problem is a pedagogical model for the development of discourse competence of language students, comprising four components. Described components of the proposed model are conceptual, content, organizational, and evaluative. The interconnection of the components with each other and the integrity of the model, which contributes to the achievement of the pedagogical goal as the development of discourse competence of language students, are also indicated. Discourse competence is considered as the ability to comprehend, perceive, reproduce and create meanings in professional communicative activities and practices. The originality of the consideration of the process of developing discourse competence comprises the examination of the cognitive-pragmatic approach as the most suitable approach which considers professional and language aspects of the process of learning languages by language students. Methods and techniques that facilitate the implementation of this model are described, the criteria for the development of skills and their levels are stated as well. This model takes into account the peculiarities of the processes of meaning perception and meaning generation in discourse, professional communicative activities of language students and the specific features of the academic environment at the university. This model is subject to testing and the development of methodological recommendations for its implementation in the process of Foreign Language Teaching at higher schools.