Abstract
This article discusses the conditions, content and features of the project method in teaching university students English, as well as the influence of this method on the development of critical thinking in their self-study. Using a survey method based on a self-developed questionnaire conducted among teachers and master's students, a current assessment of the application of the project method and an understanding of the essence and purpose of projects in universities was identified with the results in the form of graphical charts in percentages. Being a relevant method in the modern world, the project method involves students in the active independent development of critical thinking, thereby investing in them the initial skills of composing research papers, which are so necessary in the life of the university. All this leads to the success of students in the field of scientific and educational activities and to the development of professionally significant competencies. The results of this article are the problems of using the project method, focused on the critical thinking of students in the process of self-study, identified through a survey in universities and proposed appropriate solutions. These solutions may be useful for teachers preparing teaching projects and for subsequent research in the field of education and methods of teaching a foreign language. The value of this article is explained by modern trends in the search for specialists with critical thinking skills, which are achieved through the competent use of the project method in universities.