Course design and lesson planning are constants in the professional life of all instructors. Since the lesson plan is the instructor’s road map of what students need to learn and how it will be done effectively during class time, it should be the result of much contemplation and preparation. With regard to English for Specific Purposes (ESP) or English for Academic Purposes (EAP), creating quality and relevant syllabi can be even more challenging when the language Higher Education (HE) instructor in is not a specialist in the domain that they are teaching. However a practical solution may be to follow a detailed process and ask oneself the appropriate questions. This article aims to reflect on the process of integrated course design (ICD) and lesson planning with the objective of assisting language instructors to conceive didactic approaches which can be used to construct and redesign courses, lessons and language programs that not only engage students in creative and significant learning experiences but also assist them in communicating appropriately during and long after their higher education experience.