This paper, based on the theory of foreign language education planning, reviews and analyzes the diachronic changes of the BA English majors’ programme goals in foreign language universities at the national and school level in the past 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The findings illustrate that the programme goals vary from instrumental goals dominated by language knowledge and skills, to compound goals which emphasized knowledge and abilities equally, and then to a diversified and integrated goals focusing on competence; the paradigm of planning presents a trajectory from language instrumental orientation to cultural orientation and then to resource orientation; the focused competence shows the characteristics of transition change from static to dynamic, from the present to life-long, and from one dimension to multiple dimensions. The orientation of the language education planning is always to serve the country’s economic and social development and to safeguard national interests; and it also reveals the planners’ changes in understanding the pragmatic values and integrating humanistic values, and shows various motivations, such as communication, instrumentality, identity, economy, and image.