This study aims to review and provide new perspectives for academic goal orientation. The study introduces first chronological history of goal orientation and depicts how goal orientation evolved into a new construct in learning from the discussion on motivational factors. At first, this study isolates goal orientation from motivation and provides novel insights into goal orientation as a separated factor affecting learning. Then, this study provides analyses of the adaptation work of the academic goal orientation questionnaire into the Turkish language. The translated scale was applied to a sample of 729 undergraduate students, 376 (51.6%) of which were female and 353 (48.4%) of which were male students at a state university in Turkey. For the structure validity of the translated scale, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a three-factor structure of thirteen items accounting for 66.5% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis results suggested that the tested model of the translated scale yielded satisfactory goodness of fit. The total score of the translated academic goal orientation instrument is reliable (Cronbach's [alpha] = 0.84). The literature and the results from the application of the instrument suggest that the translated instrument offers valuable input into the curricula and syllabi in higher education in addition to providing insights to lecturers about the perceptions of the students towards the courses.