NUC upgrades Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Optometry programmes to doctor status

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has upgraded several medical-related programs in Nigerian universities from bachelor’s degrees to doctoral status.

Acting Director of Public Affairs, NUC, Mrs. Franca Elochi Chukwuonwo, announced this change in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

The affected programs include Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, and Optometry, which have transitioned from bachelor’s degrees to doctoral status.

The decision was driven by the need to incorporate more clinical and practical sessions, improve foundational course coverage, enhance clinical skills, and address all specialty areas comprehensively.

ALSO READ: ATBUTH launches subsidised kidney dialysis

The commission emphasised that this upgrade aligns with global best practices for training professionals in these fields and ensures that certificates from Nigerian universities are comparable to those obtained globally.

This alignment enhances harmonization, mutual recognition, and global competitiveness for Nigerian graduates in terms of certification, employability, and further studies.

To accommodate the additional courses and clinical training, the duration of the affected programs has been extended from five to six years.

The NUC also clarified that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) program does not exist in its Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) or Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) and is therefore not approved in any Nigerian university. Consequently, MLSD is not recognized as an official program within the Nigerian university system.