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EDUCATION

NUC upgrades Pharmacy, Optometry, Physiotherapy programmes to Doctoral status in 2025

January 22, 2025 • 2 min read

January 22, 2025

By Ayinde Adeleke

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced the upgrade of some medical-related university programmes, including Pharmacy, Optometry, and Physiotherapy, from bachelor to doctoral status.

This decision aims to incorporate more clinical and practical sessions, improve foundational course coverage, enhance clinical skills, and address all specialty areas comprehensively.

According to the Commission, this upgrade will boost the quality of medical education and research in the country, aligning with global best practices for training professionals in these fields.

The Commission explained that 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.

A statement from the Commission read: “Below is the list of the programmes upgraded from Bachelors Degree to Doctor Status Bachelors Degree with clinical sessions), which are found in NUC’s Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) and Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS): Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), Optometry (O.D., Doctor of Optometry).”

The Commission emphasized that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme is not approved in any Nigerian university, as it does not exist in the NUC’s Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) or Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).

“The general public and all stakeholders are hereby informed that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme does not exist in the NUC’s BMAS or CCMAS and thus has not been captured as an upgraded programme.

Consequently, MLSD is not an approved programme in the offerings of any Nigerian university,” the statement added.

With this upgrade, students enrolled in these programmes can expect a more comprehensive and clinically-focused education, preparing them for the demands of their respective professions.