NUC Upgrades Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, And Other Programmes to Doctoral Status
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has upgraded several medical-related programs in Nigerian universities from bachelor’s degrees to doctoral status.
The Acting Director of Public Affairs, NUC, Mrs. Franca Elochi Chukwuonwo, announced this development in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, listing pharmacy, physiotherapy, and optometry as some of the programs affected.
The decision was driven by the need to incorporate more clinical and practical sessions, improve foundational course coverage, enhance clinical skills, and comprehensively address all specialty areas.
The commission emphasized that this upgrade aligns with global best practices for training professionals in these fields, ensuring that certificates from Nigerian universities are comparable to those obtained globally.
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, DMLS is not recognized as an official program within the Nigerian university system.
