The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced the upgrade of pharmacy, physiotherapy, and optometry degrees in Nigerian universities from bachelor’s to doctor’s status. The move, aimed at aligning with global standards, seeks to improve the training and professional competitiveness of healthcare graduates.
Previously, these programmes were offered as bachelor’s degrees lasting five years, including the Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm), Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT), and Bachelor of Science in Optometry (B.Sc. Optometry). The new designations are Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Doctor of Optometry (OD).
According to Franca Elochi Chukwuonwo, the NUC’s acting director of public affairs, the upgrade extends the duration of these programmes to six years, incorporating additional clinical training and coursework. The changes aim to strengthen foundational knowledge, enhance clinical skills, and cover all speciality areas within the disciplines.
“This adjustment ensures that Nigerian graduates can compete internationally, as their certificates will now match those issued in similar programmes worldwide,” Chukwuonwo said. This upgrade is expected to improve employability and open up opportunities for further studies abroad.
Meanwhile, the NUC clarified that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme is not approved under the commission’s Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) or Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS). It emphasized that the programme does not exist in any Nigerian university offerings.
The commission urged stakeholders to embrace these changes as part of efforts to enhance the quality and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s higher education system.