NUC upgrades pharmacy, physiotherapy, optometry degrees to doctor status

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has upgraded pharmacy, physiotherapy, and optometry degrees in Nigerian universities from bachelor to doctor status.

The upgrade, the commission said, is to align with global best practices and enhance the quality of training for healthcare professionals in Nigeria.

Before the upgrade, the affected programmes were offered as bachelor degrees lasting five years in total.

The former nomenclatures for the degrees were Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm), Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT), and Bachelor of Science in Optometry (B.Sc. Optometry).

These degrees did not incorporate the additional clinical training and coursework required to award a doctor status.

Following the upgrade, the new names are Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Doctor of Optometry (OD).

Franca Elochi Chukwuonwo, the NUC’s acting director of public affairs, said the change extends the duration of the programmes from five to six years to incorporate additional clinical training and coursework.

The NUC stated that this adjustment will provide adequate coverage of foundational courses, improve clinical skills, and cater to all speciality areas within the disciplines.

The commission noted that the changes would ensure Nigerian graduates are equipped to compete internationally.

Certificates obtained in the upgraded programmes are expected to be on par with those issued in similar programmes worldwide, enhancing employability and facilitating further studies abroad.

The NUC clarified that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme does not exist in its Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) or Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).

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

The commission urged stakeholders to take note of these developments as part of efforts to ensure the harmonisation and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s higher education system.