The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced an extension of the duration for undergraduate programmes in Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, and Optometry from five to six years. Graduates of these programmes will now earn a Doctorate (with clinical sessions) upon completion, replacing the previous Bachelor’s Degree.
Pharmacy graduates will be awarded a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Physiotherapy graduates will earn a Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Optometry graduates will be conferred with a Doctor of Optometry (O.D).
In a statement released yesterday by the NUC’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, Franca Chukwuonwo, the commission explained that the decision was aimed at aligning these programmes with global best practices. The extension seeks to integrate more clinical and practical sessions, enhance foundational course coverage, and develop clinical skills while addressing specialty areas comprehensively.
According to Chukwuonwo, the move will ensure Nigerian graduates meet international standards in terms of employability, certificate evaluation, and opportunities for further studies.
“The upgrade to Doctorate status with clinical sessions was necessitated by the need to incorporate more practical sessions, provide sufficient coverage of foundational courses, improve clinical skills, and address all specialty areas. This ensures the certificates obtained from Nigerian universities are globally competitive,” the statement read.
However, the NUC clarified that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme, offered by some universities, is not recognised. Chukwuonwo stressed that the programme is absent from the commission’s Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) and Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS), making it an illegal offering.
“Programmes upgraded to Doctor status with clinical sessions, as captured in the NUC’s BMAS and CCMAS, include Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Doctor of Optometry (O.D). The general public and stakeholders are informed that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme is not approved in any Nigerian university,” the statement added.
While the NUC did not specify whether the new policy would apply to current students, the commission’s announcement has set the stage for significant changes in the training and certification of healthcare professionals in Nigeria.
