The National Universities Commission (NUC) has elevated certain medical-related programmes in Nigerian universities from bachelor’s degree to doctoral status.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Franca Chukwuonwo, the NUC’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, explained that the decision aims to enhance clinical and practical training, broaden foundational course coverage, improve clinical skills, and comprehensively address all specialty areas.
The commission noted that the upgrade aligns with global best practices for training professionals in these fields.
As part of the changes, the duration of the upgraded programmes has been extended from five to six years to accommodate additional courses and clinical training requirements.
The affected programmes, now classified as doctoral degrees with integrated clinical sessions, include the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Doctor of Optometry (OD). These changes are reflected in the NUC’s Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) and Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).
