The National Universities Commission (NUC) has announced that students pursuing Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, and Optometry in Nigerian universities will now spend six years instead of the current five years to graduate. Upon completion, students will be awarded Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D), Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT), and Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degrees, replacing the Bachelor’s degrees previously awarded.

In a statement released on Wednesday by the NUC’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, Franca Chukwuonwo, the commission explained that the extension and upgrades were necessary to align these programmes with global standards. Additional courses and clinical sessions have been incorporated into the curriculum to improve practical training, clinical skills, and coverage of specialty areas.

The NUC stated, “This quest to upgrade the status of some medical-related programmes from Bachelor’s degree to Doctorate status was borne out of the desire to ensure that Nigerian graduates are globally competitive in certificate evaluation, employability, and further studies.” The commission noted that the changes aim to harmonise Nigerian degrees with international standards, enhancing the global recognition and acceptance of certificates issued by Nigerian universities.

Additionally, the NUC warned prospective students against enrolling in any university offering a Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme, as it has not been approved by the commission. The NUC emphasised that the DMLS programme is not included in its Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) or Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) and, therefore, cannot be offered by any Nigerian university.