The National Universities Commission (NUC) has elevated the status of pharmacy, physiotherapy, and optometry degrees in Nigerian universities from bachelor’s to doctor status.
Westernmirror.com.ng reports that the new development according to the commission aligns with global best practices and aims to improve the training quality of healthcare professionals in the country.
Previously, these programmes were structured as five-year bachelor degrees, namely Bachelor of Pharmacy (B. Pharm), Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT), and Bachelor of Science in Optometry (B.Sc. Optometry).
They lacked the additional clinical training and coursework required for a doctor status qualification.
Under the new arrangement, the degrees have been renamed 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 duration of these programmes will now extend to six years to accommodate the extra clinical training and coursework.
The NUC emphasized that this adjustment will ensure comprehensive foundational courses, improved clinical skills, and specialized training within the respective disciplines.
It is also expected to enhance the international competitiveness of Nigerian graduates, aligning their certifications with global standards, thereby increasing employability and facilitating further academic pursuits abroad.
The commission further clarified that the Doctor of Medical Laboratory Science (DMLS) programme is not recognized in its Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) or Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS). As such, it is not an approved offering in any Nigerian university.
Stakeholders have however, been urged to note these developments as part of the NUC’s comprehensive effort to harmonize Nigeria’s higher education system and promote global competitiveness.