₦airaland Forum

Hi Nlanders, I am about to seek admission into NOUN to obtain an M.Sc. in Public Health. I work for my state government and am also an entrepreneur. Due to the nature of my job being demanding. I am thinking of doing my MSc in NOUN. But what is holding me back is, is it internationally recognised. In case there is an opportunity later in future won't i be sidelined because i attended NOUN? Do conventional university recognize them assuming i want further for PhD?

Try unilag, there's option for part-time if your work is too demanding couple wth the fact that Unilag postgraduate programme are very fast, affordable, reliable and internationally recognised.

Spgs.unilag.edu.ng

oluwatobi01:
Try unilag, there's option for part-time if your work is too demanding couple wth the fact that Unilag postgraduate programme are very fast, affordable, reliable and internationally recognised.

Spgs.unilag.edu.ng

Thanks for the input. Proximity to my work place is also a factor I am considering

Masters is Masters so long the institution is accredited by NUC.

horlahwaley:
Hi Nlanders, I am about to seek admission into NOUN to obtain an M.Sc. in Public Health. I work for my state government and am also an entrepreneur. Due to the nature of my job being demanding. I am thinking of doing my MSc in NOUN. But what is holding me back is, is it internationally recognised. In case there is an opportunity later in future won't i be sidelined because i attended NOUN? Do conventional university recognize them assuming i want further for PhD?

A masters degree in nigeria right now is a waste of funds and time and i dont see that changing anytime soon!

breathcutter:
Masters is Masters so long the institution is accredited by NUC.

Master no be master oo,there's level to this thing oo. There's a reason why the riches chose some certain schools to attend despite their wealth, even though they might not make use of that certificates but they dare not go to anyhow schools.

Try federal university in your state or nearby state for part time programme. Since you complained of proximity when someone suggested UNILAG.

redcliff:
A masters degree in nigeria right now is a waste of funds and time and i dont see that changing anytime soon!

it will be good for him since he is already working with state government.

I am a proud alumnus of NOUN's Public Health Master's program, a member of the first cohorts of the course. My masters degree was accepted for my upcoming doctorate in the UK. It was a worthwhile investment, despite initial reservations.

NUC is the one that determines that. Once accredited by NUC, it is acceptable by any other University.

It is worth it.
NOUN is accredited and recognized just like those other accredited institutions.

Best of luck.

Thinking About a Master's Degree in 2025?

Before enrolling, ask yourself: Will this degree actually help me in my current role? If you're only doing it for the certificate, don’t bother.

Instead, focus on gaining more practical skills—they’ll likely bring better returns.

Kindly do it now if you can later you will appreciate it. Any certificate you can get now that is convenient for you quickly do it ..cos life does not get easier in the future, always strike when the iron is hot ..

Goodluck to you .

redcliff:
A masters degree in nigeria right now is a waste of funds and time and i dont see that changing anytime soon!

Well, there are many reasons why people choose to do their Msc. Like me now, I'm a forex trader, I don't even need it for any work aswear, because my mouth don big, but I like school well. I'm currently doing my MSc. Me no see am as waste of time

Please do ur masters in public health with ABU distance learning. Very fast paced and well structured. On ur certificate, it will be written ABU Zaria just like the normal full time students.

horlahwaley:
Hi Nlanders, I am about to seek admission into NOUN to obtain an M.Sc. in Public Health. I work for my state government and am also an entrepreneur. Due to the nature of my job being demanding. I am thinking of doing my MSc in NOUN. But what is holding me back is, is it internationally recognised. In case there is an opportunity later in future won't i be sidelined because i attended NOUN? Do conventional university recognize them assuming i want further for PhD?

internationally recognized ke? I doubt, most Nigerian certs are barely regarded or recognized outside Nigeria.

redcliff:
A masters degree in nigeria right now is a waste of funds and time and i dont see that changing anytime soon!

Yes.. I know someone who had a postgraduate degree from noun that is in Canada

duduade:
Yes.. I know someone who had a postgraduate degree from noun that is in Canada

is the person using the cert in Canada?
Nnnnnnnmooooooooootttttttyyyyyy

horlahwaley:
Hi Nlanders, I am about to seek admission into NOUN to obtain an M.Sc. in Public Health. I work for my state government and am also an entrepreneur. Due to the nature of my job being demanding. I am thinking of doing my MSc in NOUN. But what is holding me back is, is it internationally recognised. In case there is an opportunity later in future won't i be sidelined because i attended NOUN? Do conventional university recognize them assuming i want further for PhD?

NOUN is nationally and internationally recognized. Foreign universities and institutions seem to recognize NOUN more than most Nigerian traditional universities due to NOUN's high operation standard that reduces exam malpractice and student sorting after exams. They also employ more computerized system than most traditional universities in Nigeria.


It is the same with your traditional universities.


NOUN seems to maintain higher educational standard than most Nigerian universities.

The fact that you don't know who sets and mark your exam makes cheating and sorting almost impossible.



It's a great school.


Many Nigerians that graduated from there used it to gain admission at reputable universities abroad and even in Nigeria.



So go ahead

As someone who has studied both full-time and part-time, I am writing this from experience.

For PG programs, NOUN is FAR better than most of these conventional universities like UNILAG and others. Your course materials, course outline, past questions are all available before you start your courses, you have a clear direction of where you're going instead of chasing lecturers up and down. Attendance is also not required unless for specific purposes and they also do not go on strike.

NOUN is also the only university in Nigeria where you cannot bribe a lecturer to pass an exam. The only time you contact a lecturer (supervisor) is during your project. So it's perfectly ideal for employed PG students...

It is childish and also a sign of not been exposed for someone to be thinking that certain certificates from some institutions are inferior.

Masters or any other certificates from a well accredited institution is a valid certificate anywhere in the world

The most important thing is for you to be competent enough to defend whatever valid certificate that you have

oluwatobi01:
Try unilag, there's option for part-time if your work is too demanding couple wth the fact that Unilag postgraduate programme are very fast, affordable, reliable and internationally recognised.



Spgs.unilag.edu.ng

I had a masters in Information technology from NOUN and it is recognized in Canada. infact it greatly helped in my immigration process by boosting my CRS score by over 30 back then.

I'm working in a state health facility and I wanted to study master's in public health too.
I think I'll go for NOUN

It is a good idea but NOUN is not easy as people seems to see it I am talking from experience.

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has been a topic of discussion regarding the global acceptability of its certificates. Here's a breakdown of its recognition both locally and internationally:

**Local Acceptability:**

* **Accreditation:** NOUN's courses are accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC), which is the body responsible for accrediting degree programs in Nigeria [[1]](https://www.saylor.org/partners/skills/national-open-university-of-nigeria/)[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Open_University_of_Nigeria). This accreditation signifies that NOUN meets the required academic standards for higher education in Nigeria [[3]](https://noununiversity.com/noun-things-you-need-to-know/).
* **Recognition:** NOUN certificates are widely accepted in Nigeria [[4]](https://nounloaded.com.ng/noun-admission-requirements)[[5]](https://www.quora.com/How-relevant-is-the-National-Open-University-of-Nigeria-certificate-and-do-they-accept-them-for-the-NYSC).
* **NYSC:** NOUN graduates are issued with an exclusion letter, which serves the same purpose as a discharge certificate received after completing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program [[6]](https://myschoolnews.ng/national-open-university-of-nigeria-degrees-recognized-globally)[[7]](https://www.pulse.ng/articles/noun-5-things-you-should-know-about-national-open-university-of-nigeria-2024080122013535070).
* **Postgraduate Studies:** NOUN graduates can pursue further education, including master's programs, in other universities [[6]](https://myschoolnews.ng/national-open-university-of-nigeria-degrees-recognized-globally).
* **Employment:** NOUN degrees can be used for job applications and promotions [[6]](https://myschoolnews.ng/national-open-university-of-nigeria-degrees-recognized-globally).

**International Acceptability:**

* **Global Recognition:** NOUN degrees are recognized globally [[3]](https://noununiversity.com/noun-things-you-need-to-know/)[[6]](https://myschoolnews.ng/national-open-university-of-nigeria-degrees-recognized-globally).
* **International Accreditation:** NOUN has undergone an International Institutional Accreditation by the United Kingdom Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) [[8]](https://nou.edu.ng/noun-undergoes-intl-institutional-accreditation-exercise/)[[9]](https://acetel.nou.edu.ng/noun-undergo-international-accreditation/).
* **Collaboration:** The university collaborates with many academic institutions, both locally and internationally [[1]](https://www.saylor.org/partners/skills/national-open-university-of-nigeria/).
* **Open Educational Resources (OER):** NOUN is implementing a strategy to become an OER-based Open University [[10]](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303373324_The_Best_of_Two_Open_Worlds_at_the_National_Open_University_of_Nigeria). It was the first West African university to join the OERu, a network of institutions offering free online courses [[11]](https://www.oerafrica.org/system/files/2024-01/national-open-university-nigeria.pdf).

idrismodel:
It is childish and also a sign of not been exposed for someone to be thinking that certain certificates from some institutions are inferior.

Masters or any other certificates from a well accredited institution is a valid certificate anywhere in the world

The most important thing is for you to be competent enough to defend whatever valid certificate that you have

Right
Very very well said

Most important thing is defend your kpali

horlahwaley:
Hi Nlanders, I am about to seek admission into NOUN to obtain an M.Sc. in Public Health. I work for my state government and am also an entrepreneur. Due to the nature of my job being demanding. I am thinking of doing my MSc in NOUN. But what is holding me back is, is it internationally recognised. In case there is an opportunity later in future won't i be sidelined because i attended NOUN? Do conventional university recognize them assuming i want further for PhD?

NOUN is a valid and strategic option for busy professionals like you. It’s recognized, but may not carry the same prestige or automatic recognition internationally or in certain academic circles. If you are intentional about adding extra value (certifications, research, experience), you will not be sidelined—you’ll be more than prepared for future opportunities, including a PhD.

No knowledge is useless and I am glad that people before me have advised you properly. It's all in your head. Education is the best investment you can give to yourself and anyone who tells you otherwise is either ignorant or not well exposed.

Is it recognized? Yes. Someone above me told you something you should take note of, as long as a school and course has NUC accreditation, you are good to go.

Can you use it abroad? Yes. Again, don't let anyone mislead you. Go for what you can afford. Some people attended the best Ivy League schools and got the best certifications and haven't gotten what they thought they wanted and some people didn't go to school and reached heights the educated person could never achieve. Should I then say going to school is a scam or going to an Ivy League school makes no difference in your life?? No

NOUN was one of the schools of the future and it makes sense for those who like part time studies or distance learning. It was one of the early schools to embrace digital learning and when COVID came, their proof of concept passed the test. While other schools had been wasting time and finding excuses of not teaching in an online or hybrid environment, NOUN had done so since 2000s. It was during Obasanjo's time they were created and he tried promoting the school by going there himself.

horlahwaley:
Hi Nlanders, I am about to seek admission into NOUN to obtain an M.Sc. in Public Health. I work for my state government and am also an entrepreneur. Due to the nature of my job being demanding. I am thinking of doing my MSc in NOUN. But what is holding me back is, is it internationally recognised. In case there is an opportunity later in future won't i be sidelined because i attended NOUN? Do conventional university recognize them assuming i want further for PhD?

It depends on what you wish to do with the certificate. So, be very vigilant. We have two types of Masters Degree, which are: Professional Master's & Academic Master's. If you wish to switch over or have ambition of working as a Lecturer/Academic Technologist in tertiary institutions or centers/institute in the future, then go for Academic Master's Degree (E.g Msc, M-Tech, M-Eng etc). Any Degree that does not carry any of the afformentioned MSc, M.Tech, M.Eng. etc are known as Professional Certificate. E.g MBA= Master of Business Administration, MPA = Master of Public Administration, MPM = Master of Procurement Management etc while you may use them in other jobs, you can't use them to get a Lecturing job or technologist in tertiary institutions, or used them to get promotion in the Academic cadre. However you may used them as a Non-academic staff to advance your career in tertiary institutions.
I hope this my view will be helpful to you and others. Wishing you all the best.

akpumping7720:
Try federal university in your state or nearby state for part time programme. Since you complained of proximity when someone suggested UNILAG.

NOUN - National Open University of Nigeria na federal university

ernieboy:
is the person using the cert in Canada?
Nnnnnnnmooooooooootttttttyyyyyy

Yes na

It was assessed by Wes ...and he is into tech ..doing well