Top-up Degrees in Nigeria: Options & How to Enroll

Firstly, what is a top-up degree?

A Top-up degree is equivalent to the final year of an undergraduate degree. The courses offered at a top-up degree are aimed at giving students who have previously completed a foundation level degree an HND and have a desire to have a Bachelors’s degree the opportunity to do so.

Top-up Degrees  in Nigeria

Top-up degrees provide students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge, skills, and understanding of a particular field or course while obtaining a degree equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree with their former qualification.

Benefits of a top-up degree include the additional knowledge obtained which gives such a student an edge over the normal degree holders because he or she now has an in-depth knowledge of the course.

Nowadays, thousands of HND holders are seeking ways to upgrade their qualifications without necessarily returning to a university and starting a course all over from 100 level. This is possible with the top-up degree program. The top-up degree program usually runs for a period of one or two academic years or two semesters depending on the university. The candidate will be drilled in line with their previously held certificates. This means that a candidate applies for a course in line with his or her former degree.

On completion of the course, the students can now have two qualifications which are the former HND certificate (under the previous polytechnic) and the new BSc certificate under the name of the new university. The candidate has then upgraded from an HND to a B.Sc.
This article covers the courses and options provided in a top-up degree and the various universities under which one can obtain this degree. Read on below:

Faculty of the Humanities and Social Sciences

• B.A. Arabic Language
• B.A. English Language
• B.Sc. Mass Communication
• B.Sc. Political Science and Conflict Resolution
• B.A. History
• B.A International Relations
• B.A. Islamic Studies

Faculty of Management Sciences

• B.Sc. Accounting
• B.Sc. Banking and Finance
• B.Sc. Business Administration
• B.Sc. Economics

Faculty of Natural Sciences

• B.Sc. (Computer Science)
• B.Sc. (Mathematics)
• B.Sc. (Physics)
• B.Sc. (Statistics)

Faculty of Education

• B.A. Ed. Arabic
• B.A. Ed. English Language
• B.A. Ed. Islamic Studies
• B.Sc. Ed. Business Education
• B.Sc. Ed. Political Science
• B.Sc. Ed. Economics
• B.Sc. Ed. Computer Science
• B.Sc. Ed. Physics Education
• B.Sc. Ed. Biology Education
• B.Sc. Ed. Chemistry Education
• B.Sc. Ed. Mathematics Education
• B.Ed. Educational Management
• B.Ed. Guidance and Counselling

 Faculty of Engineering

• Eng. Agriculture and Bio-resources Engineering
• Eng. Computer Engineering
• Eng. Civil Engineering
• Eng. Electrical/Electronics Engineering
• Eng. Mechanical Engineering
• Eng. Mechatronics Engineering
• Eng. Materials and Metallurgical Engineering

Faculty of Social Sciences

• Sc. Demography and Social Statistics
• Sc. Economics and Development Studies
• Sc. Mass Communication
• Sc. Psychology
• Sc. Sociology
• Sc. Peace and Conflict Resolution
• Sc. Political Science
• Sc. Criminology and Security Studied

Faculty of Sciences

• Sc. Computer Science
• Sc. Mathematics
• Sc. Physics
• Sc. (Industrial Chemistry)
• Sc. Geophysics
• Sc. Geology
• Sc. Microbiology
• Sc. Animal and Environmental Biology

9. B.Sc. Biochemistry
   10.B.Sc. Plant Science and Bio-technology

Faculty of Agriculture

• Agric. Agricultural Economics and Extension
• Agric. Animal Production and Health
• Agric. Fisheries and Aquaculture
• Agric. Soil science
• Agric. Crop Science and Horticulture
• Agric. Food Science and Technology
• Agric. Water Resources Management and Agro-meteorology
• Agric. Hospitality and Tourism Management
• Sc Banking & Finance
• Sc Business Administration
• Sc. Computer Science
• Sc. Economics
• Sc. Mass communication
• Sc. Public Administration
• Sc. Library & Information Sciences
• Sc. Statistics
• Sc. Statistics
• Sc. Biochemistry
• Sc. Microbiology
• Sc. Industrial Chemistry

Categories of People that May Consider Top-Up Degree

In Nigeria, the HND to Bsc Conversion program or top-up degree is designed to help HND graduates upgrade their certificate to BSC.  Generally, any HND holder should consider the course. It is also ideal for the following sets of people:

1. HND holders with lower credit or pass
2. Graduates who want to change to another related or different course. .
3. Graduates of polytechnics can switch to an Educational degree so they can be qualified to become teachers.
4. University graduates with a third class or pass can consider a top-up degree in order to have a better grade.

Admission Requirements for a top-up degree

Candidates who wish to apply for a top-up degree must satisfy the following admission requirements:

• Applicants must possess a minimum of five (5) credits in O level examinations such as NABTEB, NECO, SSCE or its equivalent in subjects relevant to the proposed program. The result must be obtained in not more than two sittings. It is compulsory for all candidates to have credit levels in the English Language. In addition, all candidates to programs in the Colleges of Management Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Sciences and Social sciences, Natural Sciences and some Education Courses must have credits in Mathematics.
• Applicants must have a minimum of a third Class honors, Pass degree or HND certificate from a recognized institution in order to be eligible for the top-up degree program.
• Applicants must have completed or received an exemption from the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Scheme
• Candidates who hold professional qualifications such as ICAN, ANAN, and ACCA may also be considered from any discipline
• Candidates with HND pass grade from any recognized Polytechnic

Duration of Programme

Two (2) years of six (6) semesters (15 weeks per semester).

LECTURE/CONTACT PERIOD

Lectures shall take place during weekends.

Nigerian Universities that offer a Top-up degree

There are several reputable universities in Nigeria that offer courses in top-up degree programs (HND to Bsc or degree conversion course). The universities in Nigeria running top-up degree include:

1. Kwara State University, Ilorin (State)
2. Bells University Abeokuta (Private)
3. Alhikmah University Ilorin, Kwara State (Private)
4. Southwestern University Nigeria (Private)
5. Federal University of Oye Ekiti (Federal)
6. Ekiti State University (State)
7. Delta State University (State)
8. Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo
9. Babcock University, Ilisha-Remo