NOUN Postgraduate Courses | PGD, Masters & PhD Updated List

Complete list of NOUN postgraduate courses for 2026 — all 61 NUC-approved PGD, Master’s, and PhD programmes, including the accredited ACETEL degrees in AI, Cyber Security, and MIS.

NOUN Postgraduate Courses: What Is Actually on Offer in 2026?

A Master’s degree used to mean two impossible choices for working Nigerians: quit your job, or shelve the ambition. The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) exists to kill that dilemma — and its postgraduate arm has quietly grown into one of the largest in the country.

As of the university’s most recent accreditation records, NOUN runs 61 postgraduate programmes: Postgraduate Diplomas (PGD), Master’s degrees, and PhDs spread across eight faculties plus ACETEL, its World Bank-backed centre of excellence. Every single one is approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC) — NOUN has zero unapproved programmes.

Three things have changed since this list was last widely published, and they matter:

• ACETEL’s six technology programmes — M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, and Management Information Systems — now carry full NUC accreditation, the strongest status on the entire postgraduate list.
• Nine programmes are now fully Accredited (including the MBA, M.Sc. Business Administration, MPA, and M.Sc. Public Administration), with the remaining 51 holding Resource Verified status.
• The Faculty of Law’s postgraduate suite (PGD Legislative Drafting, LL.M, and Ph.D. Law) is firmly on the approved list.

Below is the complete, faculty-by-faculty breakdown — verified against the university’s official programme and accreditation records, not recycled from old blog posts.

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NOUN Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) Courses

The PGD is NOUN’s bridge qualification. It serves two groups: graduates moving into a new field, and those whose first-degree classification falls short of direct Master’s entry. Here is every PGD currently on offer:

PGD entry requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree from a recognised institution — third class and pass degrees are generally accepted at PGD level
• HND holders (minimum lower credit) qualify for most PGD programmes
• Five O-level credits including English Language, in no more than two sittings

NOUN Master’s Degree Courses

This is where NOUN’s postgraduate catalogue runs deepest. Programmes span the professional Master’s (MBA, MPA), academic M.Sc./M.A./M.Ed. degrees, and the Commonwealth executive programmes.

Faculty of Arts

Faculty of Education

Faculty of Health Sciences

Faculty of Law

Faculty of Management Sciences

Faculty of Science

Faculty of Social Sciences

ACETEL (Academic Centre)

Worth knowing: the four Management Sciences flagships (MBA, M.Sc. Business Admin, MPA, M.Sc. Public Admin) and all three ACETEL Master’s programmes hold full accreditation — the safest picks on the list if accreditation status is your deciding factor.

Master’s entry requirements:

• A Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of second class lower (2.2) in a relevant field from a recognised institution
• Third class + relevant PGD is an accepted route into many programmes
• HND + relevant PGD also qualifies
• Five O-level credits including English Language (plus Mathematics for science and management programmes)
• ACETEL programmes require a minimum CGPA of 3.0 on a 5-point scale (or a PGD with minimum 3 points) in a related discipline

NOUN PhD Courses

NOUN’s doctoral catalogue has expanded well beyond what most older lists show. Here is the current spread:

PhD entry requirements:

• A Master’s degree in the relevant field from a recognised institution, with a strong CGPA — typically a minimum of 3.50 on a 5-point scale (ACETEL requires 4.5 at M.Sc. level)
• A research proposal — for ACETEL, no more than five pages covering topic, introduction, objective, methodology, and mode of data collection
• All underlying qualifications (Bachelor’s degree and five O-level credits including English) in order

How Long Do NOUN Postgraduate Programmes Take?

Durations are counted in semesters, and the ranges below reflect minimum to maximum:

• PGD — 2 to 4 semesters (1 to 2 years)
• Master’s — 4 to 8 semesters (2 to 4 years); ACETEL Master’s run a minimum of 3 semesters for coursework plus dissertation
• PhD — 6 to 12 semesters (3 to 6 years)

The flexibility is the point: the maximum windows exist so that working professionals can slow down during demanding career seasons without losing their admission.

How to Apply for NOUN Postgraduate Programmes

Applications are online and open year-round for most programmes:

1. Visit the NOUN application portal at https://nouonline.nou.edu.ng and select your postgraduate programme.
2. Confirm you meet the entry requirements for your level (PGD, Master’s, or PhD).
3. Complete the form, upload your credentials — degree certificate, transcript, O-level results, and a research proposal where required.
4. Pay the application fee via Remita and submit.
5. Once admitted, register your courses and attach to your preferred study centre.

Applying for AI, Cyber Security, or MIS? ACETEL runs its own portal at https://aceteladmissions.nou.edu.ng with biannual intakes in December and May.

Why Choose NOUN for Postgraduate Study?

Strip away the marketing and three practical advantages remain:

• You keep earning while you learn. Course materials, TMAs, and facilitation are online; only examinations and select activities require physical presence at a study centre.
• It is dramatically cheaper. Semester costs at NOUN run a fraction of private university postgraduate fees — and there are no relocation or accommodation costs on top.
• The calendar does not collapse. NOUN’s immunity to the strike cycles that stretch conventional postgraduate programmes means your two-year Master’s actually takes two years.

Add full NUC approval across the board, and the case largely makes itself — especially for the nine fully accredited programmes and ACETEL’s technology suite.

Final Thoughts

NOUN’s postgraduate offering in 2026 is bigger, better accredited, and more technology-forward than the lists circulating online suggest. Whether your next step is a PGD to change direction, an accredited MBA to climb, or a PhD in Cyber Security to lead, there is a verified, NUC-approved route here — built around your job, not against it.

Check your eligibility against the requirements above, then head to https://nouonline.nou.edu.ng (or https://aceteladmissions.nou.edu.ng for ACETEL) to apply. For programme details and current fees, visit https://www.nou.edu.ng or speak with your nearest study centre.