Official List of Courses Offered in University of Calabar (UNICAL) for 2026/2027

Official List of Courses Offered in the University of Calabar (UNICAL): Planning to study at the “Malabito Republic”? If you have chosen the University of Calabar (UNICAL) in Cross River State for the 2026/2027 academic session, you are targeting one of the most vibrant second-generation universities in Nigeria.

UNICAL is famous for its proximity to the Calabar River and its strong academic heritage. However, the university has recently undergone massive changes that many candidates are unaware of—including the creation of entirely new faculties and the unbundling of old ones.

NOTE: Before you browse the list, you must be aware of three major updates that could save you from making a costly mistake:

1. Mass Comm is Unbundled: UNICAL has scrapped the single “Mass Communication” department. It is now a full Faculty of Media and Communication Studies with specialized degrees like Journalism, Broadcasting, and Advertising.

2. Pharmacy Warning: While UNICAL offers Pharmacy, the faculty has faced accreditation challenges recently (interim status). It is a fantastic course, but be aware that it is currently under strict NUC scrutiny.

3. Dentistry Quota: The Faculty of Dentistry has a strict quota from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). Admission here is extremely competitive, not just because of the score, but because the professional body strictly limits the number of students the school can admit.

Below is the official and accredited list of courses offered at UNICAL for the 2026/2027 session, categorized by their Faculties.

1. Faculty of Media and Communication Studies (New)

Formerly “Mass Communication,” this is now unbundled into specialized degrees.

• Advertising

• Broadcasting

• Development Communication

• Film and Multimedia Studies

• Information and Media Studies

• Journalism and Media Studies

• Public Relations

2. College of Medical Sciences

This is the most competitive college. Admission here is fierce.

• Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) — Strictly One Sitting O-Level.

• Dentistry and Dental Surgery

• Human Anatomy

• Human Physiology

• Human Nutrition and Dietetics

• Nursing Science (B.NSc) — Very high demand.

• Public Health

3. Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences

• Medical Laboratory Science (B.MLS) — One of the most applied-for courses.

• Physiotherapy

• Radiography

4. Faculty of Pharmacy

• Pharmacy (Pharm.D) — Now a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

5. Faculty of Law

• Law (LL.B) — Civil Law. Literature-in-English is compulsory.

6. Faculty of Engineering

UNICAL’s engineering faculty is fully operational.

• Agricultural and Bio-resource Engineering

• Chemical Engineering

• Civil Engineering

• Computer Engineering

• Electrical and Electronics Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Petroleum Engineering

7. Faculty of Management Sciences

• Accounting — Very competitive.

• Banking and Finance

• Business Management

• Marketing

• Public Administration

8. Faculty of Social Sciences

• Economics

• Environmental Resource Management

• Political Science

• Social Work

• Sociology

• Tourism Studies — UNICAL is one of the few schools offering this due to Calabar’s status as a tourism hub.

9. Faculty of Physical Sciences

• Computer Science — Requires Physics and Math.

• Geology

• Mathematics

• Physics

• Pure and Applied Chemistry

• Statistics

10. Faculty of Biological Sciences

• Botany

• Genetics and Biotechnology — A unique and modern course.

• Microbiology

• Zoology and Environmental Biology

11. Faculty of Arts

• Christian Religious Studies

• English and Literary Studies

• History and International Studies

• Linguistics and Communication Studies

• Modern Languages and Translation Studies (French)

• Philosophy

• Religious and Cultural Studies

• Theatre and Media Studies

12. Faculty of Environmental Sciences

• Architecture

• Estate Management

• Environmental Protection and Resource Management

• Geography and Environmental Science

• Surveying and Geoinformatics

• Urban and Regional Planning

13. Faculty of Agriculture

• Agricultural Economics

• Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology

• Animal Science

• Crop Science

• Fisheries and Aquaculture

• Food Science and Technology

• Forestry and Wildlife Management

• Soil Science

14. Faculty of Education

• Adult Education

• Agricultural Education

• Arts Education (English, History, Religion, French)

• Business Education

• Educational Administration and Planning

• Educational Technology

• Guidance and Counselling

• Human Kinetics and Health Education

• Library and Information Science

• Science Education (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math)

• Social Studies Education

• Special Education

• Technology and Vocational Education

Important Admission Secrets for 2026/2027

To secure admission into UNICAL, you need to understand their “Catchment” and O-Level policies:

1. The Catchment Area Advantage UNICAL gives preferential admission to candidates from the South-South states. If you are from Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, or Edo, you have a higher chance on the “Catchment” list. However, the Merit list is open to all Nigerians with high scores.

2. The “One Sitting” Rule for Medicine

• Medicine & Surgery: UNICAL strictly accepts One Sitting in WAEC/NECO for MBBS. Do not combine two results if you want Medicine here.

• Other Courses: Two sittings are generally accepted.

3. Cut-Off Mark Reality

• General Cut-Off: UNICAL usually sets a baseline of 140 or 150.

• Real Targets:

  • Medicine/Law: You need 260 – 280+.

  • Nursing/Med Lab: Aim for 230 – 250+.

  • Computer Science/Engineering: Aim for 200 – 220.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does UNICAL offer Cyber Security? No. As of the 2026/2027 session, UNICAL does not offer Cyber Security as a standalone degree. You should apply for Computer Science.

Does UNICAL offer Mass Communication? Yes, but remember it has been unbundled. You will likely apply for specific degrees like Journalism or Broadcasting in the new Faculty of Media and Communication Studies.

Is Nursing Science accredited at UNICAL? Yes. Nursing Science is accredited and is one of the most competitive courses.