Admissions & education guide. This article is designed for prospective students in Nigeria who already hold a BSc in Business Administration or a related qualification and are considering an online Master’s pathway at University of NorthWest (UNW). It is a planning guide based on the university’s current public admissions, program and tuition pages; it is not an independent ranking, accreditation endorsement, or guarantee of admission, recognition or professional acceptance.
Why this question matters for Nigerian business graduates
A common search pattern among prospective postgraduate students is straightforward: “I already have a BSc in Business Administration. Can I continue directly into an online Master’s in the same field?” The first step is not to assume that the exact wording of a previous degree will appear again at postgraduate level. Instead, applicants should compare their academic background with the current Master’s programs that UNW publicly lists and ask the Admissions Office to confirm program fit in writing before making a payment.
UNW’s current Master’s program list includes Master of Science in Management, along with programs such as Computer Science, Development Administration, Human Resource Development, Foreign Service, Yoga Therapy, Information Systems, Cyber Security and Financial Engineering. At the time of this guide, Business Administration is not shown as a separate Master’s title on the university’s public Master’s list. For a Nigerian applicant with a BSc in Business Administration, the practical question is therefore whether the Master of Science in Management is academically suitable for the applicant’s previous coursework and intended career direction.
The best place to start is the university’s official Admissions page, followed by the current program listings and a written program-fit question to Admissions.
Step 1: Compare your BSc background with the current Master’s title
Business Administration degrees in Nigeria can include management, accounting, finance, marketing, organisational behaviour, entrepreneurship, operations and related subjects. That overlap may make a Management program worth reviewing, but overlap does not create automatic eligibility. Admission decisions depend on the university’s academic review of the applicant’s actual educational background.
When contacting Admissions, it is useful to state the exact name of your BSc, the awarding institution, graduation year, the major subjects studied, and any relevant work experience. Then ask a precise question such as whether your academic profile is suitable for the current Master of Science in Management pathway and whether any additional academic requirements would apply.
Step 2: Treat prior learning as a review, not an automatic credit promise
UNW’s current admissions information states that students who demonstrate prior experiential learning may be entitled to course reductions toward degree requirements. That wording is important. It means prior education or professional experience can be reviewed, but it does not mean every applicant automatically receives transfer credit, a shorter degree, or a lower total fee.
For a working professional in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Kano or elsewhere in Nigeria, relevant evidence might include formal university studies, professional training, management responsibilities, industry certifications or other structured learning. The university’s Apply Now form specifically asks applicants to list all schools attended even if they did not graduate, including colleges, universities, trade schools, private schools, training courses and other education. That makes a complete educational history more useful than listing only the final degree.
Step 3: Understand the published off-campus Master’s cost
UNW’s current Tuition Fee page lists the following published off-campus Master’s charges:
- Admission fee: US$100 (non-refundable)
- Tuition: US$1,500 per semester
- Examination fee: US$100 per semester
- Published Master’s duration for this fee table: 4 semesters
Using only those published items, a basic planning calculation is US$100 + four semesters of US$1,500 tuition + four semesters of US$100 examination fees, or approximately US$6,500. This should be treated as a budgeting reference rather than a guaranteed final invoice because the university states that fees are subject to change.
What the Easy Installment Program does — and does not mean
The same tuition page states that the Easy Installment Program is available for registered students and directs students to the Admission Office for further details. The public page does not provide a universal monthly installment table for every student.
Before relying on installments, an applicant should ask for the current written payment structure applicable to the chosen program. A sensible tuition-planning request should ask what must be paid before registration, how the remaining tuition can be divided, whether examination fees are billed separately, and whether any deadlines apply to the installment arrangement.
Step 4: Check recognition for your intended use before enrolling
Recognition should be checked for the purpose that matters to you: employment, promotion, further study, professional licensing or another regulated use. UNW’s current Accreditations & Memberships page states that the university operates without accreditation from an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For that reason, applicants should not assume automatic recognition in Nigeria or any other country.
If you intend to use the qualification with an employer, university, professional council, ministry or other authority, ask that body what documentation it requires before you commit financially. This is especially important when the degree will be used for a regulated profession, promotion framework, public-sector appointment or admission to another university.
Step 5: Prepare a stronger application file
A Nigerian applicant moving from a BSc in Business Administration toward postgraduate study can make the review easier by preparing a concise academic profile. Include the exact degree title, awarding institution, dates of study, major subjects, employment history relevant to management, and any professional or executive training. If some studies were incomplete, list them rather than omitting them, because the application form asks for the broader educational record.
It is also useful to state the intended outcome. For example, an applicant seeking management responsibility in a private company may have a different academic objective from someone planning doctoral study, entrepreneurship, public administration or an academic career. A clear objective gives Admissions better context for determining whether the available Management program fits the applicant’s goals.
A practical five-question checklist before paying
- Is the Master of Science in Management the current program that best matches my BSc in Business Administration?
- Has my previous university study and professional learning been formally reviewed for any possible course reduction?
- What is my current total fee schedule in writing, including tuition and examination charges?
- What installment arrangement is available to me after registration?
- Will the qualification be acceptable for the specific employment, academic or professional purpose for which I intend to use it?
How to apply or request a preliminary review
Prospective students can review the official UNW admissions information, check the current tuition table, and submit the university’s official Apply Now form.
Applicants who want an additional preliminary admission-review step before completing the university form can also use the publishing network’s global admission-review page. That preliminary review is not a substitute for the university’s formal admissions decision.
Bottom line
For a Nigerian graduate with a BSc in Business Administration, the strongest next step is not to assume that a same-name Master’s exists. The current public program list points instead to the Master of Science in Management as a program worth evaluating. Confirm the academic fit in writing, provide your complete educational background, treat prior learning as an individual review rather than an automatic credit award, calculate fees from the current published table, and verify recognition for your intended use before paying.