Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) offers courses in Medicine, Law, Engineering, Agriculture, Arts, Education, Management Sciences, Social Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Computing and other fields.
For the 2026/2027 academic session, candidates generally need a minimum JAMB score of 150 to apply to COOU. However, applicants for Medicine and Surgery, Law, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Pharmaceutical Science need at least 200 to qualify for the university’s screening.
COOU has also expanded its course offerings. On September 24, 2026, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kate Azuka Omenugha announced that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had approved 16 new academic programmes following a resource-verification exercise carried out in August.
This guide covers the courses available at COOU, the newly approved programmes and the admission requirements prospective students should know.
COOU Courses at a Glance
| Requirement | COOU 2026/2027 |
|---|---|
| Minimum JAMB score for most courses | 150 |
| Professional courses minimum | 200 |
| First-choice requirement | Yes |
| Minimum age | 16 by September 30, 2026 |
| O’Level result upload | Required |
| Direct Entry | Available |
| Newly approved programmes | 16 announced |
| Application portal | apply.coou.edu.ng |
COOU’s official 2026/2027 admission notice states that candidates must make the university their first choice, although candidates who originally chose another institution may change to COOU through an accredited JAMB CBT centre. Applicants must also upload their O’Level results, while Direct Entry applicants must upload their relevant higher qualifications.
List of Courses Offered at COOU
COOU’s academic structure currently covers 15 faculties. The university’s main website lists areas including Agriculture, Arts, Education, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Health Science and Technology, Law, Management Sciences, Natural Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Social Sciences.
An earlier official COOU brochure lists the following 54 established departments/course areas.
Faculty of Agriculture
- Agricultural Economics and Extension
- Animal Science
- Crop Science
- Fisheries and Aquaculture
- Food Science and Technology
- Soil Science
COOU’s Faculty of Agriculture currently identifies programmes in Agricultural Economics and Extension, Animal Science, Crop Science and Horticulture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Food Science and Technology and Soil Science.
Faculty of Arts
- English
- History and International Relations
- Linguistics/Igbo Language
- Music
- Philosophy
- Religion and Human Relations
- Theatre Arts
The university’s current Arts faculty page also lists English Language, History and International Studies, Linguistics/Igbo Language, Music, Philosophy, Religion and Human Relations and Theatre Arts.
Faculty of Education
COOU’s education-related course areas include:
- Arts and Social Sciences Education
- Educational Foundation
- Library and Information Science
- Science Education
- Vocational Education
The university also specifically recommended the following education combinations to candidates who scored between 150 and 165 in the 2026 UTME:
- Education and Biology
- Education and Chemistry
- Education and Computer Science
- Education and Economics
- Education and Physics
- Education and Political Science
- Education Management
- Education and English
- Guidance and Counselling
- Business Education
- Social Studies
Faculty of Engineering
COOU offers:
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical/Electronics Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
The Faculty of Engineering currently confirms these four departments on its official website.
Faculty of Environmental Sciences
- Architecture
- Environmental Management
- Estate Management
- Urban and Regional Planning
These four departments also appear on COOU’s current academic directory.
Medical and Health-Related Courses
Established medical and health-related programmes include:
- Anatomy
- Medicine and Surgery
- Medical Laboratory Science
- Nursing Science
- Physiology
COOU also has faculties covering Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Clinical Sciences, Clinical Medicine and Health Science and Technology.
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Pharmacy/Pharmaceutical Science
The 2026 admission exercise treats Pharmaceutical Science as one of COOU’s professional programmes requiring at least 200 in UTME.
Management Sciences
COOU’s established management-related programmes include:
- Accountancy
- Banking and Finance
- Business Administration
- Entrepreneurial Studies
- Marketing
- Public Administration
Sciences
Science-related courses offered by COOU include:
- Biochemistry
- Biological Sciences
- Computer Science
- Geology
- Industrial Physics
- Mathematics
- Microbiology
- Pure and Industrial Chemistry
- Statistics
COOU’s current academic directory lists departments including Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Computer Science, Geology, Industrial Physics, Mathematics, Microbiology, Pure and Industrial Chemistry and Statistics.
Faculty of Social Sciences
Established programmes include:
- Criminology and Security Studies
- Economics
- Mass Communication
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
COOU’s current Social Sciences page specifically describes the faculty as covering areas including Economics, Political Science, Sociology and Psychology.
Faculty of Law
- Law
Law is one of the five professional programmes for which COOU requires a minimum UTME score of 200 for the 2026/2027 screening exercise.
New Courses Approved for COOU in 2026
This is an important change for prospective students.
COOU announced on September 24, 2026 that the NUC had approved 16 new academic programmes, allowing the university to begin the process of admitting students into them.
The programmes explicitly named in reports of the approval are:
| New COOU programme | Degree stated |
|---|---|
| International Relations | B.Sc. |
| Radiography | B.Rad. |
| Software Engineering | B.Sc. |
| Cyber Security | B.Sc. |
| Data Science | B.Sc. |
| Public Health | B.Sc. |
| Project Management | B.Sc. |
| Logistics and Supply Chain Management | B.Sc. |
| Transport Management | B.Sc. |
| Taxation | B.Sc. |
| Procurement | B.Sc. |
| Information Technology | B.Sc. |
| Environmental Health Sciences | B.EHS. |
| Optometry | O.D. |
| Physiotherapy | D.PT. |
Why Are Only 15 New Courses Listed?
There is currently a discrepancy in the information available.
The Vice-Chancellor announced that 16 programmes were approved, but the published reports of the announcement explicitly name only 15 programmes.
Before the approval, COOU’s official August 25 resource-verification announcement stated that NUC officials assessed:
- Information Technology/Information Systems
- Software Engineering
- Cyber Security
- Data Science
- Project Management
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- Transport Management
- Procurement
- Taxation
- International Relations
- Radiography
- Optometry
- Environmental Health
- Public Health
- Physiotherapy
The wording “Information Technology/Information Systems” means Information Systems could account for the difference between the announced total of 16 and the 15 courses subsequently named.
However, as of September 25, 2026, COOU has not published the final NUC approval list on its main website confirming Information Systems as a separate approved programme. Candidates should therefore wait for COOU’s admission portal or an official university notice before treating Information Systems as confirmed for admission.
COOU Admission Requirements for 2026/2027
Admission requirements depend on your chosen course, but there are general conditions that every applicant should know.
1. Choose COOU as Your First Choice
Candidates who sat for the 2026 UTME and selected COOU as their first-choice institution are eligible to participate in the admission screening, provided they meet the required score.
Candidates who initially chose another institution can change their institution to COOU through an accredited JAMB CBT centre before applying.
2. Meet the COOU JAMB Cut-Off Mark
For the 2026/2027 admission exercise:
150 and above applies to most COOU courses.
A minimum of 200 is required for:
- Law
- Medicine and Surgery
- Nursing
- Medical Laboratory Science
- Pharmaceutical Science
Remember that these are screening eligibility scores, not guaranteed departmental admission scores.
Meeting 150 or 200 only means you are eligible to apply. Admission will still depend on the programme, available spaces and the university’s admission process.
3. Meet the O’Level Requirements for Your Course
Candidates must have the relevant WAEC, NECO or equivalent subjects required for their intended programme and upload their O’Level result during the admission process.
The exact subjects are course-specific.
For example, COOU’s Faculty of Engineering requires credit passes in:
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- One other science subject
The engineering faculty states that the five credits may be obtained in one or two sittings.
Do not assume that the same O’Level combination applies to every COOU course.
4. Use the Correct JAMB Subject Combination
Your UTME subject combination must correspond to the programme you want to study.
For example, Engineering candidates generally require Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry in addition to the compulsory Use of English.
Requirements can differ considerably for Law, Management Sciences, Arts, Education and Social Sciences.
COOU’s admission portal now has an eligibility checker specifically designed to allow candidates to check the requirements for their chosen programme using their JAMB details.
5. Meet the Age Requirement
For the 2026/2027 session, applicants must be at least 16 years old by September 30, 2026.
6. Upload Your O’Level Result
Uploading your O’Level result is compulsory.
Direct Entry applicants are also required to upload their A’Level or relevant higher qualification.
COOU Requirements for Professional Courses
The following are currently classified by COOU as professional courses for the purpose of the 2026/2027 screening:
| Course | Minimum UTME score |
|---|---|
| Medicine and Surgery | 200 |
| Law | 200 |
| Nursing | 200 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | 200 |
| Pharmaceutical Science | 200 |
Candidates should note that a score of exactly 200 does not guarantee admission into any of these courses.
COOU Law Requirements
COOU requires Law candidates to score at least 200 in the 2026 UTME before applying for screening.
The JAMB brochure also contains specific provisions for COOU Law candidates. For Direct Entry, for example, it states that COOU accepts relevant GCE A’Level/HSC passes alongside the required O’Level subjects and also makes provision for degree holders who meet its requirements.
Candidates should confirm the current UTME and O’Level combination in the JAMB brochure or COOU eligibility checker before changing course or registering for UTME.
COOU Engineering Requirements
Applicants to COOU’s engineering programmes need five relevant O’Level credits, including:
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Chemistry
- One other science subject
COOU currently has Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical/Electronics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
COOU Direct Entry Requirements
COOU accepts Direct Entry applications for the 2026/2027 academic session.
According to the university, eligible qualifications may include:
- NCE
- OND
- HND
- First Degree
- A’Level qualifications in relevant disciplines
Direct Entry candidates must make COOU their first-choice institution and participate in the university’s screening.
They must also forward their academic transcripts to the Registrar within the stipulated admission period.
Individual departments may have additional Direct Entry requirements.
What If You Scored Between 150 and 165?
COOU specifically advised candidates with UTME scores between 150 and 165 to consider programmes with available opportunities.
These include courses in Agriculture, Engineering, Arts, Education, Physical Sciences and Environmental Sciences.
Examples include:
- Agricultural Economics and Extension
- Animal Science
- Crop Science
- Soil Science
- Fisheries and Aquaculture
- Chemical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Linguistics and Igbo
- Music
- Religious Studies
- Statistics
- Mathematics
- Geology
- Industrial Physics
- Industrial Chemistry
- Architecture
- Environmental Management
- Estate Management
- Urban and Regional Planning
This does not mean admission into these programmes is automatic. Candidates must still satisfy the O’Level and JAMB subject requirements for the course.
Are the New COOU Courses Available for 2026/2027 Admission?
The NUC approval means COOU has received regulatory clearance to commence the new programmes.
When announcing the approval on September 24, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kate Omenugha said the university would begin the admission process for the new courses without unnecessary delay.
However, candidates should not change their JAMB course to one of the new programmes simply because it appears on the approval list.
Wait until the programme becomes selectable on JAMB/COOU’s admission system and COOU publishes the admission procedure for the newly approved courses.
This is particularly important for new professional health programmes such as Radiography, Optometry and Physiotherapy.
How to Check Your COOU Course Requirements
COOU has provided a course eligibility checker on its admission portal.
Candidates can:
- Visit the COOU admission portal.
- Select the option to check course or programme requirements.
- Enter their JAMB registration number.
- Continue to view their admission eligibility.
The official admission portal is apply.coou.edu.ng.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the COOU cut-off mark for 2026/2027?
The minimum COOU JAMB score is 150 for most courses. Law, Medicine and Surgery, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Pharmaceutical Science require at least 200 for screening.
Does COOU offer Nursing?
Yes. Nursing is an established COOU programme and is classified as a professional course for the 2026/2027 admission exercise. Nursing applicants require at least 200 in JAMB to participate in the screening.
Does COOU offer Medicine and Surgery?
Yes. COOU offers Medicine and Surgery. The university’s College of Medicine and Teaching Hospital is based at its Awka campus.
Does COOU offer Pharmacy?
Yes. COOU has a Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and admits students into Pharmaceutical Science.
Does COOU offer Software Engineering?
Yes. Software Engineering is among the new programmes approved by the NUC in September 2026.
Does COOU offer Cyber Security?
Yes. Cyber Security is one of the newly approved programmes announced by COOU on September 24, 2026.
Does COOU offer Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy has now received approval as one of COOU’s new programmes. The announced degree is Doctor of Physiotherapy (D.PT.).
Does COOU offer Radiography?
Yes. Radiography was included among the newly approved programmes, with the degree listed as B.Rad.
Does COOU offer Public Health?
Yes. B.Sc. Public Health is among the programmes approved for COOU in September 2026.
Does COOU accept 150?
Yes. Candidates with 150 and above can apply for most COOU courses in the 2026/2027 admission exercise. The five professional programmes identified by the university require a minimum of 200.
Can I enter COOU without choosing it as first choice?
You need COOU as your first-choice institution for the admission process. Candidates who initially selected another school may complete a change of institution to COOU through an accredited JAMB CBT centre.
Final Note
COOU now offers programmes across Agriculture, Arts, Education, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Law, Medicine, Management Sciences, Sciences, Social Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences, with another 16 programmes announced as newly approved by the NUC in September 2026.
If you are applying for the 2026/2027 session, do not rely only on a general list of COOU courses. Check that:
- Your course is currently available for admission.
- You meet its O’Level requirements.
- You selected the correct JAMB subject combination.
- Your JAMB score meets COOU’s minimum requirement.
- COOU is your first-choice institution.
This is especially important for the newly approved programmes because their individual admission requirements and availability are still being rolled out by the university.