The Trump administration's definition of a "professional degree" may not include nursing. Here's what the term means and who could be impact
Kate Perez at USA Today:
As President Donald Trump's administration redefines which degrees are considered "professional," many graduate students are left with questions and concerns about how to finance their education. With a current list and definition of "professional degrees" used by the Department of Education, which omits some professions like nursing, here's what to know about which programs are listed and what it could mean for students.
What is a professional degree?
The confusion and controversy stem from a 1965 federal law, which defines a "professional degree" as one that "signifies both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor's degree." The definition goes on to list examples of a professional degree, including:
Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.)
Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.)
Chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.)
Law (L.L.B. or J.D.)
Medicine (M.D.)
Optometry (O.D.)
Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.)
Theology (M.Div., or M.H.L.)
While the definition states that the list is not exhaustive and that professional licensure is also generally required, past Department of Education committee meetings this fall to discuss student loan regulations and other issues have used the initial description that includes only those ten degrees.
What degrees are not classified as professional?
Multiple graduate programs are left off the "professional degree" list, including nursing, sparking responses from national organizations and groups advocating for a wider range of degrees to be represented under the umbrella. [...] How can it impact students?
Currently, the definition is being used in discussions surrounding student loan caps under the Trump Administration's "Big Beautiful Bill," which could drastically impact how much students are allowed to borrow. The bill eliminates the Grad PLUS loan program, which has historically helped students pursue careers in medicine, law and other training-intensive careers, and places caps on the Parent PLUS program, limiting them to $20,000 per year per student, with a $65,000 total limit. Graduate students pursuing "professional degrees" on the defined list are able to borrow up to $50,000 per year and up to $200,000 overall. But for students in graduate programs that are not considered "professional degrees," loans are capped at $20,500 per year. Graduate programs are limited to $100,000 overall.
The Trump Regime’s US Department of Education has made asinine changes as to what counts as a “professional degree.” Some of the degrees that no longer count include the following: nursing, social workers, and educators. Most of the people in occupations that are no longer offered as “professional degrees” are predominately women and/or persons of color, as this move is about entrenching male entitlement.
Full List of Degrees No Longer Classed as ‘Professional’
Nursing
Physician assistants
Physical therapists
Audiologists
Architects
Accountants
Educators
Social workers
Degrees Still Considered Professional
Medicine
Pharmacy
Dentistry
Optometry
Law
Veterinary medicine
Osteopathic medicine
Podiatry
Chiropractic
Theology
Clinical psychology
See Also:
Newsweek: Full List of Degrees Not Classed As ‘Professional’ by Trump Admin
Times Now World: Full List Of Degrees No Longer Considered ‘Professional’ By Trump’s Education Department
