Public Outcry as Trump Declares Architecture and Nursing are No Longer ‘Professional Degrees’
Image courtesy of Northeastern University
By Mariam Baldwin
Architecture and nursing are no longer ‘professional degrees’ – at least according to the US Department of Education. This reclassification, which will take effect on July 1, 2026, is part of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It will affect the amount of federal loan money that graduate students in these fields can get.
A professional degree prepares students for a specific field that often requires licensure. Common examples of these include a Juris Doctor for law and a Doctor of Medicine for medical practice. Both of these degrees are still considered professional, along with others for dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, optometry, podiatry, chiropractic, theology, and clinical psychology. Architecture and nursing are not the only degrees that are no longer considered professional. Some of the degrees that are no longer professional include ones for physician assistants, physical therapists, audiologists, accountants, educators, and social workers.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) made a strong statement against this reclassification, stating that it “strongly opposes any proposal or policy that fails to recognize architects as professionals, particularly when designating which degrees qualify for student loan caps.” AIA continued:
“The title of ‘architect’ is earned through years of rigorous education, extensive professional examinations, and a demanding licensing process. To classify otherwise dismisses the expertise, professional standards, and dedication that define the profession. Lowering the loan cap will reduce the number of architects who can afford to pursue this professional degree and harm American leadership in this field.
AIA will be actively engaged with policymakers to ensure that the essential role and professional standing of architects are properly recognized in federal policy. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the integrity and value of the architectural profession.”
The American Nurses Association shared similar sentiments against nursing being cut from the list of professional degrees:
“At a time when healthcare in our country faces a historic nurse shortage and rising demands, limiting nurses’ access to funding for graduate education threatens the very foundation of patient care. In many communities across the country, particularly in rural and underserved areas, advanced practice registered nurses ensure access to essential, high-quality care that would otherwise be unavailable. We urge the Department of Education to recognize nursing as the essential profession it is and ensure access to loan programs that make advanced nursing education possible.”
The implications of this bill are indeed drastic. Students in non-professional fields will only be allowed to borrow $20,500 in a year and $100,000 across all years. This is much less than the previous annual loan limit of $50,000 and lifetime cap of $200,000. Graduate school can cost as much as $300,000, and that fails to take into account the money required to obtain licensure. For some students, this is a staggering blow that will leave them unable to finish their degrees.
The Big Beautiful Bill Act might seem like a faraway problem, but it will be enacted in less than a year and could have a profound effect on Catholic University students. Both architecture and nursing are some of the school’s most premier programs, and this new bill provides a major roadblock for those struggling to pay for graduate education. It remains to be seen how this will affect the number of students pursuing these degrees and if there will be a shortage of people able to fill important roles in the future.
