Nursing is a Professional Degree Act
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
This bill amends the Higher Education Act to clarify the definition of a ‘professional student’ and ‘professional degree.’ Specifically, it expands the list of degrees considered professional to include various healthcare and legal professions, such as nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, law, and others. The goal is to ensure that students pursuing these specialized degrees receive appropriate federal financial aid and support.
Key provisions
- Expands the definition of a ‘professional degree’ to include specific healthcare and legal degrees.
- Specifically lists degrees such as Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.), Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.), Law (L.L.B. or J.D.), and Medicine (M.D.).
- Includes degrees like Optometry (O.D.), Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.), Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.), Theology (M.Div. or M.H.L.), Clinical Psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.), and Nursing (MSN, DNP, DNAP, or Ph.D).
- Defines a ‘professional degree’ as requiring both academic completion and a level of professional skill beyond a bachelor’s degree.
- Clarifies that professional licensure is commonly required for these degrees.
- Authorizes the Secretary to determine if other degrees meet the criteria for a professional degree.
Who is affected
- Students pursuing degrees in healthcare professions (e.g., nursing, pharmacy, dentistry).
Bill text
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Sponsors
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3 on record
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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