And? the definition of a professional degree is something that leads to a doctoral-level program. Under the new definition, programs in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, law, veterinary medicine, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, chiropractic, theology, and clinical psychology are considered professional.
I believe the logic is you can't work as a doctor with only a bachelor's degree, which is why the cap is higher... or a lawyer... or a clinical psychologist... however, you can be a nurse with a bachelor's degree. Yes, the nurse's union is crying foul (because the change affects their members), and I don't blame them for standing up for their members, but let's be real: how many other "professionals" are ineligible for the professional student loan cap? Are paramedic degrees considered professional degrees? What about IT degrees? Or business? or engineering? or clinical engineering? or accounting? what about education? hey
@MMiz, are teachers professionals, and is an education degree professional?
BTW, the department said "These measures were brought in with the intention of creating a "new and simplified" Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP)—whereby annual loans for new borrowers were capped at $20,500 for graduate students and $50,000 for professional students" which means associates, bachelors & masters programs were NEVER intended to be included in the program, and the "professional" description was for students in programs that exceeded graduate programs. This is much ado about nothing
The Department of Education has excluded nursing as a "professional degree" program as it implements various changes to student loans.
www.newsweek.com