What Counts as a Professional Degree in 2026?

About this episode

Valerie Fuller discusses the implications of new federal loan limits on graduate students and the status of nursing as a professional degree.

Valerie Fuller, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, visited the podcast to talk about how new federal loan limits will change what graduate students can borrow and why nursing may no longer be considered a professional degree. The hosts also looked at the appropriations outlook on Capitol Hill, negotiations on rulemaking to implement the One Big Beautiful Bill, and more. Here are some of the links and references from this week's show: Graduate Loan Limits Valerie Fuller, president of American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Graduate and Professional Student Loan Limits Under the OBBB National Nurse Practitioner Organizations Express Concern Over Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking Nov. 21, 2025 AANP Advocacy Center Bills Introduced to Address Changes to Graduate Lending Programs NAICU Washington Update | Dec. 19, 2025 Nurses Continue to Lead in Honesty and Ethics Ratings Gallup | Jan. 12, 2026 Constitutionality of Race-Based Higher Education Grant Programs U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon Statement on the Office of Legal Counsel's Opinion on the Constitutionality of Race-Based Higher Education Grant Programs Negotiated…

People in this episode

Host: American Council on Education

Guest: Valerie Fuller

Topics covered

• professional degrees
• graduate student loans
• nursing education
• federal loan limits
• higher education policy

Keywords

• professional degree
• graduate loans
• nursing
• federal regulations
• higher education

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Department of Education, American Council on Education

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