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Bill

S 4568

Nursing is a Professional Degree Act

119th Congress Introduced by Susan Collins and 5 co-sponsors

The bill redefines “professional degree” to explicitly include Nursing (MSN, DNP, DNAP, PhD in Nursing) among recognized professional degrees in higher education policy.

Introduced in Senate
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 4568

Overview

  • Bill: S.4568, 119th Congress
  • Title: Nursing is a Professional Degree Act
  • Purpose: Amend the definition of “professional student” and establish a formal list of professional degrees, including nursing, within the Higher Education Act of 1965.
  • Introduced: May 19, 2026, by Sen. Merkley (co-sponsored by Wicker, Collins, Lummis, Murkowski, Whitehouse)
  • Status: Referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Main Purpose and Intent

  • The bill seeks to redefine the concept of a “professional degree” within the Higher Education Act to explicitly include Nursing (MSN, DNP, DNAP, or Ph.D. in Nursing) as a professional degree.
  • It broadens and clarifies what constitutes a professional degree beyond traditional fields currently listed, signaling recognition of nursing at advanced levels as a professional credential associated with advanced practice and licensure pathways.

Key Provisions

  • Amendment to Section 455(a)(4)(C) of the Higher Education Act of 1965:
    • Removes a prior reference to a cross-reference to 34 C.F.R. § 668.2 (as in effect on enactment date) in the “professional student” definition.
    • Adds a new subparagraph defining “PROFESSIONAL DEGREE.”
    • Definition criteria (subclause I): A degree that completes the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession (typically accompanied by licensure) and represents a level of professional skill beyond a standard bachelor's degree.
    • Subclause II lists specific degrees and professions that meet the definition, expressly including Nursing (MSN, DNP, DNAP, or Ph.D.) among others.
    • The list of included professional degrees currently enumerates:
      • 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/Osteopathy (D.O.)
      • Podiatric Medicine/Podiatry (D.P.M., D.P., or Pod.D.)
      • Theology/Religious Studies (M.Div. or M.H.L.)
      • Clinical Psychology (Psy.D. or Ph.D.)
      • Nursing (MSN, DNP, DNAP, or Ph.D.)
      • Any other degree meeting the criteria, as determined by the Secretary of Education

Who Would Be Affected

  • Postsecondary students who are classified as “professional students” under the Higher Education Act definitions.
  • Nursing students pursuing advanced practice or terminal nursing degrees (e.g., Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia, DNAP, Ph.D. in Nursing) would be explicitly recognized as pursuing a professional degree.
  • Institutions and programs that confer these degrees may be affected in terms of how they are categorized under federal higher education policy and certain federal programs tied to professional degree status (e.g., eligibility criteria, reporting, compliance, or programmatic funding considerations).

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Legislative action an initial step:
    • Introduction to the Senate and referral to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for consideration.
  • No specific funding, implementation timeline, or regulatory deadlines are provided in the text excerpt; the bill would typically progress through committee markup, potential floor consideration, and, if enacted, regulatory updates by the Department of Education to reflect the revised definition.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Clarifies and formalizes nursing as a professional degree category within federal higher education policy, aligning recognition with other professions that require advanced practice licensure and specialized training.
  • Could influence federal program eligibility, reporting standards, and potential policy discussions around funding, accreditation, and licensure pathways for nursing education.
  • May affect data collection and benchmarking related to professional degrees in higher education, as nursing would be explicitly enumerated among recognized professional degrees.

Note: The summary reflects the bill text as introduced. If enacted, implementing regulations or guidance from the Department of Education could provide additional details on operational effects and any ancillary changes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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