Campaign Calls for Protection of Public Health Degrees

The Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) has called for opposition to the Department of Education’s recently proposed definition of professional degree programs. The proposal, which would exclude the Master of Public Health (MPH), Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), and other public health programs, is part of DOE’s implementation of changes to federal student loans mandated by passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The change would affect loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2026. Graduate students in programs recognized as “professional” degrees will be eligible to receive $50,000 a year in federal student loans up to a total of $200,000. The regulation defines a professional degree as “a degree that signifies both completion of the academic requirements for beginning practice in a given profession and a level of professional skill beyond that normally required for a bachelor's degree” and notes that “professional licensure is also generally required.”

Examples of professional degrees given in the regulation include Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), Dentistry (DDS or DMD), Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Chiropractic (DC or DCM), Law (LLB or JD), Medicine (MD), Optometry (OD), Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Podiatry (DPM, DP, or PodD), and Theology (MDiv or MHL).

By excluding public health degrees, the proposed change “could restrict students’ access to higher federal loan limits, making public health education less financially attainable and potentially weakening the future workforce pipeline,” ASPPH warns. “The proposal also overlooks decades of precedent recognizing these degrees as professional credentials essential to protecting community health and advancing health equity.”

ASPPH has drafted a public letter of opposition. Individuals interested in signing the letter can do so by completing a Google form.

In response to DOE’s invitation for public feedback on its proposal, AIHA submitted comments (PDF) in August that stated the organization is “extremely concerned about the devastating implications” the change could have on the pipeline of occupational and environmental health and safety professionals. AIHA’s comments note that the Council for Education on Public Health (CEPH) recognizes the MPH and DrPH as professional degrees.

Update (Jan. 7, 2026): ASPPH has published a new home page for its campaign.