Guest Column: Lowering student loan limits on public health degrees is a bad idea. Here’s why.
The U.S. Department of Education's proposal to exclude public health degrees from 'professional degree' loan benefits may reduce the number of graduates prepared to improve population health in Louisiana. Excluding public health students from higher federal loan limits could destabilize workforce development and undermine the state's ability to meet fundamental public health needs.
The U.S. Department of Education's proposal to exclude public health degrees from the definition of 'professional degree' under HR 1 threatens Louisiana students' access to higher education. Public health programs are rigorous, skills-based curricula that prepare students for specialized fields. Louisiana suffers from poor health outcomes, including high rates of preventable disease and maternal mortality. Restricting financial support for public health students would weaken the state's capacity to respond to health threats. Many students at Louisiana universities, including LSU and Tulane, rely on federal loans for graduate education. Excluding public health degrees from higher loan limits could lead to enrollment declines and workforce shortages.
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