Federal judge blocks Trump admin's redefinition of 'professional degree,' preserving architecture's status

A federal judge temporarily voided the Trump administration's redefinition of 'professional degree' under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which would have declassified architecture, nursing, education, and other fields. The ruling, issued June 24, 2026, by Judge Beryl A. Howell, orders the Department of Education to revert to the 2007 definition that includes architecture. This allows architecture students to continue borrowing up to the full cost of attendance. The lawsuit was filed by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and five other organizations on May 1, 2026, the same day the DOE finalized its definition. A separate suit filed June 3 was later consolidated. Yale School of Architecture professor emerita Peggy Deamer welcomed the ruling but criticized professional architecture organizations for their silence. The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and AIA issued statements opposing the plan but took no legal action. The DOE must now create a new list of qualifying degrees; architecture's inclusion remains uncertain.