Ashford University Introduces Bachelor's Degree in Library Science and Media

SAN DIEGO, May 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As demands upon library personnel change to embrace new media and modern methods of document control, the educational requirements for professional librarians have evolved. Ashford University, an academic institution owned by Bridgepoint Education (NYSE: BPI), has created a degree in Library Science and Media that is a dynamic academic solution that reaches beyond the traditional librarian's realm of activity to the new landscape of library oversight, information management and research support.

Ashford's Bachelor of Arts in Library Science and Media, which will be available online in late June, offers a robust course load designed to explore the modern librarian's work environment, its relationship with the internet and established library rules, and does so with an advanced web-based student experience.

"The College of Education at Ashford University is pleased to expand our program offerings to include the Bachelor of Arts in Library Science and Media," stated Dr. Andrew Shean, executive dean of Ashford University's College of Education. "Contemporary industry relies heavily on the research and resources necessary to remain up to date and competitive, and a degree in Library Science and Media will ensure that graduates are equipped with the necessary skills."

Figures compiled in the United States Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition state the potential for future employment in the library sciences is above average, due in part to a large body of current librarians nearing retirement age and to the ongoing modernization of libraries overall (http://www.bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos068.pdf). An eight percent growth rate is predicted through 2018 for traditional library settings, while opportunities in corporate, brokerage and consulting roles are expected to increase even more.

Coursework for the Library Science and Media degree ranges from the technology of modern information management to the basics of children's and secondary school media, plus a grounding in age- and topic-specific literature, ethical considerations, plus mathematical and computer competencies. Students of this degree may seek jobs in data and information coordination and brokerage, telecom and web systems management, as well as traditional teaching, research, clerical and librarians' positions throughout public and private industry.

Ashford University's Bachelor of Arts in Library Science and Media does not provide licensure or certification of any kind, and it is the student's responsibility to determine individual states' requirements for practice.

About Bridgepoint Education

Bridgepoint Education's postsecondary education services focus on offering associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in such disciplines as business, education, psychology, social sciences and health sciences. Bridgepoint Education's regionally accredited academic institutions – Ashford University and University of the Rockies – deliver their programs online as well as at traditional campuses located in Clinton, Iowa, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. For more information about Bridgepoint Education, visit www.bridgepointeducation.com or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 858.668.2580.

About Ashford University

Founded in 1918, Ashford University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (www.ncahlc.org). The University offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs online and at its Clinton, Iowa, campus. The University is known for its high quality yet highly affordable online and on-campus programs. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu or call Shari Rodriguez, associate vice president of Public Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.

Contact: Shari Rodriguez, Associate Vice President of Public Relations
858.668.2580 [email protected]

SOURCE Bridgepoint Education