Bridgepoint Education's Ashford University to Offer Bachelor of Arts in Health Education

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Ashford University, an academic institution owned by Bridgepoint Education (NYSE: BPI), has just introduced its Bachelor of Arts in Health Education degree. This program is positioned to support students seeking employment in the ever-expanding health care industry. During its design process, close attention was paid to America's evolving wellness landscape and the Health Education BA encompasses modern demographic trends to provide learners an overarching understanding of health care.

America's health service system increases in size every day. According to the U.S. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011 Edition, jobs in health education will mirror this growth with an 18% increase through 2018. This will create a demand for professionals who are versed in the nuances of health information and who can support the educational needs of wellness consumers. Ashford University's Health Education BA was created to deliver this, enhancing students' grasp of the information and background influencing the health care experience in the United States.

"As health reform increasingly focuses on cost containment, there is a growing trend to focus medical care on prevention," said Dr. Alice Vestergaard, executive dean of Ashford's College of Health, Human Services and Sciences. "This degree helps prepare health educators to advocate for and work toward implementation of wellness programs and disease prevention campaigns across a wide variety of settings."

The U.S. Occupational Outlook Handbook also states that a bachelor's degree is essential for jobs in wellness information and instruction. Ashford University's Health Education BA can open doors for students, placing them on the leading edge of comprehension in the health care industry. Graduates holding this degree will be positioned to pursue non-clinical occupations with a broad range of health care and life-fitness organizations, preventative care providers, as well as specialized advocacy, government-based agencies and non-governmental organizations.

Available online from Ashford University, the Bachelor of Arts in Health Education does not lead to licensure or certification of any kind. 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.

SOURCE Bridgepoint Education Inc.