Bridgepoint Education's Ashford University Introduces Bachelor's Degree in Health Marketing and Communication

Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI), a provider of postsecondary education services focused on providing higher access to higher education, announced today that Ashford University has added a new Bachelor of Arts degree in Health Marketing and Communication. This program was created to offer students instruction in the dynamic healthcare field, an industry that is one of the largest in the United States and is projected to continue to grow.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs in healthcare are expected to grow at twice the rate of the overall economy. Job growth will include support positions in areas such as marketing and communication. Ashford's BA in Health Marketing and Communication will prepare students for careers as Communications Specialists, Health Care Assistant Account Managers, Advertising Assistants, Social Media Wellness Promotion Specialists, Health and Wellness Advocates, Health Care Public Relations Specialists or Physician Relations Representatives.

The Bachelor of Arts in Health Marketing and Communication degree is a versatile, multi-disciplinary degree that combines curriculum in many areas, including health and wellness, public health, journalism, marketing and advertising. Graduates from the BA in Health Marketing and Communication program can look forward to career opportunities in a wide range of industries beyond the healthcare field. Career paths could lead to the human resources, insurance, pharmaceuticals, government or non-profit sectors.

"Healthcare is an ever-changing field and people who can plan, formulate and deliver health communication messages are in great demand," said Dr. Alice Vestergaard, health, human services and science program director for Ashford University. "Whether it's communicating about a specific health service or the improvement of health awareness in general, this degree provides people the skills and tools to create, communicate and deliver customer/client-centered health information and interventions to protect and promote the health and wellness of diverse populations."

Ashford University's Bachelor of Arts in Health Marketing and Communication is currently available online only. This degree does not lead to licensure or certification of any kind.

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.