Ashford University has introduced a new Bachelor of Arts degree in Real Estate Studies designed to support a career in the real estate field. The degree balances the theory and business of real estate with the laws and regulations that govern it. Students will receive a big picture view of the real estate industry with the BA in Real Estate Studies, including the concept, history, facts and the processes that support it.

The faculty at Ashford University, an academic institution owned by Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI), considered the cyclical expansion and contraction of America's real estate market when creating the Real Estate Studies BA. Ashford developed the program in preparation for the growth surge predicted to follow real estate's current lull, positioning the degree to fulfill the needs of graduates who plan to ride the real estate upswing into lifelong careers.

"Ashford University's BA degree in Real Estate Studies equips those students seeking any number of careers in real estate, investment and real estate support services, preparing them to be professionals in this critical field," said Dr. Steve McQueen, program chair for Economics and Quantitative Methods in Ashford University's College of Business and Professional Studies.

Ashford's Bachelor of Arts in Real Estate Studies is now available online. It does not provide licensure or certification of any kind and further qualifications and examinations may be necessary to obtain employment.

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.