Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI), a provider of post-secondary education services focusing on higher access to higher education, announced today that Ashford University has created a new Bachelor of Arts degree program in Adult Development. This targeted degree will be the foundation of many careers that support America's growing adult population, applicable to industries such as health care, social services, public administration, legal representation and law enforcement.
According to the United States Administration on Aging, the number of Americans between ages 45 and 64 has increased 38 percent since 1997. The National Institutes of Health has declared that the over-65 population will double in the next 25 years. As the adult portion of America's citizenry continues to grow, Ashford University has recognized that segment-specific knowledge and training is necessary to serve the members of that population.
"This new degree mirrors changes in the world around us, as more and more disciplines focus research on adulthood," stated Dr. Alice Vestergaard, Ashford's Health, Human Services and Sciences program director. "Multi-disciplinary perspectives of adulthood incorporate psychology, education, health, social sciences and anthropology. This new degree reflects the collaborative nature of the emerging research and study of adulthood."
Instead of modifying an existing degree to include adult topics, Ashford University built the Bachelor of Arts in Adult Development from the ground up. The Adult Development degree can also be specialized for gerontology, training and development, teaching, workforce services or health studies. Through the program's courses, students will be able to focus on the growing adult-specific demands on the public and private sector, including education, health and human services, counseling, social work, psychology, career services, legal representation, law enforcement, sociology and public administration.
"By incorporating learning theories and instructional design into this innovative degree, graduates are able to work in a variety of adult education settings serving diverse populations across the continuum of adulthood," added Dr. Rebecca Wardlow, program director for the College of Education.
Ashford University's Bachelor of Arts in Adult Development is currently available online. 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.