Bridgepoint Education's Ashford University Introduces Bachelor of Arts in Business Leadership

Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI), a provider of postsecondary education services focused on providing higher access to higher education, is pleased to announce that Ashford University has developed a new degree: the Bachelor of Arts in Business Leadership. This targeted BA is designed to give business students an anchor in the practices of forward-looking personnel management, and to teach the core competencies necessary for supervisory success in the working world.

"Ashford University's BA in Business Leadership equips the business leaders of tomorrow with the leadership and human relations skills needed to more effectively move the modern organization forward," said Dr. Michael Reilly, Ashford University's College of Business and Professional Studies program director. "Strong, effective, and ethical leaders are more essential than ever in this postmodern world."

The Bachelor's degree in Business Leadership was created to serve as an ideal foundation for careers in management. The degree can also function as a basis for human resources specializations, organizational development, community relations, or any position where a leadership role will be assumed.

An essential distinction of the Business Leadership BA is its focus on leadership – the development of capacities that affect oversight and guidance of personnel and human capital – instead of the more generalized business instruction offered with degrees in Business Administration or Organizational Management.

"Trends documented by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that managerial hiring will lag behind regular business growth as more oversight processes are automated," added Dr. Charles Minnick, dean of Ashford University's College of Business and Professional Studies. "This will increase demand for available positions, and the number of applicants per position will follow the upward trend. Entry-level and new managerial hires will need to be more competitive, and their education must be aligned to demonstrate more than an ability to supervise – they must be able to lead."

Ashford University's Bachelor of Arts in Business Leadership does not lead to licensure or certification of any kind. It is available to students online and on campus, taught by the experienced managers and business leaders who serve as faculty of Ashford's College of Business and Professional Studies.

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.

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.