MSc Real Estate Development

The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to tour the campus and find out more about our facilities and courses.

On this day, you will find out more about the School of Environment, Education and Development and our resources, and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.

For more information, see  Open days

Please submit the following documents with your completed application form:

• copies of English Language Certification,e.g.IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report. Applications without an English language qualification may initially be placed on a waiting list;
• copies of official degree certificates and transcripts of your previous study, showing the subjects taken and grades obtained. If these documents are in languages other thanEnglishplease provide official translations;
• your CV.

Ensure that you enclose all the necessary documents to avoid any delays.

Staged admissions process

As there is a high demand for our courses, we operate a staged admissions process with a number of deadlines throughout the year.

Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high-ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.

Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application before the application deadline to avoid a delay in processing.

•Stage 1: Application received by 07 December 2024 ; Application update by 21 February 2025

•Stage 2: Application received by 02 March 2025 ; Application update by 01 May 2025

•Stage 3: Application received by 04 May 2025 ; Application update by 05 June 2025

•Stage 4: Application received by 01 July 2025 ; Application update by 25 July 2025

While we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.

Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.

Please note, all places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.

MSc Real Estate Development is a fast-track conversion course that will allow you to gain the necessary framework of knowledge, understanding and skills to enable you to pursue a successful career in real estate development, in the UK or internationally.

Core course units are shared with our MSc Real Estate Asset Management and will provide a solid grounding in real estate from the perspectives of investor, developer, occupier and the wider global society.

Optional course units allow you to develop deeper knowledge of real estate in areas of particular interest to you.

This course has normally included a residential fieldtrip to London, and an optional fieldtrip to another major international city.

You will:

• develop commercial awareness whilst building your technical real estate knowledge base;
• develop your analytical and communication skills to present sound, well- justified arguments and solutions to complex problems;
• gain a global perspective on the challenges facing the real estate profession.

• This course has normally included a short residential fieldtrip to London. The cost of this field trip is included in the course fee.
• This course has normally offered an optional international fieldtrip to explore current urban issues in a city. Past locations include Seattle, Toronto, Berlin, Barcelona or Amsterdam.
• Opportunity to work alongside industry-mentors on a real-life project.
• Based in the `living laboratory' of Manchester, enjoy site visits and expert presentations on industry-leading schemes.
• Have the flexibility to specialise or mix discipline units, choosing from a wide range of options across real estate, environmental management and planning.
• Develop practical skills using specialist real estate, statistical or spatial analysis software.
• Benefit from close staff-student relationships and guided one-to-one supervision.
• Opportunity to take part in a range of business competitions and entrepreneurship activities.

Important notice: factors affecting fieldwork and placements

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork and placements. However, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remains our priority.

The School will assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any significant changes to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

The role of SEED

• changes to the rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
• a risk assessment conducted by or on behalf of the University identifying unmanageable risk;
• changes that enhance the educational value and student experience of the activity;
• changes to the situation of a placement provider (for example, which cause them to be unable to accept students);
• the unavailability of appropriate insurance cover;
• the unavailability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs;
• where fieldwork and placements are a compulsory element of the Programme, they will be replaced with something academically similar;
• where a trip or placement is not a compulsory element of the Programme, it may not be replaced.

We will consult with affected students at the earliest possible opportunity and explore the options available to them.

The duty of students

Preparation, attendance and conduct

Attendance at preparatory classes is a compulsory pre-requisite of the fieldwork and placements to ensure safety and learning outcomes are met.

Students who do not attend the compulsory preparatory classes may be prevented from participating in the fieldwork or placement. It is the duty of students to discuss any attendance issues with the field course or placement convenor.

Students are representatives of the university during their fieldwork or placement. Behaviour deemed by the convenor to be unacceptable may result in students being sent home.

Where a student is unable to attend or complete the fieldwork or placement (e.g. due to mitigating circumstances), is prevented from attending due to absence from compulsory preparatory classes, or returned home due to poor conduct:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered (as appropriate) to ensure that the programme ILOs are met, and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

Immigration, passport and visa requirements

It is the responsibility of the individual student to ensure they have:

• a valid passport to enter the destination country (including sufficient months prior to expiry);
• a valid visa (where required) and comply with its requirements.

The School cannot guarantee that visas required for fieldwork or a placement will be granted by the relevant authority. Please note that countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice.

Where a student is unable to attend fieldwork or a placement because they do not have the required visa or passport:

• a suitable alternative assessment will be offered to ensure that the programme ILOs are met and that the student is not academically disadvantaged;
• the University accepts no responsibility for any costs incurred by the student in relation to the fieldwork or placement.

The taught elements of the course are assessed on a continuous basis by a variety of methods, including essays, presentations, online tests, topic papers and project reports.

Traditional examinations are not used in the core real estate units.

Most assessment is based on individual work with an element of collaborative project work.

A 15,000-word dissertation is prepared on an approved topic, which is discussed and chosen at the beginning of the second semester and a suitable supervisor allocated.

Initial work focuses upon an overview of the chosen topic, a literature review and the design of the methodology to be adopted.

During the latter part of Semester 2 and the summer, you undertake the necessary research and analysis, culminating in the writing of your dissertation.

Find out how our students feel about studying at The University of Manchester by visiting our student spotlights page.

You can develop your practical skills in our project rooms and computer suites with specialist real estate, statistical and spatial analysis software.

For more information, see Facilities .

The course has been specifically designed to equip you for professional practice in real estate in a fast-moving global market.

Opportunities will arise in both the private and public sectors across global consultancies, investment funds and analysts, development companies, government departments and agencies and in regional real estate companies and specialist practices, both in the UK and internationally.

Alongside the award-winning University of Manchester Careers Service, we organise specific careers events each year involving potential real estate employers and an opportunity to network with our previous graduates.

There is very strong demand for our graduates from a wide range of companies.

Our recent real estate graduates have gone on to successful careers with global consultancies, in both UK and international offices, such as Avison Young, CBRE, Colliers International, Cushman & Wakefield, Deloitte, Knight Frank, JLL and Savills.

Our graduates have joined leading investment & development companies such as Bruntwood, Grosvenor, LaSalle Investment Management, Lendlease, Vanke and Wanda and public sector organisations such as Transport for London, NHS trusts, and Government departments across the world.

Whilst many graduates aim to embark on the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence and qualify as a Chartered Surveyor, others choose to work more broadly in the real estate field and are now working in fund analysis, site finding or project management.

Others have successfully launched their own business.

If you decide not to follow a vocational career, your wide knowledge base and transferable skills in problem-solving, strategic thinking, teamwork, creativity and communication fit what most employers are seeking; alternatively, you may wish to continue with academic study and enrol on a PhD programme.

Hear from our professional partners on a 'Meet the Professionals' event for Planning, Environmental Management, Real Estate and Urban Design.

Careers support

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate.

At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .

Careers Support for International Students

The Careers Service provide specialist resources, advice and events for international students to help with career planning and making the most of your time while studying in Manchester.

• Working in the UK after study
• Working during study
• Professional and alumni networks for international students

Global Networks

The University of Manchester is proud to have the largest global alumni community of any campus-based university in the UK.

International alumni groups are a great way to keep in touch with fellow Manchester graduates in your country.

It is an opportunity to build professional and social networks.

You can view the alumni networks already operating across the globe, here .