Application status: Applications for the September 2024 intake are now open

Online course

MSc Real Estate

  • Duration: 24 months, part-time
  • Delivery: Online
  • Workload: Minimum 20 hours per week
  • Next enrolment: September 2024
  • Fees: £17,000
Man walking up the stairs and conquering an urban capital

Introduction

Make a difference to our future landscape

A worldwide demand for commercial and industrial property, accelerations in technology and pressure for businesses to meet economic, social and governance goals are just some of the challenges faced by those operating in the ever resilient real estate sector.

This RICS-accredited MSc will support you with gaining the skills, knowledge and confidence to take a leading role in addressing these challenges and take the next steps in your real estate career – applying what you learn from the course to your workplace.

Key features

RICS accredited

This course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Global community of learners

Network and study alongside a global community of learners working in the Real Estate industry.

World-class academics

Learn from leading academics with a wealth of experience teaching real estate practice.

Mike Arnoult student story

I study with people from all over the world from different backgrounds and based in different locations. It works really well.

Mike Arnoult
Acquisitions Manager
Switzerland

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Accredited status

RICS

Benefits of studying a RICS accredited course

  • Recognised globally by employers as a benchmark of quality and ensures course content is relevant to industry.
  • Foundations to achieve professional accreditation (APC – Assessment of Professional Competence) demonstrating that you work to the highest industry standards and pathway to RICS membership.
  • Accredited degrees are looked upon favourably by employers and will support your career development.

Key information

  • Accreditation

    Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

  • Delivery

    Online course

  • Duration

    24 months, part-time.

  • Enrolment

    September 2024

  • Workload

    Approx 20 hours per week.

  • Course director

    Mark Shepherd

Fees and funding

Total course tuition fees for Sept '24 are £17,000.

You can save up to 15% on your tuition fees.

Please see our fees and funding section below for more details. We offer payment by instalments , so you can spread the cost of studying with us.

Explore a range of scholarships and bursaries available for this course below.

Find out more about fees and funding

Entry requirements

We require at least an Upper Second 2:1 bachelor’s degree (or international equivalent).

Candidates who do not meet the academic entry qualification criteria may still be eligible if there is substantial evidence of professional experience.

You’ll also need to meet the required standard of English.

Find out more about entry requirements

Contact us today

Complete the form below and our Course Advisor will contact you with the additional course information and relevant event invitations.

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Course overview

Who this course is for

Whether you’re currently working in real estate or have an ambition to move into the industry, through the MSc, you’ll learn the latest in-demand skills and knowledge required for a successful career in this dynamic sector. The MSc is also a stepping stone for those considering profession accreditation and RICS membership.

What you will learn

  • Build a framework of knowledge, understanding and skills so you can drive change to address industry challenges.
  • Gain an understanding of professional norms, standards, and values in real estate practice and how these operate within the context of international political, legal, institutional, and organisational frameworks.
  • Explore new insights into the areas of sustainable development and strategic management of the built environment 
  • Draw on the world-class research and practical experience of the School of Environment, Education and Development.
  • Develop a solid grounding in real estate from the perspectives of investor, developer, occupier and broader society.

Where and when you will study

MSc Real Estate is an online learning programme. Course content is delivered online using web-enabled technology systems. You’ll have the opportunity to learn with a team of world-class academics and a global community of working professionals.

How it will benefit your career

  • Lead with confidence and make a real difference in your workplace.
  • Use your knowledge and expertise in real estate to create change and address challenges facing the industry.
  • Take on higher-level roles in areas including environmental management and consultancy, urban planning and design, real estate development, urban and regional development policy, central and local government, international development and energy and water.

Elizabeth Opeagbe student story

This course is great, not only because it is taught online but also provides a strong stepping stone for my career. In addition, it allows me to work around my current work schedule whilst studying on an excellent RICS accredited degree.

Elizabeth Opeagbe
Investment Analyst
British Land

Elizabeth Opeagbe headshot

Course units

  • Unit 1 - Real Estate Markets (20 credits)

    • Understand the fundamentals of real estate
    • Explore geographical and sector markets
    • Study how macroeconomics shapes property cycles
  • Unit 2 - Property Valuation (20 credits)

    • Introduce principal methods of property valuation
    • Explore the mathematical application of different methods of valuation
    • Critically examine the physical, legal and economic factors
  • Unit 3 - Planning for Future Cities (20 credits)

    • Explore the principles, nature and practice of planning systems and processes around the world
    • Understand emerging future trends in global urban development
    • Examine the notion of the future ‘smart’ city in a global context
  • Unit 4 - Land and Development (20 credits)

    • Understand land-use policies and making the best use of land resources
    • Gain practical experience and understanding of the development process through real-life development sites
    • Get to grips with the financial issues and risks involved in development schemes
  • Unit 5 - Real Estate Investment and Finance (20 credits)

    • Explore the principles of investment and the creation of value
    • Critically evaluate direct and indirect methods of investing in real estate
    • Demonstrate approaches used in financing of funds and individual projects
  • Unit 6 - Strategic Asset Management (20 credits)

    • Introduce the principles of strategic asset management
    • Explore the tactics used to proactively manage real estate assets
    • Delve into topics including metrics, risk management and sustainability and responsible property investment
  • Project-Based Enquiry (40 credits)

    • Plan, manage and conduct practice-based research on a topic related to the course
    • Build knowledge and competency in an appropriate range of research methods including the development of a focal question or hypothesis
    • Develop and manage a specific research project through to final submission
  • Elective Unit 1 - Real Estate Law in Practice (20 credits)

    • Learn about the nature of law and law of contract
    • Understand how leases and other contracts are created, operated and terminated, including service of notice
    • Study property law, land tenure, third party rights and conflict avoidance
  • Elective Unit 2 - Real Estate Modelling (20 credits)

    • Understand how to use relevant analytical and quantitative tools
    • Get a good grounding in statistics and modern econometric techniques
    • Become proficient in running multivariate techniques using SPSS
  • Elective Unit 3 - Corporate Real Estate Project (20 credits)

    • Consider how organisations develop and implement strategic objectives
    • Apply relevant concepts and techniques to solve problems in a project environment
    • Facilitate a detailed exploration of the development of business-focused real estate strategies

Course structure

This online course has been designed to support working professionals who would like to study part-time. The flexibility of this course allows you to study alongside your other commitments and gain a University of Manchester qualification from anywhere in the world. You may be already working within the Real Estate industry, or have a strong passion for the subject area. This course is ideal for anyone who wants to build professional knowledge in the Real Estate arena. With RICS accreditation you can be confident that this course has the benchmark of quality and will be recognised by employers internationally.

Course learning aims

  • To provide students with a framework of knowledge, understanding and skills to enable graduates to take a leading role in addressing the challenges facing the real estate industry.
  • To develop students' capacity for critical thinking and ability to present sound, well-justified arguments and solutions to complex problems, recognising the interconnected nature of real estate practice.
  • To draw on the world-class research and practical experience of the School of Environment, Education and Development, together with our excellent links with business and the public sector, to enable students to explore new insights into the areas of sustainable development and strategic management of the built environment.
  • To facilitate student learning by providing an intellectually challenging and stimulating learning environment, involving both independent and collaborative project work.
  • To be highly relevant to future employment in the real estate industry, with a strong focus on developing commercial awareness and to produce graduates who have a wider understanding of their responsibilities as global citizens.
  • As an RICS accredited degree, to enable graduates to embark on the Assessment of Professional Competence which leads, after successful completion of a two year period of practical experience, to membership of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Teaching and learning

Participants study on the online learning degree without leaving home or interrupting their careers. 

Study is undertaken via the University's virtual learning environment, which provides study materials, online resources, and interactive online tutorial discussions with the module tutor and other course participants.

You will also benefit from access to the University's library, with more than 25,000 electronic journals and 400,000 electronic books.

Short video introductions to each topic are supported by a range of online material including webinars, podcasts, tutor-developed interactive written material, case studies and directed reading.

You can test and reinforce your knowledge and understanding with end of topic self-test questions which will provide feedback on your answers and direct you to further reading.

You will be encouraged to reflect on your studies by using Blackboard to facilitate both peer-to-peer and tutor-led discussions via discussion boards, wikis and blogs.

The material is designed to be dynamic and cater to a range of students with different levels of prior knowledge and experience.

If a topic is new to you, we recommend that you work through the material in a sequential manner. However, you may consider that you already have a good knowledge of some of the topics. The end of topic self-test questions can be used as a way of testing your knowledge and understanding and of identifying particular areas to focus on.

Guest contributors and lecturers with current industry experience will ensure that a strong connection is made between theory and practice.

Many course units employ an interactive learning approach where simulated real-world problems are posed and students, working in groups or individually, seek to identify the issues and how these may be resolved within the context of professional practice.

Case study material such as plans, video walk-throughs and photos will be used to enrich these real world scenarios.

Academic teaching start dates:

September 2024 entry - 2 September 2024

The welcome event and induction take place one week before the academic teaching start date. Our admissions team will confirm your induction date closer to the time. Please ensure that you complete your registration ahead of your chosen entry date to gain access to the online learning material and library services.

Coursework and assessment

The taught elements of this course are assessed by a variety of methods, including essays, report-writing, project portfolios and presentations.

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

Admissions information

From your initial expression of interest right through to graduation, you’ll receive all the support you need. We can help you with enrolment and subject assistance, administrative logistics and fee options, online learning skills, workload management and special circumstances including a possible professional entry route.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

We require at least an Upper Second 2:1 bachelor’s degree (or international equivalent).

Admission of candidates who do not meet our academic entry qualification criteria may be approved if satisfactory evidence of postgraduate study, research or professional experience can be provided. To have a consultation you can contact studyonline@manchester.ac.uk  

English language

Applicants whose first language is not English must meet the following language requirements:

· IELTS Test score of 6.5 or more overall, with a minimum score of 6.5 in writing and a minimum score of 6.0 in the other subsections. Discover more about English Language requirements.

English language test validity
Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see Accepted entry qualifications from your country

Relevant work experience

Admission of candidates who do not meet our academic entry qualification criteria may be approved if satisfactory evidence of professional experience can be provided.

Professional entry qualification

Due to the vocational nature of this course, appropriate professional experience will be taken into account as part of the admissions process.

Application and selection

How to apply

Advice to applicants

To speed up the application process, please submit the following documents with your online application form:

  1. 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 than English, please provide official translations in addition to your official certificates and transcripts.
  2. English language score report (if applicable) or alternative evidence to demonstrate your English language competency.
  3. Personal statement addressing the questions below (max 500 words):
    • What attracted you to apply to this course
    • What you hope to gain from the course 
    • How it will help you achieve your future aims and aspirations
  4. A copy of your CV detailing your full work experience.
  5. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide contact details for one referee, professional or academic.  The University will contact your referee directly after you submit your application and direct them to complete our online reference form.

Scholarships and bursaries

Postgraduate loans (UK/EU)

If you're an English or EU student living in the UK, you may be eligible for a loan.

Manchester Master's Bursary (UK)

We're committed to helping students access further education.

Manchester Alumni Scholarship Schemes

If you completed your degree at Manchester, you could receive a discount.

Funding for students with disabilities

If you have a disability, we can help you apply for relevant funding.

Explore more funding opportunities

Fees and funding

Total course tuition fees for Sept '24 are £17,000.

Please note the tuition fees are subject to an incremental rise in September.

The advertised fee covers your tuition. It does not cover your accommodation, travel costs or any other expenses that you may incur when attending face-to-face conferences/workshops/masterclasses/field trips.

Tuition fee discounts

  • Early application discount (10%): Apply on or before 19 May 2024 to receive 10% reduction on your tuition fee. To be eligible, you will need to submit a complete application on or before 19 May 2024 and if offered a place, you will need to accept your offer within two weeks from the date of the offer.
  • Alumni discount (15%): If you have successfully graduated from a credit-bearing qualification at The University of Manchester or UMIST, you can receive a 15% discount on the tuition fees that you are personally funding.

One-discount policy: Discounts and scholarships are not accumulative. If you qualify for more than one, you will be awarded the one that is the highest amount.

Employer funding

If you are looking to secure funding from your employer, we can help you build a business case or talk to your employer directly. Contact us on studyonline@manchester.ac.uk to arrange a consultation.

Payment by instalments

During registration you will have the opportunity to pay your fees in three equal instalments. Learn more.

Additional cost information

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.