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 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; 
• your CV; 
• copies of English Language Certification, e.g. IELTS, TOEFL or Pearson test score report.

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 selection 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 08 December 2023 ; Application update by 22 February 2024

• Stage 2: Application received by 03 March 2024 ; Application update by 25 April 2024

• Stage 3: Application received by 05 May 2024 ; Application update by 08 June 2024

• Stage 4: Application received by 01 July 2024 ; Application update by 25 July 2024

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.

This course is designed to be highly relevant to future employment in the real estate field, with a strong focus on developing commercial awareness and understanding of global issues.

We adopt a theoretically informed, practice-orientated, approach to teaching and learning.

This draws on both our world-class research and our excellent links with business and the public sector.

Fieldwork is an important part of the learning experience and this course normally includes a three-day residential fieldtrip to London, usually in October.

Successful applicants are expected to be available to attend.

This course has normally included an optional field trip. Past locations include Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Seattle and Toronto. The field trip has an additional charge and would usually take place during the second semester or Easter vacation.

Other optional units include a consultancy group project, working alongside industry mentors, and the possibility of undertaking a 15-day professional placement.

In addition, a comprehensive range of site visits, guest lectures and presentations from business and public organisations are an integral part of the course, and networking opportunities are strongly promoted.

Part-time students

Part-time students complete the course over 24 months.

There are no evening or weekend course units available; you should, therefore, discuss course requirements with the Programme Director and seek approval from your employer.

Timetabling information is usually available from late August.

You can discuss course unit choices during induction week with the Programme Director.

Important notice

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) recognises the value of fieldwork. 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 ability of fieldwork and travel to proceed, and whether any changes to proposed fieldwork and travel might be necessary, will remain subject to factors such as the:

• rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
• outcome of any risk assessments conducted by the University;
• educational value and student experience of the fieldwork, if significant changes to the proposed fieldwork would be necessary;
• availability of appropriate insurance cover;
• availability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs.

All fieldwork and travel will be subject to a rigorous risk assessment process and the implementation of any protective measures identified by the risk assessment to ensure the health and safety of all our students and staff.

In some circumstances, it may become necessary to make changes to fieldwork or programme related travel. The University will notify you of those changes at the earliest opportunity. If any fieldwork does not go ahead as planned, then the School's focus will be on seeking to offer a suitable alternative and ensure that the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) of the programme are met.

Please note that Countries may change their immigration and visa regulations at short notice. The School cannot guarantee that where visas are required for fieldwork, they will be granted but we will take steps so that if a visa is refused, affected students are not academically disadvantaged.

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 .