Real Estate Development (CERT)
This 12-credit certificate equips students to navigate the real estate development industry with confidence. Courses focus on investment analysis, site planning and strategic decision-making. Can be completed alongside a Master of Urban Planning or as a standalone credential, preparing students for private-sector opportunities or advanced urban development roles.
Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (GA)
Department: Urban and Public Affairs
Program Webpage
Academic Plan Code(s): RED_CRE
Program Information
The Department of Urban and Public Affairs offers an twelve (12) credit hour Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development designed to equip graduates with the skills needed to make better real estate decisions with respect to investment considerations and site analysis and planning. The program will be particularly attractive to Urban Planning students desiring to work in the private sector; however, the program will also be appealing to students enrolled in other graduate programs at the university or who wish to complete the certificate on a stand-alone basis.
The program may be completed in conjunction with the Master of Urban Planning (MUP) program without the need to take any additional coursework beyond what is required for the MUP program. For MUP students, the certificate courses satisfy the requirements for the specialization in Community Development.
The Graduate Certificate in Real Estate Development program is designed to introduce students to the real estate development industry. The program was not designed to prepare students to take the Real Estate Sales Associate national or state exam administered by PSI Services or to earn a real estate sales license in any US state or other jurisdiction. However, completing six (6) credit hours of real estate coursework in the program curriculum would qualify students to meet the education requirement for a real estate sales associate license exam in Kentucky.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must have a bachelor's degree (any major is acceptable), and provide a completed graduate admissions application, transcripts of all undergraduate/graduate course work, and a personal statement.
Admission is competitive and generally requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.00. All applicants for whom English is a second language must also submit official TOEFL scores of 79 or higher on the internet-based test, 213 or higher on the computer-based test. English proficiency can also be met by submitting official IELTS scores of at least 6.5 overall band score from the academic module exam or official Duolingo overall score of 105. Students holding a bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the United States may be exempt from this requirement.
Program Requirements
The program requires twelve (12) credit hours, and may be completed in one semester as a full-time student. It may be completed in-person in up to four years as a part-time student. Courses may be waived by the Program Coordinator based on previous study; however, substitute course work will be required.
The following courses are required:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses: | ||
| URBS 613 | Real Estate Market Analysis | 3 |
| URBS 611 | Real Estate Principles | 3 |
| Electives (Choose 2 from the list below): | 6 | |
URBS 602 | Urban Economics | |
URBS 604 | Land Use & Planning Law | |
URBS 606 | Site Planning | |
URBS 621 | Housing and Community Development | |
URBS 667 | Budgeting and Finance | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 12 | |
Although the program does not require an internship, students who are also in the MUP program may wish to complete the required planning internship by working in a real estate development firm.