Certificate in Real Estate

Advance your real estate career with a premier program from the top-ranked Paul Merage School of Business at UC Irvine. Located in the heart of Southern California’s thriving Orange County, this immersive program blends real-world application with expert instruction from globally renowned faculty. Complete four courses and a two-day intensive in as few as nine months. Gain in-demand skills, work on real-life projects, and connect with leading voices in the real estate industry through a dynamic, case-based curriculum.

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Course Descriptions

Seminar in Management of the Real Estate Enterprise (Required)

This capstone seminar examines key aspects of decision-making in the management and leadership of real estate enterprises. Each session delves into a specific topic, guided by guest speakers who bring specialized expertise from the professional community.

The course goes beyond the focus on individual deals, addressing the broader management of real estate enterprises. It covers decision-making processes aligned with strategic objectives, including goal setting, legal and tax structures, the dynamics between public and privately held entities, corporate ethics, capital structure, growth management, diversification, and the role of technology.

Introduction to the Real Estate Process (Elective)

This introductory course offers a foundational understanding of the real estate market, its operations, and key stakeholders. The curriculum emphasizes practical analysis of real estate opportunities, with case studies presented by leaders in the real estate industry.

Topics covered include real estate economics, valuation, feasibility, investment strategies, tax implications, financing, development, and corporate real estate asset management. The course combines lectures, case studies, and supplemental presentations from industry professionals.

Applied Real Estate Security Analysis and Portfolio Management (Elective)

This course prepares students to value and strategically manage a diversified portfolio of real estate investment trusts (REITs). In the near future, it will transition from a "virtual" model to a "real" experience, with funding derived from the sale of individual REIT shares to members of The Center for Real Estate's Advisory Board.

Students will gain a deep understanding of the public REIT market and its role in modern investment strategies. The course will cover techniques for analyzing and valuing REITs, while also introducing key principles for constructing and managing a real estate investment portfolio.

The Real Estate Development Process (Elective)

This course provides students with an overview of the development community and the development process. Students will work in teams with a client to conduct a feasibility analysis and design an optimal deal structure for a real-world development project. \

Topics covered include the composition of the development community, the development process, and the impact of conflicting interests, values, goals, and market uncertainty. The course also emphasizes deal structuring and risk management.

The course format includes lectures, guest speakers, and team projects focused on evaluating actual development projects.

Real Estate Capital Markets (Elective)

The primary objective of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the four segments of real estate capital markets: public debt, private debt, private equity, and public equity, and their impact on real estate investment.

Topics include an in-depth exploration of the four segments of real estate capital markets—public debt, private debt, public equity, and private equity. Students will examine the fundamental drivers of real estate investment, key market players, investment types, underwriting strategies, and the differences between debt and equity sources, along with their implications for returns.

International Real Estate Investment (Elective)

This hands-on course explores the expanding field of international real estate investing, focusing on the key forces and trends driving its growth. The course includes guest speakers from the industry and may offer students the opportunity to participate in an international field trip.

Topics include a comprehensive survey of international real estate investment opportunities, the scale and scope of global markets, and the opportunities and challenges involved, such as tax implications, currency, political and market risks, transaction costs, and the challenges of limited local knowledge. The course also covers various ownership vehicles, including REITs, joint ventures, and equity funds.