If you successfully complete all elements of the course, you will be awarded the MSc in Real Estate from the University of Reading and will be entitled to use the designatory letters MScRealEst, or simply MSc.

You should have a good first degree or a professional qualification of equivalent standing in any discipline. Property industry experience is not a prerequisite for entry onto this course. The suitability of each candidate’s qualifications will be decided at the discretion of the Course Director. No exemptions are given for prior learning. Academic entry requirements are set by the University of Reading.

You can take the course on a modular (or subject-by-subject) basis, provided that:

• Subjects are taken only in the semester to which they are allocated

• Economics module is taken before Real Estate Economics module

• Research Methods module is taken before the Dissertation module

Part 1

Semester 1

market mechanisms; consumer behaviour; output, cost and competition; market efficiency; macroeconomics; international trade; money and inflation.

nature of real estate; valuation and appraisal bases; purposes and methods; investment, asset and loan valuation; standards of practice.

Semester 2

development process; constraints on development; residual and DCF methods; risk and sensitivity analysis; categories of development funding.

user and investor markets; development and redevelopment; public policy intervention in real estate; temporal and spatial dimensions of real estate.

Part 2

Semester 3

investment risk and return; performance measurement; asset pricing; portfolio theory; financing property transactions.

nature of research; quantitative and qualitative methods; critical literature reviews; applying research methodology to real estate problems.

Semester 4 module options (choose two)

real estate from corporate occupier’s perspective; real estate as strategic corporate resource; planning; tenant perspective and issues; management methods; occupiers’ performance measurement; future challenges.

marketing theory; product analysis; buyer behaviour; marketing property and property services; property agency.

comparison of risk–return profiles of real estate and financial investment assets; measuring investment performance; principles of portfolio diversification; case for active portfolio management.

sustainability from the perspective of the core course subjects of economics, valuation and finance; macroeconomics of economic growth and sustainability; microeconomics of sustainability (problems and policies); carbon metrics; triple bottom line accounting.

Part 3

Semester 5

Optional face-to-face sessions may be held in Reading* during your course of study. These normally comprise two sessions of two to three days held in January and July each year. Overnight accommodation is not provided as part of these optional sessions. Other media formats may be offered as an addition/alternative to face-to-face sessions. *Availability will be based on the number of module registrations received.

Assessment consists of assignments and examinations in Semesters 1–4, and the dissertation in Semester 5.

Assignments

In Semesters 1–4 you will complete and submit two assignments per module for assessment according to the timetable of the course.

Exams

Exams are normally held in February and August and comprise:

• Two 3-hour written papers per semester in Semesters 1–3

• Two 2½-hour written papers in Semester 4

Dissertation

In Semester 5 you will submit a dissertation of 12,000–15,000 words. This will take the form of an in-depth study of a course-related subject, undertaken with the guidance of a course tutor.

Please click here to apply.