B.S. in Real Estate

The vision of the real estate program at SDSU is to create a ready-day-one educational program for students who aspire to become future leaders and professionals within the multifaceted real estate industry. This vision and the changing nature of today’s real estate market require that graduates receive a complete education that provides both breadth and depth in this field. Majors in real estate receive a solid foundation in business and real estate through required courses and depth in a particular sub-profession through one of three specialty tracks: real estate development, mortgage banking, and real estate investment advising. Graduates will also be prepared to continue learning, develop leadership, and contribute to communities as a result of their total degree program experience. SDSU’s program in real estate provides students with analytical skills, technical competence to perform market analyses and an understanding of the tools necessary to perform in today’s complex real estate industry. This means each graduate from the real estate program should be able to join any real estate organization and make an impact/contribution from their first day of employment. Graduates should be capable of making a wide variety of management decisions concerning real estate including the ability to apply new economic concepts and up-to-date analytical tools to the process of real estate decision making. Students take courses in real estate, finance, information systems, management, marketing, and public administration, with additional courses in accountancy or economics. Topics covered in these courses include real estate principles; real estate development; real estate appraisal; law of real property; real estate investment analysis; real estate finance; mortgage banking; marketing communication and promotion; business strategy and integration; introduction to urban planning; and accounting for managers. Career Opportunities: Real estate is one of the most dynamic business sectors and largest asset classes in the economy. It is in the midst of a transition from being primarily locally based to being integrated into the national and global economies. Important public and private decisions must be made every day about the use, management, valuation and disposition of vast real estate resources. This, and the changing nature of the financial environment in which real estate markets operate, has created demand for new real estate experts, people not only with basic real estate training, but also with good general business and financial skills. Some real estate related career opportunities are listed below: Lending officers and mortgage analysts are employed by financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies, and mortgage bankers. Real estate appraisers estimate the value of property for lenders, investors, developers, courts of law, and public land use agencies. Investment counselors act as special advisors to investors in both private and public sectors by analyzing market information and helping clients make real estate investment decisions. Real estate brokers act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers. They facilitate sales and lending transactions for all types of property, and often have a specialty. Real estate developers plan and develop real estate projects. Specific functions include selecting sites, submitting plans, gaining governmental approvals, arranging financing, contracting with builders, and marketing these projects. Property and asset managers are responsible for the successful operation of existing properties, such as office buildings, shopping centers, industrial parks and residential apartments. Corporate real estate managers handle acquisition, operation and disposition of the real estate assets of large corporations such as industrial companies, major utilities, and retail chains.