Real Estate Management - MSc
Currently viewing course to start in 2025/26 Entry.
The MSc in Real Estate Management course is an interdisciplinary Master’s programme that fuses economic, social and environmental perspectives within a framework for identifying, assessing, designing, delivering and evaluating effective real estate interventions and responses.
- Level Postgraduate Taught
- Study mode Full Time/Part Time
- Award MSc
- Start date September 2025
- Fees View course fees
- Subject
- Location City Centre
This course is:
Open to International Students
Overview
The MSc in Real Estate Management course is an interdisciplinary Master’s programme that fuses economic, social and environmental perspectives within a framework for identifying, assessing, designing, delivering and evaluating effective real estate interventions and responses.
What's covered in this course?
Our programme reflects synergies with the Master’s courses in Planning Built Environments and Environmental Surveying in order to create a programme that works across the whole built environment profession and disciplines.
The programme focuses on the interaction between business and legal processes on property ownership and management. It integrates technological, financial, legal and management issues as they relate to property matters.
The theoretical underpinning of the course is rooted in real estate which stresses the need for interdisciplinary approaches and solutions.
This course will help you to connect the theory and practice of real estate to a range of real life case study challenges. It will give you a framework of knowledge, skills and tools to start understanding the complex world of property, whilst supporting you to become an independent learner and reflective practitioner.
Our programme builds on applied academic research and contemporary real estate practice. The course design and delivery utilises our expertise across real estate, sustainability and planning and also brings in external experts and practitioners to address key challenges and opportunities within practice.
Our real estate degree courses are designed and developed with support from relevant professional bodies (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) and local professional individuals and practices. Owing to the need to meet these professionally-set learning outcomes, there is little choice in modules within these programmes, although it is possible to begin to specialise with dissertation and project topics.
Accredited By
This course is accredited by:
The way the programme is taught and the greater emphasis on independent study, while still providing the necessary help and guidance when required, was a fantastic opportunity to further develop my skills not only as a student but in preparation for my first job. These skills include independent thinking and problem solving as well as being able to critically assess information, which is vital in academia and in industry. Alex Kountourides
Why Choose Us?
- Accredited course - Fully accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
- Preparation for industry - This course aims to develop the real estate professional of the future who is equipped with the knowledge, tools and skills to operate efficiently, effectively and confidently within an ever-changing environment.
- Strong local and industry Links - Our links help you make vital contacts and gain practical experience to back up theory.
- Travel Scholarships - Opportunities for funding to gain experience overseas. Read about travel scholarships here.
- A well-established provider - The faculty has a reputation as the West Midlands' chief hub of knowledge, technology and skills-transfer into industry.
OPEN DAY
Join us for a Virtual Open Event where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, meet our subject academics and learn more about postgraduate finance, all from the comfort of your own home.
Next Event: 5 February 2025
Entry Requirements
Essential requirements
Applicants are normally expected to have a minimum of a 2:2 honours degree, or equivalent, in any subject.
Applying with international qualifications
See below for further information on applying as an international student.
If you have a qualification that is not listed, please contact us.
Fees & How to Apply
UK students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: MSc
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 12 months
- £9,190 in 2025/26
- Full Time
- 18 months with Professional Placement*
- £10,110 in 2025/26
- Part Time
- 20 months
- Show fees
- £1022 per 20 credits
- Year 1 - 80 credits
- Year 2 - 100 credits
Fees for Part-time students
This course can be studied on a Part-time study basis. The cost per year of study is based on credit requirements for that year.
International students
Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.
Award: MSc
Starting: Sep 2025
- Mode
- Duration
- Fees
- Full Time
- 12 months
- £18,600 in 2025/26
- Full Time
- 18 months with Professional Placement*
- £20,460 in 2025/26
Professional Placement option*
The Professional Placement option will allow you to complete a credit bearing, 20 week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree. The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
You will be responsible for finding and securing your own placement. The University, however, will draw on its extensive network of local, regional and national employers to support you in finding a suitable placement to complement your chosen area of study. You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+ as well as advice and guidance from your School.
Placements will only be confirmed following a competitive, employer-led selection process, therefore the University will not be able to guarantee placements for students who have registered for the ‘with Professional Placement’ course. All students who do not find a suitable placement or do not pass the competitive selection process will be automatically transferred back to the standard, non-placement version of the course.
Personal statement
You’ll need to submit a personal statement as part of your application for this course. This will need to highlight your passion for postgraduate study – and your chosen course – as well as your personal skills and experience, academic success, and any other factors that will support your application for further study.
If you are applying for a stand alone module, please include the title of the module you want to study in your Personal Statement.
Not sure what to include? We’re here to help – take a look at our top tips for writing personal statements and download our free postgraduate personal statement guide for further advice and examples from real students.
Course in Depth
Module
In order to complete this course a student must successfully complete all the following CORE modules (totalling 180 credits):
This module focuses on the key surveying competencies of building pathology, inspection and measurement of land and property. The module draws on the various aspects of these competencies and their inter-relational qualities to develop a cohesive approach to the undertaking of a variety of surveys. You will be exposed to the range of data collection and data management techniques, the variety of surveys available for commercial and industrial property as well as evaluating the construction and condition of the building and the impact this might have on the viable use of the building. The need to collate information, integrate data from a variety of sources, reflect and formulate into a coherent professional report is a key employability skill.
This module is delivered to MSc Building Surveying with Facilities Management, MSc Environmental Surveying and MSc Real Estate Management.
The module introduces you to the legal framework that controls the use, occupation, management, acquisition and disposal of land and buildings, the complex nature of real property rights, and the obligations that go with those rights. The concepts and legal principles explored in this module are an essential underpinning of all professional activity in this field. The module also seeks to develop through the assessment some of the team working and time management skills required of a real estate manager in practice.
This module is designed to provide you with an overview of the social, practical and legal issues affecting property management. As with other modules in this programme, it has a practical emphasis and is designed to mirror the experience of real estate professionals working in the sector. More specifically, you will learn about the key principles of landlord and tenant law, financial planning and portfolio management for both residential and commercial properties. Over the course of this module, you will need to demonstrate an understanding of the principles that apply to property management by discussing them with your colleagues and applying them to practical scenario-type situations. Problem-based study aims to develop general competencies based on the kinds of abilities and skills required of a professional practitioner. As teaching will often take place in workshops, you will be provided with an opportunity to understand property management in a “real-world” context and see how appropriate solutions are devised.
The module enables you to understand the importance of working within the boundaries of established professional best practice. It focuses on the skills and competencies that are required in practice to meet professional standards and expectations. This includes ethics; stakeholder analysis; business presentation skills; negotiation; conflict management, team working; reflexivity etc. The module is designed to encourage action research and develop your capacity to address the changing needs of the built environment professions and the wider industry, giving you currency within the market.
Valuation is central to the work of many built environment professionals, especially real estate surveyors, property developers and planners. Valuation expertise is used in a wide range of real estate contexts including investment, asset management, property development and maintenance management.
This module introduces the theory, regulatory environment and practice of valuation. It then builds on these foundations to allow you to develop skills and expertise in advanced valuation methods. The module presents a series of true to life applications and encourages you to consider the wide range of purposes behind valuations. This module aims to provide you with the necessary knowledge, skills and expertise to facilitate your development into a leading real estate professional.
This integrative module enables you to apply knowledge gained in modules throughout the programme to a “real life” practical scenario based assessment. It will provide an understanding of the factors influencing development decisions and how to evaluate possible development solutions in the context of client requirements. You will work in interdisciplinary teams to meet the requirements of your client. The module encourages you to develop competence in evaluating information and will extend your communication and problem solving skills. These are all vitally important in a professional practice situation.
This module will be delivered to Masters programmes in Building Surveying, Real Estate Management and Planning.
The purpose of the module is to enable you to undertake a sustained, in-depth and research-informed Level 7 project exploring an area that is of personal interest to you. In agreement with your supervisor, you will decide upon your topic which will take the form of a practical outcome (artefact) with accompanying contextual material. The main consideration when choosing your topic is that it must be aligned to the programme you are studying and informed by the research strategy of your school, and you should consider the relevance of this topic to your future academic or professional development.
Professional Placement
In order to qualify for the award of MSc Real Estate Management with Professional Placement, a student must successfully complete all of the Level 7 modules listed above as well as the following Level 6 module:
This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to undertake a credit bearing, 20-week Professional Placement as an integral part of your Master’s Degree.
The purpose of the Professional Placement is to improve your employability skills which will, through the placement experience, allow you to evidence your professional skills, attitudes and behaviours at the point of entry to the postgraduate job market. Furthermore, by completing the Professional Placement, you will be able to develop and enhance your understanding of the professional work environment, relevant to your chosen field of study, and reflect critically on your own professional skills development within the workplace.
Download course specification
Download nowElements of the course are closely related to real-world scenarios. These build upon current practice issues identified through, for example, Parliamentary debates, revised planning documents and government guidance. We make significant use of professionals as Visiting Lecturers to ensure both continuing professional relevance and that you have direct access to people in current professional practice.
Every student on the programme is allocated a personal tutor and our students are invited to both group and individual meetings throughout the year. We provide set times (known as office hours) during the week where academic staff are available to see students, and staff also frequently arrange to see students by appointment outside these times if additional help or support is needed.
We invite you (normally by making individual appointments) to discuss assessment feedback/feedforward with the marking tutor to ensure that the detailed comments provided are supplemented verbally, and that they are understood, so that you can use comments to enhance future submissions. We collaborate closely with the Centre for Academic Success which offers workshops, individual advice sessions and small group tutorials to all University students on a variety of subjects including use of English, study skills, maths and other technical topics.
RICS
This course is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and is specifically designed to meet the competencies required by its specialist Environmental Surveying pathway.
Employability
Enhancing your employability skills
Staff from the professional bodies at local and regional levels visit on a regular basis to promote the professions, explain routes of access to full professional membership, and respond to your questions about employability.
Our long-standing links with the professions mean that we are informed about, and so able to advertise, details of relevant job opportunities, and ensure that you are well prepared for application and interview processes.
Key employment skills and career planning are embedded into modules through real life scenarios, local case studies, and a wide range of assessment methods that replicate typical workplace requirements, helping grow your skillset and confidence. The skills and attributes you develop throughout the course are highly transferable to the context of professional employment, helping you to set goals and to enhance your employability in a wide range of professional and business contexts.
The course also prepares you for professional membership APC (Assessment of Professional Competence) processes, which require individual reflection and personal development planning.
Birmingham City University programmes aim to provide graduates with a set of attributes which prepare them for their future careers. The BCU Graduate:
- is professional and work ready
- is a creative problem solver
- is enterprising
- has a global outlook.
The University has introduced the Birmingham City University Graduate+ programme, which is an extra-curricular awards framework that is designed to augment the subject based skills that you develop through your programme with broader employability skills and techniques that will enhance your employment options when you leave university.
International
Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.
The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.
Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:
- Details of the entry requirements for our courses
- Some of the good reasons why you should study here
- How to improve your language skills before starting your studies
- Information relevant to applicants from your country
- Where to find financial support for your studies.
Facilities & Staff
Our Facilities
The facility our students value most is not actually on campus, but is the location of the campus in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside opposite the new High Speed 2 station construction, and minutes from dozens of fascinating live projects within the city centre.
Birmingham as it changes constantly on our doorstep really is our ‘living lab’. By simply looking out the window of our classrooms you’ll be able to witness live projects as they’re happening around us. You’ll constantly be inspired by dozens of fascinating case studies just from walking from the station to the campus.
The facilities on offer to our students reflect the work environment you will enter as you start your career. Learn more about what we have to offer below.
Our staff
Professor David Higgins
Professor of Real Estate
Dr David Higgins is the Professor of Real Estate, Birmingham City University and past Visiting Professor, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and Xiamen University, China. David has worked in both industry and academia in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and China. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and has...
More about DavidMr Timothy Lee
Associate Professor in Property Investment
Tim ran his own property firm on the Isle of Wight for over ten years and during that time completed his MSc Real Estate. Following that he secured funding for his PhD at Reading University where he explored the challenges of making energy efficiency improvements to the housing stock.
More about Timothy