How a Leeds Master’s of Science in Real Estate Advances Your Career

Want to take your real estate career to the next level? Maybe it’s time to consider a Master's in Real Estate—and discover all the career opportunities waiting for you. 

Find out how a graduate degree from the Leeds School of Business prepares students for exciting careers in commercial real estate ranging from real estate development to traditional roles like sales, leasing and marketing—in just 9 months. Also discover the integral role of the CU Real Estate Center with co-curricular learning opportunities, job placement support and networking events.

1. Real Estate Development and Other Career Opportunities in Commercial Real Estate

People who gravitate towards commercial real estate and real estate development get excited about topics ranging from real estate investments to zoning ordinances and economic real estate projections—to the acquisition and selling of office and retail space, development projects with industrial and mixed-use properties—to legislative topics dictating affordable housing provisions in multi-million-dollar developments. [Source: commercial real estate development association]

QUESTION:  How do people find exciting jobs that feed these interests?

Let’s take the mystery out of landing real estate development jobs. For some people, commercial real estate jobs fall right into their lap. But for those who cannot wait, it makes sense to fast track their career with a Masters in Real Estate. Here are some of the valuable skills that come with an advanced degree in real estate.

• Land Use Law
• Quantitative Financial Analysis
• Complex Valuation Techniques
• Asset Management
• Investment and Risk Management
• Data Analytics
• Business Leadership

2. Sample job titles with a Master’s in Real Estate from the Leeds School of Business.

A real estate career is more than just selling residential homes with white picket fences and buying trendy commercial properties. Here are some additional real estate jobs you may have overlooked. Proof that a real estate career can take you in many new and exciting directions and with rewarding returns on salary.

• Financing, Lending, Capital Markets
• RE Investment/Acquisitions
• Portfolio Management
• Operations and Asset Management
• Asset/Property Valuation
• Real Estate Development
• Sales, Leasing and Marketing

Download the Master's In Real Estate Career Sheet to learn more about the career opportunities connected with the MSRE program.

3. Resources to prepare you for a career in Commercial Real Estate, Leeds' Centers of Excellence—interdisciplinary research, academic and industry specific resources structured for each of our five business disciplines.  

At the Leeds School of Business, we care about helping students advance their business careers. Leeds provides students a unique collection of experiential tools through our Academic Centers of Excellence—designed to enhance the student academic experience through experiential learning, academic research, community engagement and industry exposure. 

• CU Real Estate Center (CUREC)
• Burridge Center for Finance
• Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR)
• Deming Center for Entrepreneurship
• Business Research Division
• Center for Research on Consumer Financial Decision Making

Mentors and business professionals at the CU Real Estate Center (CUREC) help students transfer classroom concepts into real world solutions by working on real projects attached to real budgets. Our world-class Center also hosts national competitions that test the skills and knowledge students acquire through this rigorous program.

CUREC provides research tools and training courses like Advanced Excel, ARGUS and USGBC LEED certification—all of which ensure our students’ resumes stand out during the job search. The right mix of certifications and academic training prepare students to work in today’s top-ranked real estate firms in the world.

To round out the academic experience, students are connected to a professional network of developers, investors and real estate managers. Exposure to these industry professionals at networking events boosts their knowledge of trending topics. This in turn arms students with the confidence to discuss industry challenges and devise feasible solutions. Plus, the Center hosts the region’s premier annual real estate conference and networking event which brings industry leaders together while introducing students to their future colleagues.
Visit the Center to find out more about internships and job placement to winning the interview and landing the job.

4. Job search timeline

HR Departments start recruiting job candidates as early as August. For this reason, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your Graduate Career Management advisor around the time orientation ends. Use this time to discuss job search strategies and build an individualized timeline to land your dream job.

Job Placement Examples from Leeds MS Real Estate:

Want to learn more about the Leeds School of Business MS in Real Estate and discover how we set graduates up for career success? Request information about the MSRE program here.