Real Estate

About

Ulster is one of most established UK educators of the real estate discipline, with over 40 years’ experience in developing successful property graduates. Recognised nationally for outstanding teaching, research, engagement with employers and student satisfaction, we will prepare you for a successful career in real estate.



The overarching aim of the MSc in Real Estate is to facilitate the personal and intellectual development of students and to produce graduates with the knowledge and skills appropriate to the development, investment and management of the diverse components within the property discipline commensurate with the requirements of the associated professional bodies; the public and private sectors; and commercial and industrial interests. The programme is designed to provide opportunities for student choice.



The rationale of the Masters Programme in Real Estate is to provide an intensive postgraduate educational opportunity for ambitious and motivated graduates who wants to develop their career in Real Estate. The subject matter is presented with an international perspective to reflect the increasingly strong role of property in today’s global business economy and to be of relevance to a career incorporating multinational organisations operating particularly in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia.



The programme will provide for the integration of theory and practice in real estate valuation, investment, management and development appraisal methodologies, including the key areas of real estate asset pricing and risk analysis, relevant to the commercial real estate industry, banks and institutional investors.



Graduates from the MSc in Real Estate programme will be able to demonstrate various subject related qualities including; knowledge and understanding of the various best practices and accepted procedures of the property industry; Skill to practice the appropriate methods and practical techniques commonly used by a property surveyor. In the current financial environment real estate professionals are facing complex situations and making difficult decisions. Graduates will be, therefore, expected to have developed intellectual qualities, including high level cognitive skills, enabling them to analyse, synthesise and objectively evaluate complex issues, construct and defend a balanced argument and creatively identify problems and possible solutions in a real estate context.



The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) as the professional body plays a very significant role in advising and accrediting property related programmes within the School. This MSc in Real Estate is accredited by the RICS for both full-time and part-time modes of delivery.



This course is designed to prepare graduates for future employment in a number of the RICS APC Pathways, which include:



- Commercial Property

- Residential

- Valuation

Urban Development and Regeneration

Real Estate Investment Analysis

Real Estate Economics and Analysis

Real Estate Valuation

Real Estate Asset Management

International Real Estate Portfolio Analysis

Professional Practice and Ethics

Sustainable Real Estate

Real Estate Work Based Project - This module is optional.

Dissertation - This module is optional

(a) Applicants must have gained

a second class honours degree or better from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard;



or



an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification;



and



(b) provide evidence of competence in written and spoken English (GCSE grade C or equivalent).



In exceptional circumstances, as an alternative to (a) (i) or (a) (ii) and/or (b), where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route. Evidence used to demonstrate graduate qualities may not be used for exemption against modules within the programme.



English Language Requirements

English language requirements for international applicants

The minimum requirement for this course is Academic IELTS 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5. Trinity ISE: Pass at level III also meets this requirement for Tier 4 visa purposes.



Ulster recognises a number of other English language tests and comparable IELTS equivalent scores.

Attendance with on-line support/blended learning.



Full Time Attendance:

3-4 days per week. This is a 12-month commitment (four modules or 60 credits in Semesters 1 and 2 , and one module in Semester 3, total credit points equates 180 for the full masters).



In the full time mode, students take four 15-credit modules per semester and each module equates to a student effort of 150 hours, made up of direct contact hours (i.e. that delivered in the classroom) and the remainder as independent study time which would involve reading books, journals and researching for coursework etc.



Students also undertake an optional 60-credit - Dissertation or Real Estate Work Based Project (i.e. a 10-12 weeks of summer internship in the real estate sector) module in Semester 3, which has limited direct teaching but has a staff supervisory process to support you.



On average the contact time per week for each module will be 4-5 hours (with a mix of lectures and tutorials). This varies in some modules but will not be more than 5 hours per week per module. Usually these contact hours are spread across a minimum of 3-4 days in the full time mode across 12 weeks per semester. There will also be a couple of practical sessions/site visits which are connected to a measurement exercise/assessment etc and this will be scheduled on the timetable and communicated at the beginning of the semester. Other than the scheduled contact time, there is an expectation that students are using the rest of the week for independent study/research.



Part-Time Attendance

The part time provision offers one point of entry in each academic year: September. The degree will normally be completed across three academic years.



In the part-time mode, students take two 15-credit modules per semester per year and each module equates to a student effort of 150 hours, made up of direct contact hours (i.e. delivered in the classroom) and the remainder as independent study time which would involve reading books, journals and researching for coursework etc. Students also undertake a 60-credit Dissertation in year 3, which has limited direct teaching but has a staff supervisory process to support you.



On average the contact time per week for each module will be 4-5 hours (with a mix of lectures and tutorials) i.e. 5 hours x 2 modules = 10 contact hours. This varies in some modules but will not be more than 5 hours per week per module. Usually these contact hours are spread across a minimum of 1-2 days in the part-time mode across 12 weeks per semester. There will also be a couple of practical sessions/site visits which are connected to a measurement exercise/assessment etc and this will be scheduled on the timetable and communicated at the beginning of the semester.



Other than the scheduled contact time, there is an expectation that students are using the rest of the week for independent study/research.

Start Date: September 2025.

Career options

Real estate professionals have a key role to play in advising multi-national companies, major financial institutions, property companies, banks, governments and other public sector organisations around the world. This may be transactional business advice on the purchase, sale, leasing and acquisition of commercial real estate or it may be professional advisory services including management of real estate portfolios to maximise the value of real estate as an asset class. Real estate players are able to creatively apply technical, legal and economic knowledge to deliver on a stakeholder’s property objectives and meet current business needs and future strategy.



Our MSc graduates enter a wide variety of employment including development and investment firms, banks and financial institutions, consultancy, agency, asset management, real estate research, education, housing management and the public sector.