Curriculum
The Cornell Program in Real Estate curriculum includes a core set of required courses, which constitute a comprehensive foundation of understanding of the broad real estate business. Most of the core courses are completed in the first 2 semesters while students contemplate their future areas of concentration and prepare for summer internship experiences. This approach assures that all graduates develop a strong knowledge and experience foundation in their first year, and leaves room to take advantage of a wide array of elective/concentration course options in their second year of study.
The general two-year curriculum structure is shown below:
| Required Core | ||||
| Elective | ||||
First Year |
||||
| Orientation | ||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Principles of Real Estate | 3 | Real Estate Finance & Investments | 3 | |
| Real Estate Development Process | 3 | Design in Real Estate Development | 3 | |
| Construction Planning and Operations | 3 | Real Estate Law | 3 | |
| Managerial Finance | 3 | Residential Development | 4 | |
| GIS Applications in Real Estate | 1 | Real Estate Industry Seminar | 0.5 | |
| Real Estate Industry Seminar | 0.5 | Communication in Real Estate | 1.5 | |
| Specialization Elective | 3 | |||
| 17 | 15 | |||
| Summer Internship | ||||
Second Year |
||||
| Fall | Spring | |||
| Real Estate Marketing & Management | 3 | Real Estate Project Workshop | 4 | |
| Management & Leadership | 3 | Real Estate Trans & Deal Structuring | 3 | |
| Real Estate Industry Seminar | 0.5 | Management & Leadership | 2 | |
| Specialization Elective | 3 | Real Estate Industry Seminar | 0.5 | |
| Specialization Elective | 3 | Specialization Elective | 4 | |
| Specialization Elective | 3 | Specialization Elective | 1.5 | |
| 16 | 15 | |||
| Total | 62 | |||
| * The above curriculum is presented as a general guide. | ||||
| For degree requirements consult the Cornell Program in Real Estate Student Handbook | ||||
Concentration
The Cornell program is designed to provide a comprehensive core but provide for a niche specialization, or concentration, during the second year in the student’s chosen area of interest. Students often build on the backgrounds they bring to the program but sculpting a niche area of expertise that becomes a strategic strength in the industry. Others utilize the concentration requirement to broaden their appreciation and understanding of the industry and explore intriguing niche areas. See the section on concentrations for more information.
Leadership and Management
Graduates of Cornell’s Program in Real Estate are very likely to move quickly into management roles within the real estate industry, and preparation for successful execution of managerial responsibilities is a key to success. Therefore, in addition to and separate from courses in the core and concentration areas, at least five additional credits are required in the areas of leadership and management. Cornell offers a large number of courses that fulfill this requirement as well as excellent on-the-job leadership and management experience through student work on various team projects, national competitions, and through internship responsibilities.
Electives
Students are urged to make maximum use of Cornell’s great breadth of course availabilities in their choice of concentration coursework and through electives. One of the distinct advantages of Cornell’s MPS/RE degree Program is this wide range of elective courses available to all students in the Program. In addition to the courses that students may choose to create their own unique concentration, students may elect an limited credits as true electives. Students are encouraged to expand their horizons and focus to the broader world in which real estate exists, to examine areas which might (for example) include foreign language training, retail management, international economics, wine tasting, macro-economics or outdoor activities. Successful real estate leaders are those with the ability and vision to spot and understand the signs and trends of the times and to respond to those in a timely, informed and creative fashion. Cornell’s motto of “Any Person, Any Study” results in a near-endless variety of elective courses to consider and is symbolic of the Cornell academic experience.
