Master in Real Estate Development - Study Plan

Exploring the relationship between real estate and the making of a city

Developed with the student in mind

Students gain an in-depth and well-rounded understanding of the world of real estate development in this master. Centered around global trends and emerging digital technologies, the program delves deep into the fundamentals of real estate development, and is complemented by hands-on learning, group work, and international visits. The program focuses on four main areas: economics, capital markets and finance, strategic management, and the city and legal frameworks.

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The structure

The master is a full time 10 month program in English. It comprises four modules in: Economics, Capital Markets and Finance; Strategic Management; The City, and Legal Frameworks. In addition, due the relevance of digital technologies in real estate, the course will use of the latest technologies of the 21st century in the sector. It will also include site visits (domestic) plus an international visit, and a final project, undertaken by small groups of students working collaboratively. As part of the program, students will be expected to do a field visit to Barcelona, and attend a week field trip to the cities of Hamburg and Berlin.

Module 1. ECONOMICS, CAPITAL MARKETS & FINANCE

IE has continually been a leader in the fields of economics and finance. With the support of faculty from IE Business School, this module will enable students to acquire sound training in these fields, but with a direct application to real estate.

Capital markets will be analyzed, along with how they influence the definition of various real estate products. Theoretical financial knowledge will be acquired while developing cutting-edge modelling tools for real estate transactions.

Techniques will be presented to analyze both global and urban economy, as well as the real estate industry.

Our faculty together with relevant international real estate experts have designed a module focused on entrepreneurship and an understanding of complex global investment mechanisms.

Module 2. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

This module will enable students to acquire a strategic vision of real estate management. It will provide both technical management skills, based on principles of project management (PMP principles) and RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) accreditation along with general management techniques to work with organizations involved in property development and take specific actions.

A specific and innovative section on Property Management has been created for this program, focusing on comprehensive understanding of the asset’s life cycle. Soft Skills (effective communication, team coordination, negotiation, among other things) so necessary in any position of management will be developed.

Expert faculty from leading companies in the project management and construction industry will transfer their international experience to the students.

Module 3. The City

Throughout this module, real estate activity will be understood within its urban context, analyzing both the synergies and impacts on our cities. Worldwide experts in the field of urbanism, technology, architecture, infrastructure and comprehensive sustainability will present a contemporary view on real estate activity.

The urban setting will be understood as the framework where development activity takes place, analyzing both the city and specific projects and actions. The contribution of quality design to the real estate asset in terms of public space and architecture will be evaluated.

This module will enable an understanding of the latest techniques and technologies (smart cities, bid data, GIS, BIM, etc.) within real estate practice, with special emphasis on the field of sustainability and its contribution to the competitiveness of the real asset product.

Module 4. LEGAL FRAMEWORKS

Relying on faculty from IE Law School together with legal experts with international experience, our students will gain an understanding of the international legal framework that governs property development.

The goal of this module is to acquire the key legal instruments for the analysis, acquisition, development and building of real estate assets, ranging from urban and environmental regulations to building and construction legislation.

Housing, as an essential component of real estate practice and the development of our cities, is given special attention, focusing on different international approaches to social and affordable housing.

October to December

The first term will address new land developments, urban regeneration projects and restructuring districts. An integrated approach, creating greater sustainability, as well as competitive and innovative environments, will be the MRED response to the complex growth of the cities. A diverse range of stakeholders: including government, urban designers and planners, environmentalists, citizens’ groups and real estate companies, will participate in these long-term developments.

Real Estate Investments

The objective is to lay the foundation of Capital Markets and to learn about different financing methods, as well as the development instruments used for real estate investment at a global level.

Module

Economics, Capital Markets & Finance
Sessions

20

Economics, Real Estate and The City

Real estate assets represent the physical support of a city’s economic activities. Understanding the connection between the economic and physical environments allows us to design more viable development projects and more competitive urban environments.

Module

Economics, Capital Markets & Finance
Sessions

15

Management Skills

Management and negotiation skills, fundamental principles of business strategy and effective communication and marketing tools are essential skills for a successful professional in real estate practice.

Module

Strategic
Management
Sessions

8

City Context

Most of the real estate investments and developments are concentrate in urban centers or cities. Understanding urban historical evolution and analyzing its possible future development is essential in the viability of development investments.

Module

The City
Sessions

12

Urban Development and Regeneration

New developments and regeneration of cities involves new building, as well as retrofitting existing ones. Coordination with city infrastructure and sustainability concerns must be taken into account. Understanding the complex process from vision to its implementation is key.

Module

The City
Sessions

20

Urban and Environment Legal Frameworks

Laws and guidelines regulating urban area and governing sustainability and the built environment vary from country to country and even city to city. These parameters determine how construction activities are carried out and shape strategies for real estate developments. It is important to have an understanding of the different frameworks of control.

Module

Legal Frameworks
Sessions

8

Leadership and Coaching

Students will learn different leadership styles, as leaders are becoming more involved in people development. They will also learn key concepts and skills required for increased employee performance through coaching.

Transversal Unit

Soft Skills Lab
Sessions

4

Presentation and Communication

Students will learn effective communication skills, since it is the foundation on which companies and careers are built and a crucial component of lasting success. They will improve their interpersonal and presentation skills as well as their writing techniques, being able to communicate in a fluent and confident way.

Transversal Unit

Soft Skills Lab
Sessions

2

Teamwork

Turning a group of people into a well performing team is not an easy feat to accomplish. Even in the best of scenarios, numerous and pervasive challenges must be overcome. This workshop is designed to provide theory and practice on building and leading winning teams.

Transversal Unit

Soft Skills Lab
Sessions

2

Business Valuations

Transactions are fundamental components of real estate activities in both the public and private sectors. Principles of valuation and understanding the appraisal process are addressed, using recognized international standards set by RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors). Professional business valuations form the basis of performance analysis, financing decisions, transactional or development advice, dispute resolution, taxation and other applications.

Module

Strategic
Management
Sessions

18

Real Estate Finance I

Financial concepts and tools are an essential part of real estate development. Designing a financial strategy and structure, knowing how interpret financial outcomes, and drawing valid business conclusions are day-to-day real estate investment tools.

Module

Economics, Capital Markets & Finance
Sessions

12

Field Trip Barcelona - November

Students will have the chance to learn about one the largest regeneration developments in Europe and meet key stakeholders and decision makers from the public and private sectors, including top managers at real estate development corporations and international funds.

January to March

In the second term we explore property development and new building construction. The complexity of real estate development must include architectural design, building engineering, sustainability, digital innovation, and legal and financial aspects. During this phase, different property development products such as residential, commercial, retail, logistic & industrial, hotel, leisure, etc. are explored and discussed.

Real Estate Products

Each type of real estate has a different set of drivers influencing its performance. There are four broad types of income-producing real estate properties: offices, retail, industrial and leased residential. There are many other less common types as well, such as hotels, mini-storage, parking lots and seniors care housing. In addition to location, typology and other factors specific to each product must be taken into account.

Module

Economics, Capital Markets & Finance
Sessions

22

Real Estate Finance II

Real estate companies are responsible for the implementation of projects. Understanding the nature of mergers and acquisitions, financing and refinancing of investment projects, structuring joint ventures and strategic alliances are fundamental.

Module

Economics, Capital Markets & Finance
Sessions

12

Strategic Real Estate Management

Strategic management is key to the viability and robustness of development projects over time. It is based on business plans and KPIs, as well as identifying the stakeholders’ interests and socio-economic impacts that are generated.

Module

Strategic
Management
Sessions

20

New Construction, Design and Development

How does architecture add value to a development project? Is sustainability a competitive factor in an investment? A livable city depends on the quality of both private and public spaces. Future developments will need to assume design, quality, and socio-environmental responsibility.

Module

The City
Sessions

20

Social and Affordable Housing

Meeting the needs of all city dwellers, providing diverse housing options and creating vibrant neighborhoods are paramount for all cities. Various models for housing development and financing are explored.

Module

Legal Frameworks
Sessions

4

Framework and Strategy for Development

Solid development and management strategies are crucial for real estate activities. Different financing models, such as a private financing initiatives (PFI) and public private partnerships (PPP) models are explored in order to evaluate options and maximize successful outcomes.

Module

Legal Frameworks
Sessions

10

International Legal Principles

International legal frameworks serve as a comparative guide to understanding the real estate sector and the development of our cities in many different places. This knowledge helps real estate professionals have the flexibility and knowledge to be able to operate in global environments.

Module

Legal Frameworks
Sessions

18

April to July

The final term will provide a broad view of real estate asset management and investment techniques, ranging from existing assets portfolio through corporate real estate strategy. Term 3 goes into more detail relating to finance and legal tools, integrated architectural approaches to existing buildings, smart buildings and cyber protection systems, and property management. Students bring together concepts learned and complete the course with a capstone project, undertaken individually or in pairs.

Property Practice

Property practice aims to maximize the value of the existing real estate assets and help to make strategic decisions. The goal is to manage a portfolio more efficiently, legally, financially and technically.

Module

Strategic
Management
Sessions

20

Corporate Real Estate

Large global corporations have large real estate portfolios. Expert management and innovative approaches to these assets is a competitive factor and must reflect responsible corporate values.

Module

Strategic
Management
Sessions

6

Project Management

Integrated project management procurements and execution of work in keeping with international standards (such as Project Management Professional -PMP) are key to ensure quality and guarantee project delivery on time and on budget.

Module

Strategic
Management
Sessions

20

Sustainable Building Retrofit

Retrofitting existing real estate assets is addressed with an integrated approach. Considerations such as sustainable design, technology, new ideas for functional spaces are part of the analysis, in addition to the expected return.

Module

The City
Sessions

10

Comparative Principles and Policies

Real estate development is increasingly becoming a global activity. It requires an understanding of regulatory policies and that may affect developments and development decisions. It is important to know that building regulations vary from place to place and must always be considered.

Module

Legal Frameworks
Sessions

5

Capstone Project

MRED capstone project is a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students at the end of the academic program. Students will develop a proposal for a real estate project, with the support of a tutor, that will demonstrate learning acquired and an appreciation for tackling complex problems. A presentation of the capstone project is made before a panel of experts, MRED members and external professionals who collectively evaluate the quality, coherence, feasibility, sustainability, and innovative aspects of the project.

Sessions

30

Digital Trends and Tools for the City

Disruptive technologies such as big data, smart cities, BIM, GIS and others are transforming many aspects of city management and real estate investment. They can also improve the decision making process and can contribute to a more holistic design process.