Key information
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MA
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 4 years
- Location
- Dubai
- Start date
- September
Our MA Real Estate Management and Finance degree is designed to set you apart from traditional real estate roles, focusing on creating value through strategic analysis, valuation, market research, and informed decision-making. This programme prepares graduates to lead the industry as visionary analysts and managers, equipped with the skills to drive the future direction of the real estate sector.
Real estate is a global industry that encompasses much more than just sales and agency roles. It includes the land and any buildings or improvements built on it, forming the built environment that surrounds us. From homes and schools to shopping centres and holiday destinations, real estate is integral to our daily lives and the places we preserve for future generations. This degree emphasises the importance of understanding who uses, owns, and invests in real estate, highlighting the critical role of real estate professionals in making strategic and operational decisions.
We recognise the importance of work-based learning and include industry placements in the fourth year of the programme. This hands-on experience ensures that our graduates are well-prepared for the real-world challenges they will face in their careers. Furthermore, we bring in adjunct staff from the industry to lead specialist courses and serve as guest speakers, providing students with invaluable insights and connections within the real estate sector.
The programme integrates advanced data analysis software, including GIS, Excel, and other analytical tools, ensuring graduates are equipped with cutting-edge technical proficiency. This technical expertise, combined with a comprehensive understanding of global best practices and standards, positions graduates to excel in the dynamic and evolving real estate industry. With accreditations from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the UAE, our degree is recognised for its excellence and relevance in the global market
Your student experience
Heriot-Watt University, Dubai was the first and has the most respected real estate degree programme with the largest graduate network in the GCC. Our new undergraduate degree has been designed in response to employer demand and recognition that the property sector is now a central part of wider financial markets.
The sector locally in Dubai (UAE) is developing and very much conforming to global best practices. Recent additions to International Valuation Standards (IVS) and International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS) are two examples where our students would benefit from studying a relevant programme. Furthermore, discussions with major firms also highlight the need for graduates to have a holistic range of business and finance skills alongside the technical knowledge relevant to property (for instance financial modelling). To this end, particular emphasis is placed on ensuring that students are familiar with the latest concepts in mixed-asset portfolio analysis, risk management, financial and valuation modelling.
Heriot-Watt property programmes have been ranked as one of the leading programmes in the UK. Heriot-Watt takes an applied focus, going beyond textbook and theory to explore real-world issues and solutions. Our programme combines real estate with business analytics, management, and finance; and graduates have sought-after transferable skills in writing, research and critical evaluation. Our graduates will have career opportunities in business and property professions and are eligible for a broad range of postgraduate programmes across both disciplines. Students take part in a professional project that matches them with local practitioners and employers.
Go Global
There are currently no Go Global opportunities for this particular programme. However, other Go Global opportunities may be available. Please contact studywithus@hw.ac.uk for more information.
Course content
September Intake - Dubai
Year 1
Detailed Course Guide
Year 1 combines a number of relevant business and finance courses so that students are equipped with the relevant background of data analysis and analysis of financial markets. Core subjects include economics; management and business. Urban geography and the built environment components offer a linkage of the economy to property and construction markets. These courses provides an introduction to academic study, to the built environment professions, and to the nature of the work carried out by property surveyors.
Mandatory September
- Management in a Global Context
- The Economy
- Real Estate and its Markets
- Shaping Tomorrow Together A
Mandatory January
- Technology for Business
- Sustainable Business
- Human Geography & The City
- Shaping Tomorrow Together B
Year 2
Detailed Course Guide
Year 2 expands on the introductions in the first year allowing for more rudimental analysis and understanding of financial markets and management practices relevant to the business and property worlds. This year introduces property economics and the links between the economy and the property market, as well as giving you an overview of how cities are planned, managed and developed. Students will be able to use economic concepts and the financial theories to explain activities in the construction and property market. The presence of planning based courses will also allow students to look to the future and evaluate the importance of sustainable development and it considers how cities will evolve/future challenges.
Mandatory September
- Real Estate Economics and Market Dynamics
- Introduction to Accounting
- Fundamentals of Finance
Mandatory January
- Principles of Property Valuation
- Business Skills for the Second Machine Age
- Financial Markets Theory
- Management Accounting in Organisations
Options September
- Intercultural Issues in Business and Management
- Surveying and GIS
Year 3
Detailed Course Guide
Year 3 is very much underpinned by the technical and analytical aspects of the property industry, be it real estate investment, development and asset management. Wider courses on financial markets allows students to appreciate the synergy between bond markets, currency markets and property markets. It will also present the opportunity to include practice based work in core areas of development appraisal and financial modelling. The courses introduces students to the development process and the commercial drivers behind it. It highlights how commercial, financial, economic, legal, planning, design and physical development considerations contribute towards real estate advisory and appraisal work. Students will develop detailed and critical understanding of principles, theories, techniques and practices relating to the appraisal and valuation of capital investments, with particular emphasis on real estate investments.
Graduates on this course will gain the skills necessary to produce investment and market valuations, and undertake comprehensive appraisal, evaluation and interpretation of real estate investment performance, at single asset and portfolio levels.
Mandatory September
- Corporate Financial Theory
- Construction Technology for Commercial Buildings
- Financial Modeling for the Built Environment
- Contemporary Appraisal
Mandatory January
- Business Research Methods
- Design Issues
- Professional Real Estate Project
- Business Analysis and Consultancy
Year 4
Detailed Course Guide
Year 4 is designed to develop a wide range - and critical understanding - of the principles, theories, techniques and practices relating to: property and project finance, corporate finance, financial risk management, property taxation, and property finance negotiations. It brings in components of post-development decision-making regarding asset management and portfolio management. The programme concludes with a research dissertation that requires students to investigate a topic of choice in an extended project, building critical thinking; literature analysis; application of suitable research methods, analyse data, and produce conclusions and recommendations.
The degree allows a broad range of career choices for students, whether they want to develop a role in real estate management or real estate finance, based upon their own interests and career aspirations.
Mandatory September
- Research Dissertation (Urban Studies)
- Urban Economy and Property Markets
Mandatory January
- Research Dissertation (Urban Studies)
- Real Estate Management and Sustainability
- Real Estate Development
- Real Estate Industry Placement
Options - September
- Managerial Accounting: Decision Making
- Global Business Analysis
- Real Estate Industry Immersion Experience
Teaching staff
Fees and funding
AED 71,500 per year
- All tuition fees inclusive of VAT.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
Year 1
- GCE A-Level - CCD (or BBBB at AS-Level)
- CBSE/Other Indian Boards - 65%.
- American High School Diploma/SABIS - 70% + SAT I – 1000 (500 English and 500 Math)
- Tawjihiyya - 80% or Elite/Advance - 75%
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 24 points (3 HL and 3 SL).
- BTEC Level 3 Ext Diploma - MMM
- FBISE grade 12 or equivalent – 70%
- Russian/Kazakhstan (Attestat) - Grades of 5 in every subject + IELTS 6.0
- African WAEC/NECO/WASSCE - B2
- French Baccalaureate - 13/20 + IELTS 6.0
- Lebanese Baccalaureate - 80% or 13/20 + IELTS 6.0
- Foundation year Successful completion of Heriot-Watt University Degree Entry Programme (Engineering/Management) with a CCCC.
- Compulsory subjects to include English.
To find out more about the specific entry requirements for your country, please refer to our International Entry Requirements.
To find out about the entry requirements for this programme, please send an email to dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk
Year 2
- GCE A-Levels - CCC.
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 27 points (3 HL and 3 SL).
- CBSE/Other Indian Boards - 75%
- American High School Diploma/SABIS- 70% + 3 AP at grade 4 or Minimum 3 SAT Subjects (SAT II) 500 each, in relevant subjects.
- Higher National Diploma (HND) - PPP
- BTEC Level 3 Ext Diploma – DDD including Business
- FBISE grade 12 or equivalent - 85%
- Transfer students from other universities may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Compulsory subjects to include English.
To find out more about the specific entry requirements for your country, please refer to our International Entry Requirements.
To find out about the entry requirements for this programme, please send an email to dubaienquiries@hw.ac.uk
English language requirements
As our degrees are taught and assessed in English, applicants must be able to prove their level of English language ability.
The minimum English language requirement for entry to this programme is IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) with no score lower than 5.5.
Please see our detailed English language requirements.
Why Heriot-Watt
As the first British university to set up a campus in Dubai in 2005, we have established ourselves as a pioneer in the higher education market in the UAE. The three consecutive five-star ratings by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is a testament to our reputation for world-class teaching.
The futuristic Dubai campus is designed to offer interactive and collaborative learning experiences with innovative classroom styles fostering group work and engagement like Collaborative lecture theatres, Digitally Classrooms and Seminar rooms. The campus also has dedicated cutting-edge laboratories and workshops that span various engineering disciplines along with Psychology, IT, Photography, Design and Architecture.
Our practical, leading-edge research combined with strong links to business and industry, have made our graduates highly employable and sought after by the best organisations worldwide, with over 90% in graduate-level jobs or further study within six months of graduation. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education through our Go Global programme.
Employability
Graduates of this program are prepared for diverse career opportunities in high-demand roles such as Real Estate Analysts, Financial Analysts, Valuers/Appraisers, Market Research Analysts, Investment Analysts, Site Selection Managers, Development Managers, Finance Managers, Asset Managers, Investment Managers, Corporate Real Estate Managers, and Directors of Valuation. These roles are essential for organizations ranging from governments to major corporations in Dubai, such as Emaar Properties, Nakheel, Dubai Holding, Meraas, and shopping centre operators like Majid Al Futtaim. Additionally, real estate advisory firms such as CBRE, Knight Frank, Cavendish Maxwell, Savills, ValuStrat, Windmills, and Chestertons require skilled professionals to provide expert consultancy and advisory services.
Student life
Explore facilities, and chat to staff and students
