Key information
Find out more about our 3 year honours degree option.
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MA
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 3-4 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.
Work-Based Learning and Industry Placements
We recognise the importance of work-based learning and have designed Year 4 around real-world practice. Students can pursue an industry placement, undertake an independent market study project, or complete a professional ethics and reflective practice essay project, allowing each student to consolidate their learning in a way that reflects their career direction. We also 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 remains the most respected real estate programme in the GCC, with the largest graduate network in the region. Our undergraduate degree has been designed in direct response to employer demand and the recognition that real estate is now a central and sophisticated component of wider financial markets.
The sector in Dubai and across the UAE is maturing rapidly, conforming to and in many cases driving global best practices. Recent updates to International Valuation Standards (IVS) and International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS) reflect a profession that demands both technical rigour and strategic thinking. Employers consistently tell us they need graduates with a holistic range of business, finance, and analytical skills alongside deep property knowledge.
Data analytics and technology are embedded throughout the programme. Students work with datasets spanning hundreds of thousands of data points, run regression analyses, and build Monte Carlo simulations. The philosophy is consistent: let the technology do the mathematics, but ensure the graduate understands the inputs, interrogates the outputs, and can defend the conclusions. The same principle applies to artificial intelligence. The ethical and professional use of GenAI tools is woven through the real estate courses, reflecting the reality that these tools are already reshaping how investment analysis, valuation, and market research are practised.
Heriot-Watt University's real estate programmes are ranked among the leading programmes in the UK. Our approach goes beyond textbook and theory to explore real-world issues and solutions, combining real estate with business analytics, management, and finance. Graduates leave with sought-after transferable skills in research, critical evaluation, and professional communication, and are eligible for a broad range of postgraduate programmes across both disciplines.
Course content
September Intake - Dubai
Year 1 builds the knowledge foundations so that students understand the world that real estate operates in. Core subjects span economics, management, and business, alongside urban geography and the built environment, offering direct linkage between the broader economy and property and construction markets. These courses provide an introduction to academic study, the built environment professions, and the nature of the work carried out by property surveyors. Students are introduced to data and technology as professional tools from the outset.
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
Disclaimer
The courses mentioned above may change between now and the time that you study. For more information, please view our Terms and Conditions.
Programme Video
Teaching staff
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time |
|---|---|
| Fee | AED 74,360 |
- All tuition fees inclusive of VAT.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
- 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 + 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
- African WAEC/NECO/WASSCE - B2
- FBISE or grade 12 equivalent - 70%
- Russian/Kazakhstan (Attestat) - Grades of 5 in every subject + IELTS 6.0
- French Baccalaureate - 12/20 + IELTS 6.0
- Lebanese Baccalaureate - 80% or 13/20 + IELTS 6.0
- Scottish Higher - Minimum of BBBB in Scottish Highers in relevant subjects
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
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.
Student life
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