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    Key information

    Location
    Edinburgh
    Mode of delivery
    On-campus
    Delivery type
    Full-time, Part-time
    Start date
    September
    Duration
    1 year
    Qualification
    MSc

    Contact

    Contact our enquiries team

    Contact us

    Overview

    1st in Scotland and 7th in the UK for Construction, Surveying and Planning (Guardian University Guide 2023).

    Our internationally recognised MSc Real Estate is designed to align your skills to the educational requirements of the industry's professional bodies. Global relevance and employability are at the core of our curriculum design. The programme will enable you to understand the operation of real estate markets and develop a deep understanding of the techniques applied in them. You will gain the key skills necessary to embark on a wide range of careers in the global real estate industry.

    This Masters programme is especially suitable if you have a non-real estate related degree and desire to develop skills and knowledge in the real estate sector. The MSc will lead to exciting employment opportunities across the industry.

    September 2024 entry

    The deadline for applications from UK students is 30 August 2024. For EU and overseas applicants, we guarantee to consider applications submitted by 2 August 2024.

    Industry links

    This programme benefits from the expertise of research-active and industry-minded staff. Along with teaching staff, several honorary professors from industry guest lecture and advise on student research projects.

    Course content

    Year 1

    For the MSc, students undertake eight taught courses and submit a Master's dissertation. Students on the Pg Dip course take eight taught courses. Each taught course represents 150 hours of student effort and the dissertation represents 600 hours.

    Semester 1

    Mandatory
    • Advanced Construction Technology
    • Business Analytics and Introduction to Big Data
    • Urban Economy and Property Markets
    • Real Estate Appraisal and Finance

    Semester 2

    Mandatory
    • Real Estate Development
    • Real Estate Management and Sustainability
    • Real Estate Investment Analysis
    • Advanced Real Estate Valuation

    Semester 3

    Research Dissertation

    Urban Economy and Property Market

    Aims to develop an understanding of the spatial dimensions of property markets, the interaction between the property market and the urban economy and the impact on local property markets on urban management policies.

    Real Estate Appraisal and Finance

    Aims to establish the economic context for the creation of value, introduce the principles for the assessment of value in property markets, develop a clear understanding of the valuation process and appropriately apply the principal valuation methods (conventional and contemporary) to a range of property types and interests.

    Advanced Construction Technology

    Aims to provide students with knowledge and understanding of building physics, the loads produced internally by the structure of the building itself and external loads imposed on a building. Students will be made aware of the design elements in construction that are utilised in order to meet and resist these loads, and to complete a building that is functionally appropriate. 

    Students will also learn how the construction technology of substructure, superstructure and enclosing envelope combine to produce a physically stable building. 

    Business Analytics and Introduction to Big Data

    Introduces the key concepts of Big Data including:

    • Understand the different approaches used by managers and management consultants to solve business decision problems.
    • Appreciate the purpose and value of business analytics in management decision making.
    • Provide a working understanding of the key statistical concepts that underpin aspects of strategic decision sciences.
    • Give students the practical skills to apply a range of analytical techniques used by Business Analysts.
    Real Estate Investment Analysis

    Aims to enable learners to develop an in-depth understanding of property as an investment medium and the application of investment and finance theories to both the general investment markets and the property market.

    Real Estate Management and Sustainability

    To achieve an advanced understanding of:

    • The legal framework for property management and ownership
    • The roles and functions of the property asset manager
    • The financial, legal and technical skills within the management domain.
    • How management links with other disciplines within chartered surveying.
    • The key skills and strategies that can be adopted.
    • Concepts and tools for sustainability management within real estate
    Real Estate Development

    Conceptualises the framework for the property market and property development industry. Students will identify the fundamental drivers that influence the development decision within the internationalisation context. 

    • Provide an overview of property market and property development industry
    • Set out the factors that influence the development decision and property prices
    • Explain the general nature and form of development finance
    Advanced Real Estate Valuation

    Aims to develop a critical evaluation of valuation and appraisal methods and provide an opportunity to develop an in-depth knowledge of advanced methods of valuation and appraisal for land and property markets.

    Go Global

    Some of our Postgraduate Taught Masters Programmes are eligible for Inter-Campus Transfer. Please contact goglobal@hw.ac.uk for further information.

    Fees and funding

    Tuition fees

    Tuition fees
    Status [footnote 1] Full-time Part-time
    UK 9152 4576
    Overseas [footnote 2] 19056 9528

    Footnotes

    1. Your residency 'status' is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course. Find out more about tuition fees.
    2. Overseas includes applications from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in the UK. Read more about the application process for EU nationals.

    Scholarship for Academic Excellence

    Our Postgraduate Scholarship for Academic Excellence in MSc Real Estate offers a £1,000 tuition fee reduction.

    Scholarship for Academic Excellence

    Scholarships and bursaries

    We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.

    View our full range of postgraduate scholarships.

    Entry requirements

    Entry

    Masters (MSc) level entry applicants must have one of the following:

    • Minimum of 2:1 honours degree or equivalent academic qualification in a non-cognate discipline
    • Minimum of 2:2 honours degree or equivalent academic qualification in a related subject area
    • Corporate (or chartered) membership of relevant professional institutions will also be considered

    PG Diploma level entry applicants must have an ordinary degree in a related subject area and relevant post qualification industry experience.

    Candidates who do not meet the above entry requirements or have no formal academic qualifications will be considered individually based on their CV and possibly interview. Admission via this route will be at the discretion of the Director of Recruitment.

    Recognition of Prior Learning

    We are committed to providing study opportunities to applicants who have a wide range of prior experiences through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). For more information on RPL, please contact the Admissions Team (studywithus@hw.ac.uk) ahead of application. We can only consider requests for RPL at the time of application to a course of study.

    English language requirements

    If English is not the applicant's first language a minimum of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required with all elements passed at 6.0 or above. Please refer to English language requirements for further details.

    Some applicants may be asked for alternative evidence in line with UKVI recognised English speaking countries. Applicants who have previously successfully completed courses delivered in the medium of English language may be considered and will be required to provide documentary evidence of this. Examples would be secondary school education or undergraduate degree. A minimum of at least one year of full time study (or equivalent) in the medium of English language will be required.

    All evidence of English language needs to be dated within two years of the commencement of study.

    We also offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement prior to starting your master's programme:

    • 20 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with no skill lower than 4.5)
    • 14 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with minimum of 5.0 in writing and no skill lower than 4.5)
    • 10 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.0)
    • 6 weeks English (for IELTS 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.5)

    Employability

    With strong professional links and a focus on up-to-date industry-relevant content, our Real Estate programme equips graduates with the knowledge and skills to quickly and effectively contribute to wide and varied roles within the real industry.

    Graduates of this course are highly sought after in the real estate industry. Graduates from this area have gone on to work within some of the largest and most prestigious international real estate organisations and firms.

    Real Estate Service Firms:

    Avison Young, CBRE, Cluttons, Cushman & Wakefield, Drivers Jonas Deloitte, DTZ, EYCO, Gerald Eve, Jones Lang LaSalle, Knight Frank, Rydens and Savills

    Investment Banks:

    Barclays Capital, BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan

    Institutional Investors and Investment Funds:

    Aviva, Aberdeen Standard Investments, Legal & General

    Consultancy Firms:

    PWC and Deloitte Real Estate

    Investment and Development Companies:

    British Land, Cala Homes, Grosvenor and Land Securities

    We also have a proven track record in research, and a number of our graduates continue in research to complete PhD study.

    Why Heriot-Watt?

    Ranking (Town & Country Planning and Landscape Design, The Times and Sunday Times Complete University Guide 2024)

    We are ranked 2nd in Scotland and 4th in UK for Town & Country Planning and Landscape by The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.

    Ranking (Town & Country Planning and Landscape Design, Complete University Guide 2023)

    We are ranked 2nd in Scotland and 15th in the UK for Town and Country Planning and Landscape Design in the Complete University Guide 2023.

    Online events

    We host online events throughout the year, giving you the opportunity to speak to our academic teaching staff, meet students, find out what it is like to study using our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and discover how to enrol.

    Clubs and activities

    At Heriot-Watt we have an extensive programme of over 90 sports clubs and societies to get involved in. You can try as many as you like or start one of your own!

    Edinburgh campus accommodation

    Living on our beautiful Edinburgh campus is a great way to meet others from all over the world. Our student accommodation is within easy reach of the teaching buildings, sports facilities, catering venues and the Student Union

    Edinburgh Campus facilities

    At Heriot-Watt University, we offer a wide range of services to help you deal with all aspects of your life with us, whether these be academic, personal, technical, financial or just plain fun!

    Health and wellbeing

    Student Wellbeing Services aim to provide a range of support, guidance, activities and advice to help students to be their best, and get the most from their university experience. From counselling to coaching we'll sure you are fully supported.

    Heriot-Watt Student Union

    There's more to university life than simply getting your degree, and Heriot-Watt University Student Union is all about helping you to have the best possible experience while you study here.

    Living in Edinburgh

    Historic and beautiful, a cultural capital that fuels the senses whether you love the arts or nature, nightlife or study life, Edinburgh is stimulating and inspirational and never, ever boring.

    Sport facilities

    Oriam, Scotland Sports Performance Centre offers state-of-the-art sports facilities, for all levels of sport and ability

    Your career

    Employers around the world actively seek out our graduates because they are work-ready. All our degrees are career-focused and relevant to the needs of industry. Around 95% of our students are in employment or further study within six months of graduating.

    We are accredited by the following organisations

    At Heriot-Watt University we develop degrees that are relevant for the world of work. We work with Professional bodies and Institutes to gain appropriate Accreditations and Professional Memberships for your industry. Find out below how this degree aligns to industry.

    RICS logo

    Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

    Accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for the purpose of graduate membership.

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