Real Estate

A Multi-disciplinary Study of Real Estate

The Berkeley MBA Program offers the Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Real Estate (IGCRE), with training in real estate investment and law and in the role of real estate development in the built environment. The IGCRE positions you to compete for jobs in public and private corporations with real estate investments, planning positions, real estate development, companies involved in real estate capital, law firms, and local government.

Our MBA real estate and urban economics faculty includes some of the most accomplished professors in the field, teaching courses such as finance securitization, investment analysis, and business and legal issues in real estate development. You benefit from the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics, including networking events, and forums where industry leaders discuss their career paths. Through the Career Management Group and the Fisher Center you have access to the Accelerating Careers in Real Estate Program.

Sample Real Estate Coursework

Land Development & Investment

With students in law, environmental design, and public policy, learn about every aspect of the land development process, with a focus on California. Build skills in strategic deal making and negotiation to support everything from acquisition and financing to obtaining community support.

Real Estate Development

Explore the entire process of real estate development, from acquisition, entitlement and development of land through to construction, completion, marketing, leasing and management of a finished project.

Real Estate Finance & Securitization

Apply finance and economics to understanding and navigating mortgage and asset-backed securities markets—both how debt is used to finance real estate and the economics behind The Big Short.

Experiential Learning in Real Estate

Real Estate Investment Analysis

Student teams examine real cases and deliver a comprehensive analysis that includes concept development, full market analysis, funding strategy, and entitlement and stakeholder consultation and approval strategies.

See the full list of Berkeley MBA experiential learning opportunities

Gerson Bakar Fisher Center Policy Advisory Board Real Estate Scholarship

A $10,000 award established by family and friends to recognize Gerson Bakar’s contributions to the real estate profession. Awarded to an exceptionally meritorious student who brings a passion for real estate, entrepreneurial drive, demonstrated creativity and an ethical focus.

Real Estate Faculty Spotlight

Professor Richard Stanton's research focus includes mortgage and lease markets and term structure modeling. He teaches the core Finance course.

Professor Nancy E. Wallace chairs the Real Estate Group and is co-chair of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics. The author of numerous peer-reviewed articles, she has served on the Federal Reserve System Model Validation Council and the Financial Research Advisory Committee, Office of Financial Research, US Treasury.

Assistant Professor Victor Couture studies urban economics and transportation. He teaches Real Estate Investment and Market Analysis.

William Falik is a land use attorney and developer of master planned communities in Northern California. He teaches the interdisciplinary Approach to Land Development and Investment to business, law, public policy, engineering, and planning students. 

Meet more real estate faculty.

Fisher Center for Real Estate & Urban Economics

The Fisher Center for Real Estate & Urban Economics educates students and real estate professionals and supports and conducts research on real estate, urban economics, the California economy, land use, and public policy.

Real Estate Co-Curriculars

Berkeley Real Estate Club

The Berkeley Real Estate Club (BREC) is the oldest student club at Haas and, with membership drawn from five different UC Berkeley programs, is also one of the most active and diverse. BREC enhances student access to the wealth of resources located within Haas, and within the greater community. 


The club organizes an Opportunities in Real Estate Forum, career treks, development treks, and guest speakers. This past year, students explored career opportunities in LA, toured new residential properties in San Francisco, and heard from the founders of Blok and Recity.

Members also receive membership in the Urban Land Institute and are invited to attend or volunteer at conferences and meetings organized by the Fisher Center.

MBA Real Estate Competitions

Berkeley MBA real estate students and BREC members are often among the top contenders for competitions such as the Bank of America Low Income Challenge, UT Austin National Real Estate Development Challenge, NAIOP Real Estate Challenge, UNC Real Estate Development Challenge, and MIT Boston Open.

Real Estate Career Support

At Berkeley Haas, the Accelerating Careers in Real Estate (ACRE) program, offered through the Career Management Group and Fisher Center, builds on our strong relationships with real estate communities in the Bay Area, across the U.S., and around the world.

ACRE enhances your understanding of the unique structure and characteristics of the real estate industry and its great diversity in functions (development, acquisitions, lending), locations (urban, suburban, sub-markets), and products (office, residential, retail), and helps you focus your career search.

Cleya Ormiston

Cleya Ormiston Leverette

MBA 14

Director, Global Real Estate Strategy
Salesforce

The Berkeley Haas MBA has propelled my career in real estate. Today, I lead our global real estate portfolio strategy at Salesforce, where we always think with a beginner's mind, question the status quo, and act with integrity. The knowledge, experiences, and insights I gained at Haas have allowed me to continue to focus on real estate, but now in a corporate environment and with a keen understanding of the broader business priorities of a Fortune 500 company.