Real Estate Management & Investment MSc



Gain the knowledge, skills and professional recognition needed for a successful career in global real estate on this RICS-accredited course

Course overview

MSc Real Estate Management & Investment is a carefully considered programme which meets current industry demands and develops graduates who have the knowledge and skills required to enter the real estate industry as valuers, agents, property consultants, managers and developers. 

This degree will allow you to gain knowledge of the wide range of principles that underpin property investment assets and the skills to apply these effectively such as: Building Economics, Property Law, Real Estate Valuation, Property Asset Management, Property Investment Analysis, and the principles of Sustainable Urban Property Development. You will complete the course with a Masters Dissertation on a relevant topic.

Real estate plays a key role in business and investment and there is a need to maximise both the return from and productivity of real estate assets. This requires professional expertise. There are hundreds of billions of pounds invested in UK commercial property stock, around half of this held as investment assets. These assets all require on-going strategic and active management including appraisal, acquisition and disposal.

Whatever your background, this Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accredited degree will equip you with the knowledge to become a competent and resourceful professional, ready to go straight into a career in the fast-paced property market. The degree is fully accredited by the RICS under the Commercial pathway. A career as a surveyor may suit you if you are interested in property and people, and want a professional role with plenty of variety and prospects.

Graduate prospects are good and recent graduates have gone on to work for organisations such as: Savills, Shepherd Surveyors, Graham and Sibbald, Cushman and Wakefield, Aberdeen Group, Valuation Office Agency and Lothian Valuation Joint Board. 

Typical entry points to this course are in September and January. Please enquire for more information.

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Mode of Study:

Distance learning Full-time (also available Distance Learning Part-time | On-campus Full-time and Part-time)

Duration:

2 years

Course details

You will study six taught modules. A standard module is worth 20 credits and equivalent to 200 hours of learning.

You will also undertake personal research and complete a dissertation to gain 60 credits towards your masters degree.

You will undertake three taught modules in each of Trimesters 1 and 2 and complete your dissertation in Trimester 3.

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    How you’ll be taught

    The core material is delivered through our virtual learning environment, Moodle, with core course material developed by professionally qualified academic staff and industrial specialists.

    Students will undertake three taught modules in each of Trimesters 1 and 2 of the academic year and complete their dissertation in the final trimester.

    Students can start the course in September or January. The course is entirely distance learning, so no in-person attendance is required, other than to attend exam centres in Edinburgh (or overseas by prior arrangement), as appropriate for any in-person exams.

    Term dates

    This course can also be studied On-campus Full-time or Part-time.
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    Assessments

     Assessments are by a mixture of coursework, projects and exams. This can consist of a variety of tasks including report writing, essays, research briefs and posters. Full details of the assessment strategy for each module, including any in-person exams, can be found in the module catalogue.
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    Work placement

    Whilst there is no credit-bearing work placement, most students take up the opportunities offered by industry to engage in insight weeks and summer internships/placements. We have an excellent Employability & Careers Service that can assist with the application processes and to develop your CV.
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    Facilities

    Although this course is delivered online, you have access to the library and virtual desktop service provide by Edinburgh Napier University. You also have numerous opportunities to engage with the University through feedback and contact with your personal development tutor.

ACCREDITED BY

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for Real Estate Management and Investment?

The entry requirement for this course is a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at 2:2 or above. We look for applicants to have a background in any discipline in order to be eligible for the programme.

We may consider applicants with a lower degree classification if they have sufficient relevant work experience in the property / real estate industry. There may also be an additional essay requirement if applicants apply with less than a 2:2 Honours degree and this would be confirmed on submission of the application to the Admissions Team.

As this course is accredited by Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the minimum level of qualification to be considered will be at Bachelor (Ordinary) degree level. To check the equivalence of your qualification or experience, please contact the Postgraduate Admissions team.

Can I get admission into Real Estate Management and Investment based on my working experience in this sector?

This course has academic entry requirements which are assessed alongside relevant work experience. Full details of any relevant work experience, including references should be submitted with your application and may be considered for entry where the minimum academic entry requirements are below those required.

Usually, unrelated work experience is not considered sufficient for entry without meeting the minimum academic entry requirements. Please contact us with your specific circumstances by submitting an enquiry form above and we will be happy to discuss your options.

Can I make an appointment with an advisor to discuss further about the admission process?

If you want to get more information on the admission process, please get in touch with the postgraduate admissions team by submitting an enquiry form above.

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test and our minimum English language requirements will apply.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • MSc Nursing courses
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2026/27 2027/28
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £8,030 tba
Overseas and EU £22,290 tba

Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.

The University offers a 20% discount on Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online degrees. The discount can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount. For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount. Please read our full T&C here.

Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Careers & employability

What can you do with an MSc in Real Estate Management and Investment degree?

In Real Estate Management & Investment there are opportunities to work across the world, particularly within the multinational practices.

Our accreditation means this qualification meets the academic requirements of the RICS, putting you well on your way to Chartered status. You can obtain full Chartered status following a period of work experience after graduation and on successful completion of the RICS Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).

Completing an MSc in Real Estate Management & Investment can qualify you for a variety of roles in both Public and Private sectors, such as:

  • Real Estate Manager
  • Real Estate Investment Analyst
  • Property Manager
  • Real Estate Developer
  • Real Estate Consultant
  • Investment Broker
  • Real Estate Fund Manager

You will learn how to assess the value of different types of properties, including residential, commercial, and industrial real estate. This involves understanding market trends, economic factors, and property-specific considerations.

Real estate is subject to numerous laws and regulations governing property ownership, leasing, development and transactions. You will gain an understanding of relevant legal and regulatory frameworks.

You will learn about the role of economics, including economic models of urban location and growth, models of property asset management and technology used. You will assess commercial property investments and their markets, apply contemporary appraisal methods and broader investment market analytic techniques. You will learn about sustainable urban property development and appraisal.

What does a Real Estate Manager do?

As a Real Estate Manager, your daily activities can vary depending on your specific role and the properties you manage. You will be conducting regular inspections of the properties under your management to ensure they are well-maintained and in compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

You might also be managing property finances, including budgeting, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Real estate managers are responsible for ensuring that properties operate within budgetary constraints and generate positive cash flow. You have to keep monitoring local real estate market trends and competitor properties to inform strategic decision-making. Real estate managers may conduct market research to assess rental rates, occupancy trends, and demand-supply dynamics.

You will ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards governing property management. This includes staying updated on changes in legislation and implementing necessary measures to maintain compliance.

Student beside savilles sign holding a book open in her hands