Real Estate Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

A Real Estate major studies how property is bought, sold, financed, developed and managed. Real estate majors learn property law, valuation, finance, investment and property management.

A Real Estate major includes coursework in real estate principles, property law, real estate finance, appraisal and valuation, and property management and more. You build skills such as property valuation, negotiation, contracts, and financial analysis. Typical degrees: certificate and bachelor's degree.

Typical courses include real estate principles, property law, real estate finance, appraisal and valuation, property management, and real estate investment. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Real Estate is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, and master’s awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, and a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s. Part-time study takes longer.

Certificate and bachelor's degree. In the latest federal data, 146 colleges reported certificate awards, 79 colleges reported associate awards, 52 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, and 30 colleges reported master’s awards.

Career paths connected to real estate include real estate agent, real estate broker, property manager, title examiner, and loan officer. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include real estate agent (typical training: 1–6 months (licensing)), real estate broker (typical training: 2–3 years as an agent plus broker courses), property manager (typical training: 1–3 years of experience), title examiner (typical training: Several months on the job), and loan officer (typical training: 3–6 months for mortgage licensing).

Real Estate majors build skills such as property valuation, negotiation, contracts, financial analysis, and client service.

Good pairings include Finance (strengthens investment and lending analysis), Professional Sales (helps you win and serve clients), and Construction Management (useful for development and renovation projects).

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as real estate agent, real estate broker, and property manager, and enjoy subjects like real estate principles and property law. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes real estate principles, property law, and real estate finance; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

205 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

California (68), Texas (23), Ohio (16), Pennsylvania (10), and Florida (8), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

173 of the colleges that offer real estate also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Real Estate studies how property is bought, sold, financed, developed and managed. Business Administration is a broad business major that covers management, finance, marketing and operations. Real Estate leads to careers such as real estate agent and real estate broker, while Business Administration leads to careers such as general and operations manager and administrative services manager.

Real Estate studies how property is bought, sold, financed, developed and managed. Marketing studies how organizations understand customers and promote products and services. Real Estate leads to careers such as real estate agent and real estate broker, while Marketing leads to careers such as marketing manager and digital marketing specialist.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to real estate, such as Real Estate Agent Training.