Real Estate Investment Management Certificate
Advance Your Career with UTD’s Online Graduate Credential
Four Courses. One Certificate. Endless Possibilities.
The Real Estate Investment Management Certificate from the University of Texas at Dallas is a fully online, graduate-level program designed for professionals seeking to elevate their expertise in real estate finance, law, market analysis, and investment strategy. Delivered by faculty who are industry veterans and academic leaders, this certificate blends rigorous coursework with real-world application—preparing students to lead in today’s dynamic property markets.
Why Choose UTD?
- 100% Online Delivery: Flexible asynchronous and synchronous formats designed for working professionals
- Industry-Relevant Tools: CoStar, Excel cash flow modeling, ARGUS, Teams channels, and SmartBook adaptive learning platforms
- Expert Faculty: Courses led by seasoned professionals with billions in transaction experience and deep academic insight
- Stackable Credential: Apply certificate credits toward UTD graduate degrees (Custom Online MBA, MBA, MS Finance, MS Management Science)
- CCIM Designation Partnership: UTD MBA, MS Finance and Management Sciences approved for the fast track. More information below.
- TREC License Renewal: Qualifies for continuing educational requirements for Texas Real Estate licensing
Career Outcomes
Graduates of the certificate program are equipped to pursue or advance careers in:
- Real Estate Investment & Asset Management
- Development & Market Feasibility & Portfolio Management
- Brokerage & Transaction Advisory & Leasing & Investment Sales
- Property Management & Appraisal & Economic Development
- Financial Analysis & Underwriting & Lending & Private Equity
Real Estate Investment Management Certificate
Learn and Experience—From Anywhere
Global Convenience
All courses are offered fully online, allowing you to participate from anywhere in the world—no relocation, no commute, just access.
Accelerated Completion
Earn your Real Estate Investment Management Certificate in just one semester, gaining specialized expertise without delaying your career.
Flexible Scheduling for Working Professionals
Courses are structured in an eight-week evening format, thoughtfully designed to fit the busy lives of professionals balancing work and advancement.
Learn and Experience.
Where Academic Rigor Meets Real-World Mastery
Why Choose Us?
At the heart of our graduate real estate program is a faculty whose expertise bridges the classroom and the marketplace. With strong academic credentials and decades of industry experience, our professors don’t just teach real estate—they’ve lived it.
- Academic Excellence: Our faculty hold advanced degrees from top institutions and are recognized thought leaders in real estate finance, development, law, and urban economics.
- Industry Insight: From commercial development to investment strategy, our professors bring firsthand knowledge of market cycles, deal structuring, and regulatory landscapes.
- Mentorship That Matters: Students benefit from personalized guidance, networking opportunities, and career coaching from professionals who’ve shaped the industry.
What You Will Gain
Learn the theory. Experience the practice. Our program is designed to prepare you for leadership roles in real estate by combining rigorous coursework with immersive, hands-on learning.
- Case-based learning from real transactions and market scenarios
- Applied research and data-driven decision-making
- Real world case studies, guest lectures, and project-based collaboration
- Direct access to faculty mentors with deep professional networks
- Real Estate Club at UTD with thousands of members
Faculty Spotlight
“We help our students experience the world of Real Estate.”
– Julie Lynch, Director of the Herbert D. Weitzman Institute for Real Estate
Accelerate Your Path to the CCIM Designation
Students who earn the Real Estate Investment Management Certificate—alongside a UTD graduate degree such as an MBA, MS in Finance, or MS in Management Sciences—can apply their education toward the prestigious Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation.
- Fast Track Advantage:
Begin with CI 103, the required entry point for CCIM candidates. Graduates of approved UTD degree programs receive waivers for CI 101, CI 102, and CI 104, streamlining their path to designation. - Dual Value:
Your academic achievement doubles as professional advancement, recognized by one of the most respected credentials in commercial real estate.
Apply Certificate Courses Toward a Graduate Degree
The Real Estate Investment Management Certificate isn’t just a standalone credential—it’s a strategic step toward earning a graduate degree at The University of Texas at Dallas.
- Seamless Integration:
Courses completed as part of the certificate program may be applied toward select graduate degrees, including the Custom Online MBA, MBA, MS in Finance, and MS in Management Sciences. - Accelerated Progress:
Build momentum in your academic journey by starting with certificate coursework that counts toward your master’s degree—saving time and tuition. - Dual Impact:
Gain specialized real estate expertise now, while laying the foundation for broader leadership and financial acumen in the future
Continuing Education for Texas Real Estate License Professionals
The University of Texas at Dallas is an approved Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) continuing education provider, offering coursework that satisfies licensing renewal requirements.
Ready to Lead?
Join a program where knowledge meets experience, and where your education is powered by those who’ve built, financed, and transformed the real estate landscape.
Program Curriculum
| Course | Focus Area | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|
| REAL/FIN 6321 – Introduction to Real Estate | Foundational Knowledge | Key commercial and residential concepts: investment decisions and key ratios, ownership interests, sources of debt and equity, valuation, appraisal, finance, mortgage calculations, acquisition & disposition |
| REAL/FIN 6322 – Real Estate Finance & Investments | Investment Strategy | Commercial Real Estate Investments: hands on cash flow analysis with key return metrics with Excel, valuation, underwriting, loan structures, syndication, securitization, real-world case studies |
| REAL/FIN 6323 – Real Estate Market Analysis & Investments | Market Research & Feasibility | Real estate market analysis for investment decisions and assessing the future potential: economic base analysis, asset class underwriting and supply/demand analysis (retail, office, industrial, housing, mixed-use, REITs) and CoStar training, |
| REAL/FIN 6326 – Real Estate Law & Contracts | Legal Framework for Real Estate | Comprehensive overview of the law relating to the development of real property: asset classes, ownership structures, local government, land use and zoning, eminent domain, exactions, zoning, environmental law and regulations, contract law, tax considerations, financing, private equity, commercial leasing, and property management. |
Course Descriptions
REAL/FIN 6321 Introduction to Real Estate
REAL/FIN 6323 Real Estate Market Analysis and Investment
REAL/FIN 6322 Real Estate Finance and Investment
REAL/FIN 6326 Advance Real Estate Law Practices
The Real Estate Club at UTD Weitzman Institute for Real Estate
UT Dallas is centrally located in the DFW metroplex near a multitude of powerhouse real estate companies. Real estate industry association members and professionals are integrated into both our curriculum and the Weitzman Institute for Real Estate Club at UTD.
Engage in meaningful activities and events like career panels, lunch-and-learns, case competitions, industry conferences, the ARGUS workshop and the Weitzman Executive Speaker Series. Through the Real Estate Club at UT Dallas, you can network with alumni and real estate professionals while making friends with other students and elevating your real estate résumé.
- Financial analyst
- Investment sales
- Mortgage brokerage
- Leasing agent
- Property administrator
- Appraiser
- Investment analyst
- Asset manager
- Developer
- Loan-portfolio administrator
- Facilities manager
- Real estate credit underwriter
Professional Certifications for Real Estate Students
UT Dallas Herbert D. Weitzman Institute for Real Estate serves as a platform for pursuit of many of the designations within the real estate industry, including the CCIM designation (Certified Commercial Investment Member). For more than 50 years, the CCIM designation remains the gold standard for commercial real estate professionals. CCIMs complete a rigorous program of advanced coursework and training in financial and market analysis and demonstrate extensive experience in the commercial real estate industry. With a UTD Real Estate Investment Management Certificate students are well on their way to meeting the educational requirements to sit for the examination for the CCIM designation.
Other industry association designations include the Institute of Real Estate Management’s Certified Property Manager (CPM) and Building Owners Management Association’s Real Property Administrator.
Student Testimonials
Shiv Patel
The first day I entered the Jindal School of Management, I had no idea what to expect. Coming in as a transfer from The University of Texas at Austin during my sophomore year, it was rather discouraging, at first. I reminisce those times where I was fixed on going to class and going back home. Nothing more, nothing less, but consciously knew that mentality had to change. Read More
Van (Lynda) Ong
For several years, I was a working professional in the real estate industry with experience in appraisal, title, and mortgage. When I decided to go back to school, The University of Texas at Dallas was my first choice. What made it even more gratifying in choosing UTD, was when I discovered that they had a great Real Estate Program. Read More
Giovanny Martinez
After completing my military service, moving in to a new state, and transitioning from a Marine Corps lifestyle to a university student, I was careful to choose a university program that would best equip me for the rapidly-changing business environment within the real estate industry. I decided The Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas Real Estate program was uniquely positioned to provide a solid foundation for a top career in this industry. Read More
Crystal Moreno-Rivero
As a graduate student and Industry Association Liaison of the UTD Real Estate Club, I actively participated in impactful events, connecting with peers and industry leaders. This engagement broadened my perspective, fostering lasting connections that significantly contributed to my growth in the real estate industry. Read More
Real Estate Employers Seeking Graduate Students
Employers are encourage to review the UTD resume book candidates seeking internships and permanent job opportunities. Our program provides local real estate businesses with exceptional value by offering talent and resources to assist with projects. Your firm can join a tight-knit community that support UT Dallas. Please contact the Career Management Center for more information and to post job opportunities.
Real estate companies in partnership with UT Dallas can participate in career fairs, can set up campus interviews and get assistance in screening candidates. Allow us to help make your hiring process as easy as possible. Please contact the Career Management Center for more information or visit their website.
For intern and permanent job candidate resume books please visit: Real Estate Career | Real Estate Club
As a professional in real estate, you have firsthand expertise that our students and faculty value. Get involved with the real estate program at UT Dallas by setting up an informal mentorship arrangement. This low-level commitment allows you to share stories and advice with a student considering real estate as a career path. Nurturing the next generation of leaders in real estate can be a rewarding opportunity for you.
Rankings
The Naveen Jindal School of Management program, named by Poets&Quants as the best for 2025, ranks No. 9 in the country among public schools (2024) and No. 11 overall in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Online Program rankings, released January 2025.
Naveen Jindal School of Management is No. 2 in The UTD Top 100 Business School Research Rankings™, which covers 24 journals (all considered top-tier) and No. 6 Worldwide in the Financial Times Research Ranking, which covers 50 journals (some not considered top-tier).
Learn more at: Real Estate Concentrations | Naveen Jindal School of Management
Contact us: Julie.Lynch@UTDallas.edu – Julie Lynch – Director, Herbert D. Weitzman Institute for Real Estate
Start the application process by contacting Julie.Lynch@UTDallas.edu
The Real Estate program has been designed to provide the maximum amount of flexibility for graduate or MBA students. With this special program, students can design their course structure to match their goals. Finance, accounting, marketing and other objectives can be met while pursuing a deeper understanding of real estate.
We have courses designed to meet your needs and bring you into the exciting world of real estate. Please join us.
Start your graduate application
Start the application process by contacting: Julie.Lynch@UTDallas.edu