Search overlay

Search form

Students enjoying a class Degrees & Programs
Podium and microphone Faculty & Staff
Student completing a career development course activity Career Development
Industry and recruiter swag Recruiters & Industry

People

    Programs

      Events

        College, Minor, Student

        Students flock to new Real Estate Development minor

        January 29, 2024 By Kelley Young

        Share:
        Share this page
        All News

         

        Fourth-year architecture student Demi Kucherawy was planning on completing her bachelor’s degree before applying to Auburn’s Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) program, but a studio field trip to a commercial real estate development sparked her interest in exploring possible career options, and her advisor told her to consider enrolling in the new Real Estate Development (RED) minor instead of waiting for graduate school.

        Justin Benefield Portrait

        Faculty Director of Auburn's Master of Real Estate Development program, Justin Benefield. 

        “I decided to pursue the minor first to gain as much knowledge about the industry as possible,” Kucherawy said. “So far, I can confidently say it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

        Auburn’s Master of Real Estate Development is one of the leading programs for real estate experts and community developers in the nation, but now there is an option for students who don’t want to wait for grad school to explore a career in this growing field.

        The interdisciplinary Real Estate Development (RED) minor is a collaboration between the Harbert College of Business and the College of Architecture, Design and Construction (CADC). Currently, the minor is only open to finance majors from Harbert and students enrolled in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture (APLA) and the McWhorter School of Building Science. Through the process of earning 15 credit hours, students learn about various aspects of real estate development, including the design and construction processes, real property analysis and real estate finance and investment.

        “The minor is coming online at an interesting time. Real estate careers are booming, and students know it.”

        -Justin Benefield, faculty director of the MRED program and Bickerstaff Professor in business

        The RED minor requires all students to complete a Principles of Real Estate course and a Real Estate Development seminar. Finance majors study principles of construction and design, while building science and APLA majors take a Foundations of Business Finance course. Students can take electives in any of the three areas.

        Now in its second semester of existence, the RED minor already has 70 students enrolled, with more set to begin studies in the spring. Kucherawy thinks part of the program’s popularity is due to the increased career opportunities for students after graduation.

        What classes do Real Estate Development minors take? 

        “Some people want to get into commercial real estate right after college, and the knowledge gained from these classes will be invaluable to them later in their careers,” she said. “Additionally, I think it allows students to explore different ways they can utilize their degree after college. Having this minor has already opened doors for me with several companies.”

        With its interdisciplinary nature, the RED minor will make students more employable no matter what field they enter after graduating. 

        “I think the minor has grown quickly because it brings together closely related but academically distinct fields,” said Justin Benefield, faculty director of the MRED program and the Bickerstaff Professor in business. “That’s not necessarily the norm in higher education. Also, the minor is coming online at an interesting time. Real estate careers are booming, and students know it.”

        Students who earn a minor may not want to stop there, and if they decide to apply to the MRED program, they’ll certainly be well prepared.

        “The undergraduate minor gives us a terrific complement to the master’s degree in real estate development,” said CADC Associate Dean and Hugh Daniel Professor David Hinson. “These two programs, coupled with Auburn’s new Institute for Real Estate Development, will really strengthen our relationship with this industry and create expanded career options for our students.”

        ###

        The Harbert College of Business which is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Raymond and Kathryn Harbert's transformational naming gift, is a nationally ranked hub of undergraduate, graduate and continuing business education that is inspiring the next generation of business leaders. Our world-class faculty deliver unparalleled academic rigor in the classroom, while our research-driven scholarship advances thought leadership and best practice across business disciplines. The largest college on Auburn's campus, Harbert enrolls more than 6,900 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.