“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.”

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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.