Real Estate Studies Program
Boston University Real Estate Studies Program
Commercial Real Estate supports more than 15.1 million jobs and contributes $2.3 trillion to the US GDP. Boston University's Center for Professional Educaiton can help you prepare for jobs in real estate investment, facilty management, brokerage, transaction management, construction, and more. Whether you are taking a class to "sharpen your saw" or planning to join the indstury, BU opfferes a comprehensive program to help advance and accelerate your career.
Why BU?
Our expert faculty are working professionals who have helped thousands of students learn how to analyze, evalute, finance, transact, construct, and manage commercial real estate assets. Our affiliation with the Real Estate Finance Association, a division of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board, ensures our courses and faculty are at the leading edge of industry trends. Collaborating with your fellow real estate students will build a lifelong network of career relationships. Our class schedule is flexible. You can start with classes you are most interested in and then go on to earn your certificate in real estate, finance, or facilities management.
Program Details
Classes are held remotely once a week for eight weeks starting at 6:00 PM ET Monday - Thursday, so you can learn from anywhere when the class is taught live. Couses cost $795. Classes start September, January, and April. The current schedule of classes is available here.
All classes will be begin 6:00 PM with students using the Blackboard learning platform and the Zoom interactive communication tool for live instruction.
Please join us at an Information Session to learn more about the program.
Fall 2025 Classes - So Far
FM103 Facility Construction and Project Management
RE107 Fundamental of Investment Analysis
RE112 Fundamentals of Real Estate Finance
RE125 Practical Knowledge for the Real Estate Professional
Certificates
The required courses for the courses for the certificates with links to each class are below. Each certificate requires six core classes and two electives.
Although our certificates are a great foundation for your career, there is no obligation to earn one. Many students benefit from taking courses to round out their skills.
When You Complete the Program
When you have successfully completed your core and elective courses as outlined by your program, please complete the CPE Certificate Program Completion Information form found under the Student Information tab.
Get a Head Start on a Master’s in City Planning
MET Course Waivers for those students who completed a certificate in either Commercial Real Estate and Real Estate Finance. CPE certificate holders will be granted a waiver of two graduate-level elective courses (8 credits) toward the 48 credit hour Master of City Planning.
For more information on BU’s City Planning program, please call 617-353-3025 or visit http://www.bu.edu/cityplanning/. For more information on the certificate in Commercial Real Estate or Real Estate Finance, please call the Center for Professional Education at 617-353-4497.
Online Program Historical Information
- Commercial Real Estate Practice (OCRE) - Historic information, including course descriptions, is available here.
Residential Real Estate
If you are interested in getting a license to sell residential property (i.e., houses), please visit the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons for details.