Academics

Graduate Certificate in Urban Real Estate Development and Finance

housingThe Urban Real Estate Development and Finance certificate program is excellent for existing CSU graduate students in Business, Law, and Urban Affairs who desire a more focused, hands-on and practical experience in project-level real estate and real estate finance, investment and valuation. This certificate program will also benefit professionals in the fields of real estate, real estate law, planning, economic development, banking, and architecture who were trained in other fields and would like to update and strengthen their knowledge and practice of urban real estate development and finance. Evening classes are available and students can complete the program in as little as one year. Guest lecturers from the real estate community give up-to-date examples of successful projects.
 

Admission Information

Degree-seeking graduate students who hold regular admission status may be admitted to a certificate program. Alternatively, the applicant must meet the graduate certificate admission requirements detailed in the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog and listed below. With program permission, non-degree graduate students may take the courses noted below, but non-degree graduate students cannot earn a university graduate certificate.

Urban Real Estate Certificate Admission Requirements:

  • Submission of application for licensure admission and application fee.
  • Official transcripts confirming completion of baccalaureate degree, completed master’s degree, or completed JD degree.
  • Students must meet one of the following admission criteria:
  1. For bachelor's degrees earned within the past six years, the applicant must have a minimum cumulative GPA for the bachelor’s degree of 2.75 (4 point scale),
  2. OR if the bachelor's degree is more than six years old, the applicant must have a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA,
  3. OR a minimum GRE score of the 50th percentile,
  4. OR completion of 12 graduate level credits at CSU with a minimum "B" in each course,
  5. OR completion of regionally accredited U.S. masters or Juris Doctorate degree.
  • Resume.
  • Statement of purpose.

Submit application materials to the Graduate Admissions Office:
2121 Euclid Ave
Attn: Application Processing Center
Cleveland, OH 44115

To facilitate the admission process, it is strongly recommended that applicants use the online application system. The processing time for paper application forms is longer.
 

Course Requirements

The 16-credit-hour sequence includes two graduate courses from both the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs and the Monte Ahuja College of Business Administration.

16-credit-hour sequence courses:

  • UST 610: Urban Development Process/Market Analysis
  • UST 623: Urban Development Finance and Applied Real Estate Project
  • FIN 610: Real Estate Finance
  • FIN 612: Real Estate Investments

The courses do not require any prerequisites, however, the UST classes must be taken in numerical order.
 

Faculty

Urban Real Estate Development and Finance Certificate classes are taught by Cleveland State University faculty, researchers, instructors, and professionals working in the region.

Robert A. Simons, Ph.D.
Professor of Urban Planning and Real Estate Development
Certificate Program Coordinator
Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs

David O’Neill
Adjunct Professor
Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs

For more information, contact:

Robert A. Simons, Ph.D.
Professor of Urban Planning and Real Estate Development
Certificate Program Coordinator
r.simons@csuohio.edu
or
Public Affairs Student Services Center
Telephone: (216) 687-3884 / E-mail: passc@csuohio.edu