The course is aimed at those who may already have some experience or interest in real estate markets, banking or investment and wish to upgrade their skills, or for those who are looking to commence a career in this area.Ê

The programme offers an opportunity to study theoretical and practical finance, investment and law applied to global commercial real estate markets, while enjoying the cultural, social and recreational facilities of Cambridge.Ê

The course takes students from a wide variety of backgrounds: finance, geography, economics, law, biology, international business and mathematics. These students have in common a strong desire to work in property and investments coupled with strong academic skills.

Tuition in the programme is based around classroom lectures, case studies and field trips to ensure students can apply the theoretical concepts taught. The programme can also serve as an entry point into PhD training for those interested in pursuing research in real estate finance in greater depth.

MPhil courses offered by the Department of Land Economy share common aims:

• Enable students of a high calibre to pursue their education at an advanced applied level drawing on the primary disciplines of economics, planning and environmental policy, with additional specialisms in finance and law.
• Provide students with opportunities both to build on and develop material which they may have studied at undergraduate level as well as to broaden their knowledge base.
• Equip students with the necessary skills to pursue careers at a high level in a range of areas, includingÊ business and finance, civil service, public service, property professions, environmental agencies and organisations, national and international agencies and further study.
• Provide opportunities for education in a multidisciplinary environment so as to advance the understanding of cognate disciplines and their applications.
• Provide opportunities for learning with colleagues from different social, economic and legal systems.
• Provide students with appropriate skills and experience to enable them to use information and resources critically and to equip them with the means to undertake their own research.
• Provide an educational environment with a strong research ethos that brings together students from a wide variety of backgrounds and fosters an international approach to common problems.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course, students will have acquired the following skills:

• Knowledge and understanding of the subject matter of the various components of their course.
• Intellectual skills: the ability to study steadily, assimilate issues and large amounts of literature swiftly, evaluate countervailing positions and to produce succinct arguments to tight deadlines and to engage with those with whom they disagree. Particular methodologies used include data evaluation, case evaluation, legal analysis, textual analysis, the convergence o theory and empirical data and advanced critical evaluation.
• Practical skills: identification and use of bibliographic materials, via libraries and electronically; taking notes effectively, thorough IT skills.