Start dates: April 2025 / July 2025 / September 2025 / January 2026 / September 2026
Part time: 1 - 2 years for Postgraduate Diploma, 18 months - 5 years for MSc.
Location: Distance learning
School(s): School of the Built Environment
Overview
Real estate investment finance is constantly evolving. To continue climbing the career ladder, professionals in this area need to regularly update their knowledge and keep up with market trends.
This entirely online distance learning course is all about putting practical skills into action. It is for professionals around the world with a background in real estate, finance or business.
Our teaching team uses real-world examples, encouraging you to think critically. You will expand your knowledge of the practices that underpin the sector while being able to work at your own pace and keep track of your learning.
During your studies, you’ll also have lots of opportunities to connect with professionals across the globe. We’ll invite you to events where industry experts will present and share the latest thinking on different topics.
Read our Hot Property blog for student and alumni profiles and see what they got out of the course.
Alternatively, you may want to consider our alternative CPD programme Certificate of Real Estate Investment Finance.
Why Oxford Brookes University?
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4 start dates
Decide whether you start this course in January, April, July or September. Simply apply 6 weeks before the date you want to start.
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Control your length of study
The CPD and PG Diploma can be completed within 1 year, or extended to 2 years. The MSc can be completed within 18 months, or extended to a maximum of 5 years.
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100% online study
We combine flexible, innovative learning with the opportunity to study and network with fellow professionals worldwide.
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Leaders in education
This course is supported by industrial bodies such as ANREV, APREA and IPF.
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3 levels of study
We offer 3 levels of learning: CPD, PGDip or MSc. This means you can choose the qualification you need to revalidate your knowledge or accelerate your career.
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Accreditation(s)
MSc is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Recognised by the Investment Property Forum
Course details
Course structure
We’ve designed this course to extend your expertise of real estate as a financial asset in the investment market. You’ll complete 4 core modules:
- The Real Estate Investment Market
- Applied Real Estate Valuation
- Real Estate Investment and Finance
- Legal and Regulatory Considerations.
You’ll look at areas like property portfolio management and property financial management, as well as assets, markets and drivers. We’ll discuss the different valuation standards, techniques and modelling that are key for real estate valuations.
Understanding the context in which a real estate organisation functions is essential. As well as financial reporting and performance, we’ll explore Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. For the legal and regulatory module, you’ll look at legal structures, regulations and taxation from an international perspective.
For the MSc, you’ll spend time developing your research skills and draw on the core modules to help you decide on a dissertation subject. We’ll also encourage you to link it to your own experiences and current role.
Study modules
The modules listed below are for the master's award. For the PGDip award your module choices may be different. Please contact us for more details.
Please note: As our courses are reviewed regularly as part of our quality assurance framework, the modules you can choose from may vary from those shown here. The structure of the course may also mean some modules are not available to you.
Research
Most of our teaching staff are involved in academic research and/or professional/commercial consultancy work.
The Land, Design and Development (LDD) group brings together about 20 research-active academics working on different aspects of real estate, land policy, urban design, urban development and pedagogy.
LDD members undertake a wide range of innovative and interdisciplinary research in areas of economic globalization; property development; housing policy; public space; place identity; urban design and heritage; urban morphology; townscape and city centre management; urban regeneration and sustainability; infrastructure delivery; healthy cities and healthy ageing; and pedagogical methods and digital technologies.
Peter Dent, Michael Patrick and Ye Xu authored ‘Real Estate Property Markets and Sustainable Behaviour for the Natural and Built Environment Series’ (Routledge 2012).
Careers
Our online course is a great fit for real estate professionals across all sectors, as well as fund managers and investment bankers who would like to boost their expertise of real estate as a financial asset in an investment portfolio. Maybe you want to change career paths or perhaps you’re preparing for a promotion.
The MSc REIF is accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This means graduates who have completed the full course are entitled to apply for the RICS graduate pathway to membership.
Entry requirements
Specific entry requirements
MSc/PGDip REIF is open to applicants who hold a 2.1 undergraduate honours degree (or international equivalent) or above. It is also desirable to have at least two years relevant experience in the workplace.
We will actively consider applications from candidates who hold a 2.2 undergraduate honours degree (or international equivalent), who can evidence strong and relevant professional experience.
Find out about the entry requirements and how to apply to the CPD Certificate (CREIF).
Applicants working in the sector, who hold suitable professional qualifications - which can demonstrate ability to study at master's level, are also welcome to apply.
Please also see the University's general entry requirements.
English language requirements
If your first language is not English you will require a minimum academic IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all components OR an equivalent English language qualification acceptable to the University.
Please also see the University's standard English language requirements.
Pathways courses for international and EU students
We offer a range of courses to help you meet the entry requirements for your postgraduate course and also familiarise you with university life in the UK.
Take a Pre-Master's course to develop your subject knowledge, study skills and academic language level in preparation for your master's course.
If you need to improve your English language, we offer pre-sessional English language courses to help you meet the English language requirements of your chosen master’s course.
English requirements for visas
If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.
Credit transfer
Terms and Conditions of Enrolment
When you accept our offer, you agree to the Terms and Conditions of Enrolment. You should therefore read those conditions before accepting the offer.
International qualifications and equivalences
Tuition fees
Questions about fees?
Contact Student Finance on:
Tuition fees
Fees quoted are the full price of the course.
The following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.
How and when to pay
Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.
- For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
- For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page
Financial support and scholarships
If a student is considering applying for a postgraduate loan for the REIF programme, the payments are not made to the University in line with how the loan is released. Please contact Credit Control Team credit-control@brookes.ac.uk for more information.
Additional costs
Please be aware that some courses will involve some additional costs that are not covered by your fees. Specific additional costs for this course are detailed below.
Programme changes:
On rare occasions we may need to make changes to our course programmes after they have been
published on the website. For more information, please visit our
changes to programmes page.