First architecture students graduate with new Real Estate degree
This spring, the Real Estate Bachelor of Science program held its final review session for its Design + Development II studio. (Photo provided by the Tulane School of Architecture)
Less than a year ago, the new Bachelor’s Degree in Real Estate officially began at the Tulane School of Architecture, but this fast-growing program will be completing its first grade as early as 2021.
16 students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate (BSRE) in May. Many of the graduates joined the program after previously attending real estate classes as part of the school’s Real Estate Summer Minor Program, which began in 2015.
“I studied the summer real estate minor and I absolutely fell in love with the content and the professors,” said Cole Sonshein, who also holds a BSA in Architecture. “I knew real estate was what I wanted to do after graduation. When they introduced the full major it was an obvious choice to get the BSRE.”
For graduate Maddison Wells, the additional real estate major opened up opportunities for her future career.
“Real estate learning has been a huge source of insight into what and how I design,” said Wells, whose major is a five-year professional Bachelor of Architecture. “When I know the value of the land on which the built environment is based, I not only have a better understanding of why inequality and spatial injustice persist, but also possible solutions to redress. The BSRE didn’t just mention the variety of problems associated with real estate. It made me try to solve them and I will continue to do so throughout my career. “
“The new Bachelor of Science in Real Estate program is designed to prepare students for the complex problems that make real estate development practice difficult,” said John Huppi, associate director of Real Estate Development at the School of Architecture. “The program introduces students to the traditional academic fields of real estate, including finance, law, economics, and management. However, the strategic living of the program at the School of Architecture also encourages students to think and communicate spatially, as real estate is a tangible commodity and mastering topics such as zoning, building programming and master planning is critical to success in the industry is. “
The program already arouses interest in the arriving first class. 16 students choose BSRE as their major and 24 students choose it as their major. Another 29 current students have declared the major.
“I think the department has done a great job of selecting knowledgeable professors with a lot of hands-on work experience,” said graduate Jessica Buggy, who will work as an associate project manager at JLL in Chicago upon graduation. “The combination of my BSA and BSRE majors set me apart when applying for a position in commercial real estate.”
One of the most unique features of the new degree is the emphasis on sustainability.
“Our coursework is also at the forefront to discuss the effects of climate change and other natural disasters on real estate decisions,” said Huppi. “We expect our alumni to play an important role in creating a better built environment for the future.”