Through 10 weeks (60 hours) of intensive instructional modules delivered on Drexel’s main campus in West Philadelphia, learners will gain essential knowledge in finance, investment, project management, construction accounting, and contract negotiation; core areas that shape successful urban real estate development projects. Learners will also explore the fundamentals of building and managing residential developments, while developing a working understanding of sustainability, environmental compliance and municipal regulations that impact every stage of the development process.
In addition to technical foundations, this certificate program equips learners with the essential professional skills critical to long-term success, including how to navigate the bid process, craft persuasive proposals, deliver compelling presentations, and build strategies for professional networking in both in-person and online settings. Learners will also gain insights into the growing role of AI in real estate planning, development projects and property management.
Designed for aspiring developers with limited prior experience or growing portfolios, this program blends practical exercises with real-world applications, empowering learners to confidently take their first steps toward becoming successful real estate developers in the competitive and complex urban market.
In-person instructional module topics, dates and Final Capstone Project.
- Week 1 – October 11, 2025:
Affordable Housing
- Week 2 – October 18, 2025:
Fundamentals of Project Management
- Week 3 – October 25, 2025:
Fundamentals of Construction Accounting
- Week 4 – November 1, 2025:
Fundamentals of Property Management
- Week 5 – November 8, 2025:
Environmental Planning and Sustainability in the Built Environment
- Week 6 – November 15, 2025:
Real Estate Investment and Asset Management
- Week 7 – November 22, 2025:
Contract Management
- Week 8 – December 6, 2025:
Bid Process and Negotiations
- Week 9 – December 13, 2025:
Presentations That Close the Deal
- Week 10 – December 20, 2025:
Building Your Professional Network in Real Estate Development
- Culminating Capstone Project (Completed before the final week):
This capstone project is designed to challenge learners to critically evaluate the strategic importance of key components of real estate development projects and apply, in real-time, the knowledge gained from their weekly assignments and classroom experience. Learners will identify a currently available property (or develop a hypothetical opportunity based on realistic current conditions) and will over the course of the program work towards the completion of two project documents that are essential in real estate development: an Offering Memorandum and a Pitch Deck. Preparing these documents with the guidance of their experienced and accomplished real estate developer instructor will give learners practical and applied experience planning and communicating their vision.