Rutgers Board of Governors establishes a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate degree

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rutgers Board of Governors voted to approve a new Bachelor of Science degree program in Real Estate that will be offered to students at Rutgers Business School in Newark and New Brunswick.

The degree program has been designed for students with an interest in real estate and real estate-related assets and will provide training in the development, investment, financing, and management of real estate projects.

The degree will expand on classes offered through the Center of Real Estate in response to growing demand.  Students who are currently taking real estate courses will be able to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate as early as May 2028.

"Many students learn after having a class or two in the real estate program at Rutgers— a world-class program, with instructors that are well-known, top academics and top global professionals—that they wish to learn as much as possible and pursue commercial real estate acquisition, financing, or development as a career,'' said Morris A. Davis, the Paul V. Profeta Chair of Real Estate and professor of finance and economics at Rutgers Business School.

"The real estate major signals to the very competitive marketplace that Rutgers students are trained, knowledgeable, and ready to work at the top real estate and real estate-adjacent firms in the state, the area, nationwide, and globally,'' he said.

Since 2015, an undergraduate minor and concentration in real estate have been offered on the Newark and New Brunswick campuses. The curriculum for the major will build on those courses, while also providing students the opportunity to make powerful networks and gain on-the-job training with leaders in the industry.

"Because of New Jersey's high density of corporate headquarters, massive industrial logistics hubs, and booming transit-oriented residential developments, offering a major in real estate at Rutgers will provide a strong talent pipeline to meet the needs of the state's economy," said Lei Lei, dean of Rutgers Business School.

Through donors and an engaged advisory board, the Rutgers Center for Real Estate has awarded 800 scholarships to 373 students totaling over $2.3 million. Corporate sponsors include Dynamic Engineering Consultants, PC, EisnerAmper, Sills Cummis & Gross, and Walker & Dunlop.

Many recent graduates have launched successful careers in the real estate industry, including David Choi, who founded a Newark-based real estate private equity firm in 2019 with a portfolio now estimated to be worth $60 million.

In addition to its new undergraduate major, Rutgers Business School offers an MBA concentration in Real Estate in both its Full-Time MBA and Part-Time MBA programs. The Rutgers Business School Full-Time MBA program also offers full-tuition scholarships for New Jersey residents who qualify.

Rutgers Business School is the flagship public business school of New Jersey, operating across dual campuses in Newark and New Brunswick.

SOURCE Rutgers Business School