Real Estate Schools in NY with Course and Program Descriptions

The schools in New York that feature real estate classes include community colleges and 4-year universities. The program options include stand-alone pre-licensing courses, bachelor's and master's degrees, real estate minors, certificate programs and continuing education classes. So, depending on your career goals, the schools profiled below can train you for various employment levels. In addition to the program highlights, students will find a comparison table with school and tuition information. The eight colleges profiled below offer a mix of course and degree programs and include three community colleges and five 4-year schools.

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Cornell University

An Ivy League school with over 21,000 students in Upstate New York, Cornell University in Ithaca was founded in 1865. Through the Cornell Baker Program in Real Estate, graduate students can earn a dual Master of Business Administration/Master of Professional Studies (MBA/MPS).

Core coursework is offered in conjunction with other university divisions and includes topics in real estate finance, management and promotion, residential development and the operational and planning aspects of construction. The dual MBA/MPS program is designed to provide students with a solid background in both management and real estate and can be completed in 2-3 years.

In addition to the degree programs, Cornell offers a 12-credit graduate minor in real estate with electives in commercial and retail real estate development. Cornell also offers an undergraduate minor in real estate.

CUNY Bernard M Baruch College

Bernard M Baruch College in Manhattan is part of the City University of New York (CUNY), and the school offers bachelor's and graduate programs to over 18,000 students at its Flatiron District campus. These include an undergraduate program in real estate with 24 major courses and concentrations in either investment or development.

The investment track has a more business-oriented focus than the development track and allows for electives in finance and economics. Featured coursework for the development track includes classes in real estate management and non-profit housing development.

A 9-credit minor in real estate is available for non-business majors and can include the study of real estate construction procedures, law and management.

Dutchess Community College (SUNY)

Over 10,300 students attend this State University of New York (SUNY) campus in Poughkeepsie, and currently, the school offers the lowest tuition rate of any higher learning institution in New York. The 75-hour real estate salesperson's course has been approved by the state and helps students acquire the academic training they need to take the required licensing exam.

The course is similar in scope and content to the one offered at the College of Mount Saint Vincent and includes the study of assessments, fair housing and taxes. Students also learn about a variety of legal documents, such as deeds, contracts and liens.

Finger Lakes Community College (SUNY)

Finger Lakes Community College is a 2-year, public school offering certificate and associate's programs at its Canandaigua campus in west-central New York. In particular, it provides students in this part of the state with access to the 75-hour, state-approved real estate salesperson's course.

In preparation for the licensing exam, the program covers a wide variety of topics, including condominiums and co-ops, property insurance and property management. Students also learn about the role of mortgage brokers and municipal agencies, as well as the effect of real estate transactions upon personal income taxes.

Along with in-class training, students can take state-approved, real estate courses online. These include pre-licensing programs for salespeople and brokers, continuing education classes and exam preparation.

Hofstra University

In Hempstead on Long Island, the Continuing Education Division at Hofstra University offers qualifying courses in real estate sales and brokerage. The state-approved salesperson's course is similar to the ones offered at the aforementioned schools and provides students with a background in licensing ethics and regulations, closing costs and steps, listing procedures and real estate mathematics.

Students who have successfully completed the salesperson's course and have one year of professional experience can take the qualifying broker's course. Topics include those associated with commercial leasing, ethics and property management.

New York University

Through the Schack School of Real Estate (School of Continuing and Professional Studies), New York University in Manhattan offers an undergraduate degree, graduate programs and non-credit certificates and courses in real estate.

The bachelor's program in real estate requires at least 128 credits for graduation and includes coursework in market analysis, sales, leasing and the real estate development process. Students who already hold a bachelor's degree in another area, but want to pursue a career in real estate, may also be interested in the 18-credit graduate certificate program. Courses correspond with the core master's curriculum and cover topics in accounting, economics, market analysis and the legal aspects of real estate.

New York University also offers two different graduate programs in real estate. The 42-credit Master of Science in Real Estate program provides students a strong grounding in both the theoretical and day-to-day aspects of the field, while the Master of Science in Real Estate Development puts particular emphasis on entrepreneurship and management.

SUNY Westchester Community College

Westchester Community College is also part of the SUNY network, and the school is located near the Connecticut border in Valhalla. The college's Center for Real Estate Education offers a number of state-approved continuing education and licensing programs, including the 75-hour real estate salesperson's course.

The real estate appraisal program teaches students how to conduct residential sales comparisons, write reports and work with financial models and statistics. Real estate professionals can also find continuing education courses in, among other topics of interest, foreclosures, pre-purchasing procedures and short sales. They can also learn how to calculate gross living areas and prepare a closing transaction file.

Syracuse University

This Syracuse university was founded in 1870, and the school serves the educational needs of over 20,000 students in Upstate New York. The bachelor's program in real estate features coursework in real estate principles, development and finance. Students can also pursue a 6-course minor in real estate that covers topics in accounting, finance and free enterprise.

Additional school features include the James D. Kuhn Real Estate Center, a valuable resource that helps students understand the relationship between finance and real estate and provides research support for professionals.