Real Estate Development

The Advanced Certificate in Real Estate Development (CRED) provides knowledge and skills needed to initiate and manage real estate development in a complex market and regulatory environment. The CRED Program is designed for current and aspiring real estate professionals and urban planners to collaborate on great development projects that are sustainable, equitable, and financially sound.

Enroll now

Using the Silicon Valley and Bay Area as its study area, the program incorporates best practices and real-life case studies taught by leading industry professionals, with numerous hands-on studio projects to prepare recipients for successful careers. CRED's four classes are:

Private Development and Urban Planning (URBP 205) - an introduction to the entire process from preliminary site analysis through planning, construction, and marketing

Market Analysis & Finance (URBP 206) - study real estate capital markets and the financing sources required for major development and construction. Learn how to minimize risk and maximize return

Land Use Planning & Law (URBP 225) - introduction to laws, regulations, and policies used by local, state, and federal government. Learn how laws can both constrain and incentivize different kinds of development 

Urban Development Studio (URBP 208) - capstone class taught in studio format, immersing students in real world scenarios in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. Case studies, guest speakers, and field trips to real development projects are part of the required coursework 

The CRED Program is for professionals, full-time and part-time students, or anybody who's interested in learning more about how policy, investment, and people share our neighborhoods and communities. If you're interested in obtaining the Certificate but don't want to enroll in a Master's degree program, consider getting the Certificate through through SJSU Open University. Many professionals obtain a Real Estate Development Certificate to supplement their degrees with specialized knowledge and help advance their career.     

If you're a graduate student at SJSU, then you are eligible for the CRED Program. For more information, contact the CRED Director. Graduate students who are relying on CRED Program credits to meet their university graduation requirements should send an email to the URBP Graduate Advisor. 

Catalog Listing - Real Estate Development Certificate 

Scott Lefaver Planning and Real Estate Scholarship

Half of your coursework is reimbursed. Financial Aid. Scott Lefaver Scholarship.The CRED Program has a scholarship reimbursement fund that will pay for two of the required CRED classes – whether you are an Open University student or receiving your graduate degree. Your tuition fee can be reimbursed for both URBP 206 and URBP 208. You can receive the scholarship for both classes – even if you take them in the same semester.

This scholarship is available for up to fifteen students in URBP 206 and up to fifteen students in URBP 208, as long as you receive a grade of "B" or better in each course. Eligibility is restricted to students who are currently enrolled in, or who have successfully completed, URBP 205. Students who are matriculated (getting their SJSU degree) or SJSU Open University students may each apply for this scholarship twice – once each for successfully completing URBP 206 and URBP 208.

To apply for the Scott Lefaver Scholarship:

  1. Enroll and complete URBP 205; then enroll in URBP 206. Later, you'll also enroll in URBP 208 - but it all starts by enrolling in URBP205
  2. As soon as your grades for URBP 206 and URBP 208 are posted, please complete this GoogleDoc, Scott Lefaver Planning and Real Estate Development Scholarship Form.
  3. Email a .pdf of your unofficial transcript to the the CRED Director with the title, "Lefaver Scholarship Transcripts."
  4. If you're an Open University student, additional forms will be required. The department office will contact you.
  5. Scholarship processing takes approximately 4-6 weeks.