The Wisconsin Global Real Estate Master (MS) degree is a unique, highly impactful semester-long program that gives international students the in-depth skills, broad knowledge, and real-world insights to advance their careers and increase their income.

Designed exclusively for non-U.S. graduate-level students and alumni from top international business schools, the GREM Program consists of intensive, full-time courses and a deeply enriching study tour.

Once you’ve received your GREM degree, you’ll be prepared to become an effective leader in cross-border investment, development, and finance in real estate.

Ask us a question Meet our team Apply now

Learn about the admissions process »

Explore Our Enriching Curriculum

The five courses of the GREM program serve as foundational pillars of professional growth, providing students with core principles of real estate, finance, and development that are universally applicable.

The GREM semester begins with a required orientation course in mid-August, and continues through the end of the fall semester in December. Due to disruptions caused by COVID-19, the Fall 2020 program has been rescheduled for early January to May 2021. All instruction is in English.

The GREM curriculum consists of the following courses (3 credits each).

RE710 - Real Estate Finance

This course includes evaluating the role of financing and leverage in real estate investment analysis; identifying alternative types of financing; valuation of financial structure; sources of equity financing for real estate; mortgage securitization, and the operation of secondary mortgage markets.

RE715 - Real Estate Valuation and Feasibility Analysis

In this course, you will learn how to use commercial property appraisal techniques to determine the feasibility of alternative programs of real property use. Students work in teams to apply the techniques learned in the classroom to an actual commercial property using current market data.

RE720 - Real Estate and Urban Economics

Students in this course will analyze spatial relationships in the urban economy, including urban land, labor, and housing markets; urban transport; city governance and finance; and regional models. You will be equipped with a deep understanding of what drives the growth and wealth of cities.

RE740 - Real Estate Capital Markets

Building upon a solid understanding of real estate equity investment and mortgage debt financing, this course covers advanced financial innovations, including securitized debt instruments, publicly traded real estate companies, and private equity investment funds. As a result, you will learn the economics of loan securitization from both the borrower and security investor perspectives.

RE750 - Commercial Real Estate Development

This capstone course provides an overview of the real estate development process from project conception to asset disposition. You will become familiar with best-known methods and practices that developers utilize to conduct market research, site selection, financial feasibility, regulatory review, neighborhood negotiations, design, construction contracts, construction management, debt financing, private placements, equity waterfalls, leasing, asset management, and disposition.

Gain Real-World Insights from Our Study Tours

You’ll benefit from the GREM study tours, which are a core component of the program. GREM students will tour major U.S. real estate markets to observe and study real estate projects in action, while networking with executives and business leaders who will share valuable industry perspectives.

Recent study tours have included three to five-day trips to New York City and Chicago. In New York City, GREM students participate in the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate’s annual Global Real Estate Markets Conference at the New York Stock Exchange, where they learn from visionaries and business leaders about the changing landscape of global real estate. They also meet with global real estate development firms, and visit sites such as the World Trade Center. In Chicago, GREM students have deepened their knowledge of industry developments and have benefited from networking opportunities at the Wisconsin Real Estate Trends Conference, sponsored by the Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association. While in Chicago, they also have met with business leaders at top real estate development firms, and toured Willis Tower, the second-tallest building in the U.S.

Annie Peiqi, Charles Zhang, Jack Li and Julia Wu
During a study tour in New York City,GREM and MBA students got to meet Charles Zhang, chairman and CEO of SOHU Inc. Pictured (l-r): Annie Peiqi, Charles Zhang, Jack Li and Julia Wu.
GREM students on a study tour in Chicago, standing in front of the Cloud Gate sculpture
GREM students pose in front of the famous “Cloud Gate” in Chicago’s Millenium Park.
Timothy Riddiough, Michael Brennan, and Abdullah Yavas standing in front of New York Stock Exchange building
Adjunct Professor Michael Brennan, and Professors Timothy Riddiough and Abdullah Yavas stand in front of the New York Stock Exchange building during a GREM study tour.

Learn from Thought-Leading Wisconsin School of Business Faculty

As a GREM student, you’ll learn from accomplished faculty in the Wisconsin School of Business and other departments on campus who bring the latest research and leading-edge business practices to the classroom. Learn more about the accomplished professors who will give you the knowledge and expertise to advance your career.

Stavent Chen

“The strong faculty team includes well-known professors and industry experts. The five real estate courses and practical case studies in the real estate industry have provided me a firm base of knowledge.”

—Stavent Chen, Global Real Estate Master (MS)