Master of Real Estate Development

Disciplines including economics, finance, urban and transportation planning, retailing and supply chain, civil engineering, architecture, health care, AI, Indigenous studies, law, and others, play significant roles in real estate development. While each brings a different perspective to city and community building, the broader vision is shared: to create vibrant, healthy, sustainable, livable, inclusive cities and communities, each with a strong economic base.

Offered through the Alberta School of Business and the Cities Institute, the MRED is a graduate-level business degree specially focused on real estate development. The program equips you with the skills, insight and connections to advance your career in the industry and contribute to the future of our cities and communities.

Why choose the Master of Real Estate Development

• Immersive and formative: The one-year, in-person format is designed to equip you for a specialized career with a pre-built network.
• Learn from the best: Instructors are well-respected and deeply knowledgeable in their fields. Access great minds from a variety of disciplines that contribute to real estate development.
• Scholarly and professional: Academic rigour meets industry knowhow. Edmonton’s development industry is highly immersed in the program, incorporating guest lecturers, exclusive site tours, special events and networking opportunities throughout the entire program, not just when you graduate.
• Real-world impact: MRED culminates in a real-world capstone project. Gain experience with a team of professionals and apply what you’ve learned to a meaningful community project.
• Professional network, pre-built: Graduate with a network already built. That’s how the industry works, and Edmonton is renowned for its uniquely collaborative approach to city building. Intentional, meaningful opportunities to build your network start on the first day of the program and weave throughout every aspect of your studies.

"MRED is a tremendous achievement and a transformative step forward for real estate education in Alberta and across Canada. Development is inherently interdisciplinary, yet many professionals enter the industry from a single discipline — for example, planning, engineering, marketing or finance — without a full understanding of how the pieces fit together. This often leads to gaps in terms of perspective on how development projects are conceived, structured and executed. MRED will level up development education to the highest national and international standards. By doing so, MRED will strengthen careers, the quality of projects and the communities delivered."

Thomas Burr, Senior Vice President, Averton

Who should apply

The MRED is ideal for early-career professionals or recent graduates that are repositioning themselves for a rewarding career in real estate development. MRED graduates build their development-specific prowess on a foundational undergraduate degree such as business, urban planning, human geography, civil engineering, construction management, social sciences, mathematics, economics and more.

Real estate development is a highly collaborative, relationship-based industry. Successful professionals have a keen understanding of policy and business acumen, along with creativity and ambition. Employers are looking for MRED graduates with sound judgment, great communication skills, drive and a keen interest in contributing positively to their communities.