CEPT University has announced a new Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Real Estate. This full-time program will start from the 2026 academic session . The university aims to prepare students for India's growing and more organised real estate sector. This MBA will teach students about urban planning, design, sustainable building, finance, and management, all in one course.
Need for the New Real Estate MBA
Professor Barjor Mehta, President of CEPT University, explained the reason for this new program. He said that India's real estate market has changed a lot. It has moved from being largely informal to much more structured and formal. Today, big companies handle a major part of property development in Indian cities.
Earlier, real estate jobs mainly involved architects, engineers, and city planners. Management courses mostly focused on running a company. However, CEPT University talked to many people in the real estate field. They found that today's real estate professionals need more than just company management skills. They need to understand:
- Good design
- Sound city planning
- Building in a way that protects the environment (sustainable development)
- Finance
- New ways to invest in real estate
CEPT University already has departments that teach these subjects. By bringing them together, they created a complete program for a new type of real estate professional.
Who Can Apply?
This program is open to students from different backgrounds. Not just architects or engineers can apply. Graduates from business administration and other fields are also welcome.
Program Design and Industry Connect
CEPT University has over 64 years of experience in teaching about urban development. Many former students from urban planning and management programs now work with large real estate companies and international service providers. These alumni gave clear feedback that such an MBA program is much needed.
It took more than six months to plan this program. This MBA in Real Estate is CEPT's first Master's program specifically in Business.
Industry Partnerships and Global Learning
To make sure the program is practical and useful, CEPT University has formed an industry advisory group. This group includes top real estate developers, international real estate service companies, and universities abroad known for real estate education.
India's real estate sector is becoming more formal. So, CEPT learned from countries where this change happened earlier, like the UK , Australia , and the US . They talked to many experts and institutions from these regions.
Admissions and Seats
The program will start with around 40 seats . The university will keep the number of students limited at first to ensure quality. They will then increase seats in the future based on demand and feedback.
Regarding entrance exams, Chirayu Bhatt from CEPT University said they are looking at different options. While CAT is a popular exam, other tests are also being considered. The final admission rules will be announced soon with the program details. There is no special preference for CEPT undergraduate students.
International Collaborations
CEPT University is talking with foreign universities for student exchange programs and learning opportunities. These include:
- Henley Business School at the University of Reading
- The University of Denver
- New York University (NYU)
These will not be joint degrees. Instead, they will allow students to study abroad for a semester or take special courses, giving them global experience.
What Makes This MBA Special?
This MBA program is unique in India because it covers all parts of real estate, not just company management. Graduates will learn about:
- Design
- City planning
- Land laws and formalisation
- Advanced finance
- New investment tools like REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts)
In the past, real estate funding in India was often informal. Now, developers use formal financial markets. This program will teach students the right words, analysis skills, and negotiation techniques to work in these formal systems. CEPT University also has over 40 international exchange agreements , which will give students global exposure.
Learning Style and Fees
The program will follow CEPT's traditional 'studio-based learning' model. This means students will learn by doing practical projects. Instead of one long project, there might be many smaller projects throughout the semester. This helps students think creatively and work across different subjects.
For fees, CEPT University has a standard fee structure for all its postgraduate programs. This Real Estate MBA will have similar fees to other postgraduate courses. It is expected to be slightly lower than other leading MBA programs in India.
